Part IV: Top 100 social media influencers on the Gold Coast
Gold Coast style crusader and plus-size model Riley Hemson says she hopes she can be the figure younger generations look up to. Meet 25-1 of our top social media personalities.
Lifestyle
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The Gold Coast has undoubtedly become a breeding ground for influencers and online personalities, and a place for existing ones to thrive.
RELATABLE, INSPIRING, INFORMATIVE AND ENTERTAINING: HEMSON’S MOTTO
Gold Coast style crusader and plus-size model Riley Hemson says she hopes she can be the figure younger generations look up to.
In the final unveiling in the Bulletin’s top 100 influencer list, Hemson says she saw one body type in the media when growing up and it damaged her perception and enforced stereotypes.
“Now we can curate our feeds to be relatable, inspiring, informative and entertaining,” she said.
“I want to inspire people to love their body, wear a cute outfit, go for an amazing workout and, most importantly, be unapologetically themselves.”
Hemson says she tries not to pay attention to people who diss influencers.
“They might look to other people for inspiration like sports players or their colleagues but it is the same thing essentially.
“When you find someone you can connect with and relate to, why wouldn’t you want to see more?”
Hemson is a pioneer as a designer through her activewear and swimwear brand Remmie by Riley and promotion of body positivity to her 449,000 Instagram followers.
See below for the 25-1 top social media personalities:
25. Shontina Rose – @shontinarose
Followers: 210k
This fashion model loves a dress or moment two-piece while posing in front of breathtaking locations. Her followers love her refreshing take and updates on house renovations. She was recently named as one of the Gold Coast top fashion icons.
24. Harry Bink – @harrybink
Followers: 235k
X-Games medallist and Nitro Circus rider Bink is known for his extravagant and death-defying stunts. He has recently shared a video of himself jumping out of a helicopter and a crash while performing at Nitro Circus in Geelong.
23. Mitchell Orval – @mitchellorval
Followers: 270k
Mitchell Orval was tagged an “anti-vaxxer” during the Covid pandemic, but has made a smooth transition into the business world. Orval made his comeback to Instagram, where he shares business and family content.
22. Chloe Patt – @chloepatt
Followers: 300k
Patt is the owner of Chloe Louise Beauty, which specialises in brows, advanced facials, dermapen needling, epi-blading, waxing and tinting. While she does have a business side she shows her wild exploits on her personal account. They include being on a yacht, at Jackson’s Playground or birthday celebrations with pal Shelby Bilby.
21. Hannah Orval – @hannahorval
Followers: 301k
Mitchell Oral’s sister has made her own mark on Instagram. Her passion for fashion seeps through her feed, with regular content on what new style she is trialling, whether it is cowboy hats, sheer shirts or Euphoria-inspired festival fits.
20. Jessika Power – @jessika_power
Followers: 308k
The former Married At First Sight contestant capitalised on her reality TV fame with appearances on Celebrity Big Brother and Celebs Go Dating. Her followers love her refreshingly honest take on life.
19. Dean and Shaun Harrington of The Mad Hueys – @themadhueys
The Mad Hueys followers: 423k
Dean — hazza followers: 2.3k
Dean and Shaun Harrington are the names behind successful clothing label The Mad Hueys. They’re known for their humorous antics and cultivating the “shoey” phenomenon. A video of Shaun near a tiger shark off the Coast went viral in 2014.
18. Casey Stoner – @official_cs27
Followers: 446k
The retired Moto-GP rider and two-time world champion loves to share his life as a proud husband and father. He likes to play golf at Links Hope Island and features on the Gypsy Tales podcast.
17. Riley Hemson – @healthychick101.
Followers: 449k
Hemson’s bio is “so much more than just my body”. She promotes body positivity and shows followers her newest outfits or getaways. She recently shared her experience travelling through Dubai, with photos on the tallest building in the world and camels in the desert. Hemson is also the owner of activewear and swimwear brand Remmie by Riley.
16. Toby Price – @tobyprice87
Follower: 489k
Price is an Australian off-road and enduro motorcycle racing world champion. He represents the Red Bull Factory KTM Rally Team. His Instagram is filled in with his latest adventures on wheels, whether that be in the desert or on the track.
