Complete guide to Gympie Times’ best of 2023
Teachers, beauticians, hairdressers, tattooists and cake decorators – we bring together Gympie’s ultimate showcase of 2023 – as voted by our subscribers. See the full list:
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In close-knit competitions, tight margins and an expansive field of expertise, Gympie Times’ best of competitions have celebrated and highlighted much-loved businesses and individuals in the region.
From teachers to gyms, cake decorators to carpenters, our subscribers have come out in droves to vote for their favourite person or business.
As the year draws to an end, we take a look back at some of the exceptional talent of the region and the much-loved businesses which build the region’s culture, community and identity.
Meet the best of Gympie in 2023.
Rob Murray – Gympie’s best coach 2023
In a surprise nomination, but hardly a surprise win, Rob Murray has been voted the best coach in Gympie for 2023.
Mr Murray was the coach of junior Gympie Devils for more than 20 years and passed away on November 9, 2022 after a two-year fight with leukaemia.
His memory, legacy and acknowledgment in the community has far from passed with him, instead helping him secure a landslide victory and naming him the best coach by collecting 40 per cent of the vote.
Mr Murray’s good friend Nancy Cook nominated him at the beginning of the competition in a cheeky nudge and said she could “hear him laughing up there”.
Shannen Hewitt – Gympie’s best cake decorator 2023
Delicious icing on layered cake goodness, from natural floral colours to decorated numbers and kids’ cakes, finding out who took the title of Gympie’s best cake decorator was no small feat.
Shannen Hewitt has been crowned Gympie’s best cake decorator, taking out 33 per cent of the vote, leading by 6 per cent over Melt Me Chocolate Shop.
Veteran resident Ms Hewitt said her love of baking sprang from spending childhood weekends baking with her nan.
“My fondest memory baking with Nan is beating the eggs into the creamed butter and sugar (by hand back then) and she said proudly that I did a good job by not curdling the eggs,” she said.
“I loved baking with Nan, so many beautiful memories.”
Aria Skin and Beauty – Gympie’s best beautician 2023
Aria Skin and Beauty founder Fiona Peterson and her daughter Paris have been voted Gympie’s best beauticians of 2023 in a poll of almost 30 finalists.
Ms Peterson was shocked when told she had won and said she felt “humbled” and “overwhelmed” but that the credit must also go to her daughter Paris.
“She’s responsible for this win as well I feel,” Ms Peterson said, while also thanking those who had voted for her.
“Thank you, thank you, thank you. What else do you say?
“It means a lot because obviously they mean a lot to me and I mean a lot to them, so it’s a two-way street.”
Robert Andrews – Gympie’s best teacher 2023
With more than 150 responses for nominations on the Gympie Times Facebook page, it is clear the region is home to many talented teachers who inspire their students every day.
But only one can be the winner, and Robert Andrews, the prep and year 1 teacher from Widgee State School has taken first place with 23 per cent of votes in our 2023 poll.
“It’s not about the data, it’s about the social and emotional growth, and teaching them respect,” Mr Andrews said when we caught up with him at Widgee this week.
Mr Andrews started out as a football coach and managing a property in western Queensland, but when a horse accident injured his knee he had to rethink his career.
In his time as a coach he was disappointed with how footy culture was influencing young boys and so became driven to make a difference in young boys’ lives.
He found an outlet for his passion when he became a teacher aide almost 35 years ago.
“If I can make a difference in one kid’s life then I’m happy,” he said.
Josh Archer – Gympie’s best tattoo artist 2023
In a close competition with fellow inkers Matt Sullivan and Luke Bishop, Josh Archer of Cooloola Tattoo has been voted by subscribers as Gympie’s best tattooist of 2023.
The trio emerged as the favourites in the city with Mr Archer winning by a single vote ahead of Mr Sullivan and three ahead of Mr Bishop.
Humbled by the accolade, Mr Archer acknowledged getting tattooed was a very personal experience.
“I think everyone is very good at their own craft, and when you trust someone to tattoo you and you’re comfortable with them and their work, you just keep going back,” Mr Archer said.
It’s no wonder the accolades poured in for Mr Archer, whose demeanour puts people at ease, as if he is an old friend.
Jamie Marquis - Gympie’s best dancer teacher 2023
One dance teacher has come out on top as Gympie’s best despite a neck and neck competition that went right down to the wire.
