Gympie’s 25 up-and-coming men and women of 2024
From sports stars to musicians, artists and businessmen and women, these talented, competitive young people from all corners of the Gympie region - some as young as 12 - are blazing a trail and shaping the future.
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From sports stars to musicians, artists and businessmen and women, these 25 talented, competitive Under 35s from all corners of the Gympie region are making their mark and setting themselves up for a big future.
Youth is no barrier for Gympie’s top young achievers.
The rising stars on this list are as young as 12 and represent a variety of fields - from television stars and sporting legends, to the musical and entrepreneurial.
Here they are, in no particular order.
1) Mikaela Sima
Mikaela Sima is the owner and operator of moments by Mikaela, which specialises in wedding and event planning, and decoration hire.
Mikaela grew up in Gympie and attended Gympie State High School.
After two years at university, she moved to Austria as a nanny, before returning to Gympie in 2015.
“I decided to get involved in my community who had given me so much when I was young,” she said.
She became a showgirl, and went on to be a rural ambassador and two-time state finalist.
She now mentors young showgirls and rural ambassadors, is the Chief Steward of the Pavilion at the Gympie Show, and sits on the Gympie Show board.
Mikaela originally got involved in weddings and events coordination as a volunteer. When she decided to turn this hobby into her own business, Moments by Mikaela was born.
Her goal is “to help as many locals have their dream wedding or event stress free as possible”.
She was awarded the New Business of the Year award through We Rise Women’s Network.
2) Hannah Johnston
Hannah Johnston represented the Gympie Show Pavilion and Dairy Committee as a Senior Showgirl in 2024.
She won the Charity Showgirl title at the 2024 Gympie Show awards night.
She smashed the longstanding record for most money raised.
The previous record was around $33,000, and Hannah raised an astonishing $75,479.
Hannah is currently studying full-time at the University of the Sunshine Coast.
This year, she completed an Associate Degree in Medical Laboratory Science, with a minor in medical haematology.
She is now completing a Bachelor of Biomedical Science, and has a GPA of 6.2.
Hannah was awarded Young Citizen of the Year for the Gympie Region in 2022 for her community contributions.
She is also part of a string quartet which regularly play at community events and functions.
3) Lewis Venz
Lewis Venz, 23, plays the bass as part of a late 90’s/ early 2000’s grunge/alternative band, Trillions.
Between March and October 2023, Trillions performed at 24 gigs around Gympie, the Sunshine Coast, Maryborough, Toowoomba, Brisbane and the Gold Coast to get their name out there.
Their debut single amassed almost 10,000 streams.
They played at a Gold Coast festival called Wallapalooza in 2023.
The band will release its next single on May 3, and will headline at Solbar in Maroochydore on May 11.
Lewis designed t-shirts as merchandise, and these were printed locally.
“We work really hard to be quite different to other bands,” he said.
Lewis is also completing a mechanic’s apprenticeship and has a small car detailing business on the side.
He was born in Gympie, and now lives on the Sunshine Coast. He finds performing at Gympie events to be “nostalgic”.
The band recently played at the Youth Week event presented by Live and Local Gympie Region.
4) Sharla Watson
Sharla opened Cafe by Farmer and Sun in 2015.
“Our little boutique cafe has grown from four staff to 15+ and I’ve enjoyed the journey,” she said.
Sharla won the Gympie Chamber of Commerce 2017 Entrepreneur of the Year award.
“I love getting creative with food, but also enjoy the problem solving required to run a hospitality business.”
She said she has always has a passion for food after growing up on a farm at Glastonbury.
Sharla also helps to sell her family’s home-grown fresh produce at markets.
5) Jess Zerner
Jess Zerner, 33, started her hair apprenticeship at age 15 in an award winning Gympie salon, drawn to the field due to her love of creativity and working with people.
“I fell in love with this industry and have never looked back,” she said.