15. Lacclan Gottfried – @itslacci
Followers: 506k
The social media star has risen to fame thanks to his comedy skits and over-the-top pranks. He was also among a group that played table tennis at the Queensland-New South Wales border during the pandemic.
14. Chloe Szepanowski – @chloeszep
Followers: 633k
Chloe has been in the influencer industry for over a decade. In recent years the limelight has been on her and partner Mitchell Orval. Szepanowski is the owner of activewear brand Szep and mindfulness streaming platform WellWeb. Her followers also tune in to see her one-year-old Arti grow up.
13. Skye Wheatley – @skye.wheatley.
Followers: 676k
Wheatley found her way to fame with a stint in the Big Brother house in 2013. She mostly posts about her two boys and how she handles life with a newborn. Her following either stems from her raw and honest perspectives or renovation videos.
12. Ellie Watson – @elsas — wholesomelife
Followers: 731k
Ellie Watson shares lifestyle content on Instagram, including her workout routines, cafe visits and adventures with her son Bowie. Watson also shares delicious recipes on vegan meals such as Mac ‘n’ Cheese, crispy spiced cauliflower or spicy corn ribs.
11. Ashy Bines – @ashybines
Followers: 998k
Bines has been on the influencer scene for over a decade and has thrived in creating her own activewear brand, Baseline, and weekly YouTube vlogs about her life. She does share some controversial opinions to her Instagram stories. However, her honest personality is what her followers love.
9. Dannibelle – @dannibelle.
Followers: 1m
Dannibelle shot to fame during the first Covid-19 lockdown when everyone was hunting for at-home workout videos. She reaches a huge audience through both YouTube and Instagram with regular posts of short and effective workouts.
9. Tarsha Whitemore – @tarsha.whitmore
Followers: 1m
Tarsha, 21, is an Oh Polly ambassador and owner of the soon-to-be released clothing line The Ola The Label. Her followers are mesmerised by her stunning looks and fashion sense.
7. Emilee Hembrow – @emileehembrow.
Followers: 1.1m
While some may say Emilee made her way into the influencer world courtesy of her sister, she has striven to make a difference on her own. She is the co-owner of a cosmetics line and treatment parlour in Bundall, Sskinaus.
7. Hannah Polites – @hannahpolites.
Followers: 1.1m
Polites, a midwife and a mum of three, secured her following by sharing everyday life content. Followers were also drawn to her second account, @ourhamptonshaven, which shows the Polites family renovations.
6. Mick Fanning – @mfanno
Followers: 1.2m
The three-time world surfing champion used his social media fame to raise awareness for the floods in Queensland and northern NSW. When he isn’t fundraising he is mostly seen carving waves.
5. Jade Kevin Foster – @jadekevinfoster
Followers: 1.3m
Jade was recently named in reality TV show Byron Baes. He shares photos of his extravagant lifestyle – sipping a drink on a yacht, in a spa on an island, or at movie premieres.
4. Anna Paul – @anna — paull.
Followers: 1.4m
Paul has gained more than 500,000 followers in six months, most likely because of her regular travel content. She has skipped her way to fame in a somewhat controversial manner by showing off her luxurious lifestyle and creating content on OnlyFans. She promotes body positivity on all platforms as well as her iconic “what I ate today” videos.
3. Jackson O’Doherty – @itsjackson
Followers: 2.2m
O’Doherty is a prankster-turned-adult-content creator who is the brains behind the Playboy Mansion 2.0 party house. Last year, he hosted Australia’s “wildest New Year’s Eve party” in which guests were “greeted by dwarfs”, entertained by acrobats and given free tattoos.
2. Emily Skye – @emilyskyefit.
Followers: 2.5m
Skye soared to Instagram fame with her popular health and fitness regimes. She owns a cosmetics business, James Cosmetics, which sells masks, serums and hair products. Skye promotes body positivity and received high praise after showing the reality of a body post-partum.
1. Tammy Hembrow – @tammyhembrow.
Followers: 13m
Hembrow shot to fame over a decade ago when giving workout tips to ladies who had given birth. Recently, she announced she was pregnant with her third baby to her fiance and Coast Ironman Matt Poole.
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