Our CommunityConnecting our community
Gympie Living shares the good stories of our region.
It is a fully independent, free community publication.
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Our Community
Gympie Living shares the good stories of our region. It is a fully independent, free community publication established in 2018. Through storytelling we share our connection to Gympie, the place and its people. This magazine aims to inspire, to educate and support a culturally vibrant and progressive community.
The Gympie region is rich in ecological biodiversity, with a landscape recognised by UNESCO as the Great Sandy Straits Biosphere. This supports agri-tourism ventures and business opportunities. Our rich cultural heritage is strengthened by the generosity of its volunteers and the creative community that celebrate it. A well informed community can make positive choices towards sustainable growth that supports small business, the arts and our environment.
We are very grateful of the support of our advertisers who continue to support the magazine each month. Please support these businesses as we ‘get local’ and together, strengthen our communities economy.
Publisher, Editor, Producer, Foodie …
Lesa Bell
Grab your creative community and local farmers, add some business nous, lashings of environmental leadership then drop into this incredibly diverse natural environment. The result? Respect for the land and its uniqueness and a sustainable future for our region.
Meet the Contributors
Where would we be without the passionate leaders in our community?
The people who create and inspire, make their business dreams a reality, lead organisations, and contribute to the diverse and interesting community in which we live. Lucky there’s a few who bring their enthusiasm to Gympie Living each month.
Thank you to each and every one who helps Gympie Living connect the community through stories and ideas.
Isabella Auld (Izzy)
Isabella grows healthy food, regenerates native forest and makes jewellery from her own fossicking and ethically sourced stones. She’s a professional artist, photographer and permaculturist, making eco and community friendly waves throughout our valley.
James Beatson
James started in London as a reporter with The Guardian and the Washington Post. He returned to Australia as The Guardian’s Australian/Pacific correspondent. He has also worked for Australian Financial Review, Time, ABC & BBC radio.
Zela Bissett
Educator, artist, author and activist. Zela combines her talents as artist and educator to inspire and build stronger connections for a more sustainable future. She is also an amazing Permaculturist, seed saver and paper maker.
Anna Brennan
Anna is a stand-up comedian, fiction writer, event producer, podcaster, aspiring visual artist, avid tea drinker and compulsive opshopper. She runs stand-up comedy events and runs a business making button badges and magnets.
Glenbo
Design extraordinaire. Glenbee is Gympie’s cafe dweller, regularly seen expanding his spoon collection. He is a generous spirit devoted to campaigning for the rights of bees and kale. He also creates Word Puzzles and designs and publishes really cool books.
Lauren Granger-Brown
International educator, activist and ratbagat-large, Lauren is passionate about radical democracy, style and design, sustainability, social and environmental justice, the arts, and culture. She invites us to engage, critique and re-imagine for the collective good.
Peter & Bevly Hughes
Peter and Bevly offer an enormous knowledge of the flora and fauna of our region. They have documented regenerative farming practise and our region’s incredible diversity of habitat for many years.
Murray Keys
Murray is a strong advocate for the adoption of renewable energy by our community. Gympie Sustainability Alliance demonstrate that solar power is abundant, free clean and financially viable.
Ian Mackay
Dedicated river spokesman and chairman of the Mary River Catchment Coordinating Committee (MRCCC). Ian is Gympie’s Gandalf the Grey providing sound arguments for a healthy environmental economy. He’s also a fantastic storyteller and poet.
Lucy Alexander Sable
Nurturing our creative development, Lucy is not afraid to push the boundaries when it comes to Art. A very funny, down to earth person with a perfect streak of madness. Thank you Lucy for bringing your style and finesse to Gympie Living.
Deb Seal
Celebrating 20 years working with the MRCCC, Deb is a powerhouse ofresources and generosity. A longtime secretary of ANARRA wildlife rescue, you can be assured our waterways and native critters are in safe hands.
Tim Scott
Organic beef producer and Kandanga Farm Store co-owner, Tim Scott is an outspoken agitator for change. His holistic vision for food, energy and ecological systems that regenerate regional communities, provides us with an alternative perspective.
Peter Weedon
Retired systems analyst volunteers for weed management on small acreage. Peter’s wry humour celebrates his love of the English language as he transitions from Committing Herbicide to “Why do we say?”
Adele Coombs
Adele is a wandering poet, muso, author, beachcomber and carer for her parents since returning to the Gympie area from south New Zealand, where she grew up on its mountains and rivers. Adele has published a poetry and photo book titled ‘Barefoot Dreaming’.