Sue Porrett of Pink Flamingo Broadbeach reveals her rags to riches start in the entertainment business
She may be all things glitter and gold now, but Sue Porrett of Pink Flamingo came from a humble upbringing, collecting keepsakes in the dirt before bringing cabaret classiness to the Coast. HER STORY. NOMINATE NOW
Women of the Year
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When entertainment boss and former trapeze artist Sue Porrett was a little girl, she hung on the hopes and dreams bundled up in her pocket – quite literally.
Growing up in South Australia, Ms Porrett would see the circus in town where her father would set up Ferris wheels.
When the travelling sideshow left, she gathered up the glitter and sawdust from the ground and kept it in a matchbox in her pocket.
At night, she placed it under her pillow with the hopes of becoming a trapeze artist someday.
At 15, Ms Porrett packed up and left home to join the circus – like something you would only read in a book.
Now a fixture in the Glitter Strip’s entertainment world, Porrett has been nominated in this year’s Gold Coast Bulletin Women of the Year Awards – brought to you by Harvey Norman – in the Entertainers category.
From travelling the country as a high-flying trapeze artist with Ashton Circus to launching Aerial Angels and its associated academy, Ms Porrett went one step further by bringing a taste of the Moulin Rouge and Crazy Horse Paris to the Coast with Pink Flamingo in Broadbeach.
Porrett co-opened the cabaret club with Tony Rigas three years ago.
“I’d done it all and opening a venue on my own was one of the last things on my bucket list,” Ms Porrett said.
“I went from the circus to international shows and Jupiters Casino for ‘Hidden Palace’ – where I spun from the ceiling by my neck in a g-string.”
Putting on the Glitz: The fascinating past careers of Pink Flamingo’s cabaret crew
Porrett gave birth to triplets 15 years ago, and despite being a single mum since her children were three, she “wears many hats and makes it work”.
“Women in business are special, and the ones on the Coast have really shown they can get out there and play with the big boys”.
The Gold Coast Bulletin’s Women of the Year Awards nominations close 5pm Tuesday. Click here to nominate.
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