After having her first child, she began working from home with “nothing but my dining room chair, a rusty basin, and a colour order I could barely afford”.
A few years later she had the opportunity to manage another salon for a short time, and it inspired her to launch her own space.
She purchased an existing business.
“I was about nine weeks pregnant when I took on the challenge of rebranding, renovating, hiring staff and launching Havana Hair & Beauty in the midst of the unprecedented Covid-19,” she said.
Now, the salon employs nine stylists and two beauty therapists.
She said her biggest highlight so far was “travelling overseas for education and training my apprentices, passing down my knowledge and everything I’ve learnt along the way”.
6) Michaela Dodt
Michaela Dodt, 27, is the owner of Bloom, a hair boutique on the corner of Reef St and Channon St.
In July, she will celebrate Bloom’s two year anniversary.
Michaele launched Bloom to step out of her comfort zone and prove to herself that she could do it.
“I felt like Gympie needed a place like Bloom,” she said.
“We really focus on one-on-one service. Everyone that comes in gets our full attention.
“I couldn’t have asked for a better start to my business and I feel like I couldn’t have done it without the support of the Gympie community.”
7) Hayden Pratt
Hayden Pratt, 24, works as a livestock transport operator at his family’s business and is very involved in the community.
He is the treasurer of the Gympie Show Society and has attended every show since birth.
He was a 2022 Queensland Rural Ambassador State Finalist and he is involved in both competing and judging various shows.
He is actively involved in the Chatsworth Hall Committee, the Rural Fire Brigade and the Australian Rural Leadership Alumni Network.
He is a third-generation beef cattle producer, and recently purchased a rural property with livestock in Goomeri.
Hayden credits his success to hard work and dedication, and shared a message: “Never give up and work hard for your dream”.
8) Ethan Kropp
Ethan Kropp graduated from James Nash High School in 2023 as Dux with an ATAR score of 98.85, equivalent to an OP 1 in the old system, despite skipping a grade.
He is now studying a Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) and Science at the University of Queensland.
He was awarded the TJ Ryan Memorial and Scholarship Program Merit Certificate.
This award aims to acknowledge students who demonstrate outstanding leadership qualities within their school and broader community as well as academic excellence as measured by their achievements in Year 12.
9) Jaelyn Knight
Jaelyn Knight, a 16-year-old Year 12 student, came second at the Queensland finals for triple jump, and competed in Adelaide at nationals for triple jump.
His favourite part is seeing his progression.
“It’s not instant or anything, but you can gradually see it getting better and better,” he said.
After starting only 1.5 years ago, his coaches “can’t believe the progress he’s made in the short amount of time”, his mum said.
Jaelyn was selected to compete in Perth in long jump in 2023, before even securing a coach.
Once or twice a week, he travels to train with his coaches in Brisbane at the University of Queensland.
“We stay down there then come back home in time for school the next morning.”
Jaelyn was considering a future in boiler making, but decided “I can do that anytime”.
“I can’t do this anytime.”
Jaelyn’s goals are to “do my best and make my family proud”.
10) Olivia Sindel
Olivia Sindel is the winner of the 2024 Kicking Up Dust Youth Competition at the Kilkivan Great Horse Ride, after performing a cover of Jolene.
She went to a performing arts school when she lived in Sydney, and now is a Year 11 student at Victory College.
She performed as part of the Australian Girls Choir, and has taken home first place at an Eisteddfod.
She also performed at Gympie’s inaugural All Abilities Ball.
Olivia regularly busks at community events, including the most recent Easter on Mary and Christmas on Mary celebrations.
She is trained by Karyn Devere.
Olivia said another big part of her life was riding horses, which she has been doing for six to seven years.
She also started as an air force cadet in 2023.
11) Dean Blanckensee
Farmer Dean Blanckensee, 25, from Kandanga appeared on this season of Farmer Wants A Wife.
He is a third generation watermelon and cattle farmer and has lived in Kandanga his whole life.