Jamie Marquis from Focus on Dance is the inspiring teacher and winner of the 2023 title, bringing poise and grace to her pupils and getting 30 per cent of the vote, edging out Michelle Weber of Cooloola Dance.
The 22-year-old winner has been dancing since she was four years old and never stopped.
As a teenager she found her dance home at Focus on Dance and quickly became a student teacher, before running her own classes and choreographing routines with Miss Leah Hosking.
In 2021 she made a huge leap and took over the dance school with her co-owner Shea Turner.
“We have worked hard to breathe new life into the studio, and in turn have experienced huge growth, now offering award-winning programs, and having over 130 students in our Focus on Dance family, and many more who join us for holiday workshops,” Ms Marquis said.
Heidi Webb – Gympie’s best child care educator 2023
A 27-year career as a child care educator has delivered a great many things for Heidi Webb, but there is still room for surprises.
The Parkside Early Learning Centre educator said this was one of the emotions she felt after emerging from a strong field of 27 Gympie region child care educators to claim the top spot in The Gympie Times’ online search for the best of 2023.
Mrs Webb received 15 per cent of the vote, four percentage points higher than Kids Bizz Early Education Centre’s Jessica Bell, who took out second place.
Third place was a three-way tie between Ms Bell’s Kids Bizz colleague Jenni Stokes, Goodstart Early Learning Jones Hill’s Lissa Dooley and Busy Bees’ Jo Robinson.
Mrs Webb described the result as “humbling” and “surprising”.
“I work with some amazing educators, just beautiful people,” she said.
“You’ve got to really love this job … to last in it.
“It’s the most rewarding job, but it’s the most exhausting job as well.
“Sometimes it can be a bit heartbreaking.
“Last year we had kids that had floods … little people go through a lot now.”
Iron Palace – Gympie’s best gym 2023
From more than 500 comments, Iron Palace easily secured its position as the favourite with an overwhelming majority of nominations, leading to its unsurprising crowning as Gympie’s best gym of 2023.
Brad Morris and Mimi Rogers, the power couple behind Iron Palace, bought the gym in February 2021 – “smack bang in the middle of Covid” – and have since gained an astounding following across the Gympie community.
Mr Morris shared that the gym’s logo – a grizzly bear wearing a crown – was inspired by his late rottweiler, Bear, who sadly died two months ago.
“I was devastated; he has been my best mate for 12 years (his whole life),” Mr Morris said.
“But, little did I know, two days after he passed away I found out that the gym had got together and pulled enough money to buy me a new rottweiler puppy.
“We now have a puppy at our gym who we called Koda – means little bear – and the members and gym team bought him for me.”
Continuing the legacy of his mascot and best friend, Mr Morris found out that Koda was actually Bear’s nephew.
Hair Review – Gympie’s best hairdresser 2023
Subscribers have cast a record number of votes to reveal the people’s choice award of the Gympie salon that gives joy, beauty and hair satisfaction to its clients.
After the unprecedented turnout, we can finally announce the winner: Hair Review in Mary St, which took out 23 per cent of the votes.
The competition was tough, with 30 nominated hair salons vying for the top prize and hundreds of people voting for their one favourite.
“My heart was bursting with joy this morning after finding out that we had won this incredible accolade,” owner Carolann Verity said.
Client Jenny Ross professed to voting in the poll as she had her hair cut by Rance Boreham.
She said her colours had never looked better and she constantly gets asked about her hair whenever she goes shopping at Centro.
A bright mix of purple shades, she said her family knew “not to mess with Nana’s hair”.
Chrishan Zerner – Gympie’s best carpenter 2023
Chrishan Zerner from Zerner Building Company won with a whooping 29 per cent of the vote.
Groves Electrical – Gympie’s best electrician 2023
Family-owned Gympie business Groves Electrical has claimed the title of Gympie’s best electrician for 2023.
The business’s owner, Doug Rose, said he felt very lucky to live in a town with lots of great tradespeople offering “good old-fashioned country service”.
“I don’t know about the title ‘the best’ but we do try our best to look after you clients, and I guess this has reflected that,” he said.
Mr Rose said he was very lucky to have the support of an awesome team who were great electricians but, more importantly, great humans.
“The real hero is my wife Michelle, who runs the office and tells me when and where I need to be. I just swoop in to take the glory.”
The Hatch Specialty Coffee – Gympie’s best coffee 2023
The Hatch Specialty Coffee has been crowned Gympie’s best coffee place for 2023, with the runner up Little h Cafe, which missed out by only 5 per cent of the votes.
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