Dean plays rugby league for the Mary Valley Stags.
He said the transition from a private life to an overwhelming public one was “eye opening”, as was the change from a rural setting to big city life.
12) Lydia Milne
At age 12, Gympie youngster Lydia Milne is already a published author and illustrator.
She submitted her story to a writing competition held in conjunction with Little Kids Day Out, placing second.
The prize included professional editing of her book for publication.
The book, Flutter’s New Friend, was published in March 2024.
Lydia is now in the process of writing another book for this year’s Little Kids Day Out competition.
Her mother, Lezette Milne, said Lydia had always aspired to become a published author.
“She’s always got stories in her mind,” she said.
13) Archer Zwoerner
Archer Zwoerner, a student at Victory College, competed at the BMX Racing National Championship in Victoria.
He won gold twice, as well as earning bronze for two of his races.
In 2023, he competed in nine BMX events.
Of the 39 races he participated in across these events, he has came in first 37 times.
14) Charlotte Hobbs
Victory Heights student Charlotte Hobbs won first place in the First Nations category of the Independent Education Union Qld & NT Excellence in Art Design Awards.
Charlotte is pictured above alongside her artwork, which captures a story of living with dementia.
Her artwork was reviewed by Wailwan/Wiradjuri artist Donna Hensen.
She said Charlotte’s painting demonstrated “amazing emotional intelligence in topic and execution of life’s colours fading”.
“The image really touched my heart and spirit.
“I could feel the love for the topic as well as the grief.”
15) Lilliana Kendall
Lilliana, 17, lifts with Stay True Weightlifting Club under coach Jemma Cowper, operating from Iron Palace (gym).
At competitions, she completes two lifts: the snatch, and the clean and jerk.
In 2023, she competed in the Australian Weightlifting Federation National U15 & Youth Weightlifting Championships in Perth, where she set new personal bests of 54kg in the snatch, and 68kgs in the clean and jerk.
This added to a total of 122kg.
Lilliana’s medal win ensured that the Queensland team was successful in bringing home the Youth Team Shield.
16) Cooper Keogh
Cooper Keogh, 15, is a deadly force in cricket.
“He has had some great bowling spells, including a hat trick and has performed well with the bat,” his mother said.
Cooper played for the Coastal Burners (Wide Bay/Sunshine Coast) in the Under 15 State Championship, and was awarded Wide Bay Junior Player of the Year this season.
Cooper also represented the Under 18 South Queensland cricket team in Cairns recently.
He was selected in the Queensland Country Under 18 team and will travel to Adelaide for a short tour in August.
Cooper was selected in the schoolboys under 15 Queensland team at the end of 2023 and will compete in Mackay in the national championships in September this year.
He was captain of the Under 15 Darling Dingoes in the Brisbane Century Cricket competition.
He was also captain in the previous years in under 14 and under 13.
He played in the Sunshine Coast Division 1 competition this season for Gympie Gold.
He played for Wide Bay in the Under 15 State Championships and the Lord Taverners Under 17 competition this season.
Watch this space.
17) Payton Rozynski
Payton Rozynski, 14, started a business called The Creative Cow in 2023, where she makes and sells earrings, scrunchies and keyrings at markets and on social media.
Payton’s family has two dairy farms at Imbil.
Payton is also a 2024 Gympie Junior Showgirl Entrant, representing the dairy section.
She hopes to “become a veterinary technician and to focus on embryo work in cattle”.
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18) Brianna Van Doren
Brianna Van Doren, 22, was once a student at Gympie State High School. Now, she has returned as an agriculture teacher.
She discussed the benefits of being a young teacher, saying she could communicate with her students as they understood she had walked in their shoes.
Brianna grew up on a dairy farm at Langshaw and was the 2023 Rural Ambassador for the Gympie Show.
19) Oliver Bembrick
Oliver Bembrick, 19, has called Gympie home for most of his life.
A talented bowler, he describes cricket as “a huge part of my life where I’ve experienced my biggest failures, lessons, and successes”.
Oliver played for the Sunshine Coast Scorchers in the Queensland Premier Cricket competition and in February 2024, was named one of the Super 11 Players of the Season.
Also earlier this year he was selected in the Qld-wide U19 cricket team of the season.
“I’ve only made it this far through countless opportunities given by my local club Gympie Wests, Wide Bay and the Gympie Gold XI,” he said.
“By far my greatest achievement in the game was making my First-grade debut for the Scorchers, #143.”
He also studies a Bachelor of Law/Commerce at the University of the Sunshine Coast.
His goal for the future is “to contribute as much value as I can in the local community and in my own life to the people around me”.
20) Alexa Ritchie
Alexa, 14, is a Junior Showgirl representing the Pavilion Committee.
She is in Year 9 at James Nash State High School.
She has won many prizes after entering her cakes in shows.
She is learning three instruments - alto saxophone, violin, and piano.
Alexa has also played the Viola for the State Honours Ensemble Program for the last three years, representing Gympie and her school.
She hopes to become a school/dance teacher.
21) Alia Khan
Alia Khan, 32, owns Wild Lace Wear, a western clothing brand which turned eight in February 2024.
“I saw a gap in the Australian market for country inspired activewear so started there,” she said.
When that market became saturated, she moved to staple pieces to suit a cowgirl’s everyday closet.
“We are mostly known for the unique and fun trucker hats”.
“I have 13 stores around Australia that stock Wild Lace which is an absolute dream come true.”
Alia has a warehouse with her stock located on its own building on the family property.
She lives with her husband, toddler, and soon, another little baby boy come May.
“Last year I did two local pop-up shops which turned over more money than [sic] I used to bring home from my admin job yearly,” she said.
“These pop ups gave me huge motivation for my business as people would tell me they’ve been following the brand from the start and how much they love my clothing.”
22) Elizabeth Wilkinson
Elizabeth Wilkinson, 18, plays the bass for Hugo and the Hive.
The band formed at Gympie State High School.
It won the 2023 Australian Institute of Country Music Battle of the Bands in the youth category, and performed at the Heart of Gold International Short Film Festival in Gympie.
Elizabeth said the band wrote their own originals, often coming together to put their thoughts into songs.
The often wrote about the lived experiences of people they know.
Elizabeth said one of her favourite originals was Music Man, which the band wrote about her father.
She said “getting a good reaction is just so fun” and she loves connecting with the rest of the band.
23) Elay Colbourn
Elay Colbourn, 17, is a digital artist.
His illustrations were featured in promotions for Gympie council’s Youth Week and Live & Local events.
The event coordinators reached out to her because her artwork had been previously selected to be presented at Gympie Regional gallery.
She studies graphic design at TAFE.
Elay describes her art style as sharp, cartoonish, and inspired by japanese art styles.
She plans on selling pins at upcoming markets.
24) Blake Templeton
Blake Templeton, is a Year 9 student at Victory College who is ranked in the top ten in Australia for three swimming events.
He is 7th in Australia for 200m backstroke and 7th also for 800m freestyle.
He competed at the 2024 Australian Aged & MC Swimming Championships on the Gold Coast.
Blake scored a personal best in every event but one.
He also made two finals in the 14-year age group.
25) Kymba Todd
Kymba is a talented, versatile netballer. She is tall, and flips between both ends of the court.
In the 2024 season, Kymba is playing club netball for both Gympie and Caloundra.
She was selected in the under 15 Rep Championship team for Caloundra.
Kymba was also selected to join the Gympie zone team, which will compete for Wide Bay selection.
Kymba is also part of an umpire development program, and will be going for her national C badge this year.
These 25 promising up and coming young achievers are doing Gympie region proud. We are excited to see what their futures bring.
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