Gold Coast Women of the Year launch with Destination Gold Coast CEO Patricia O’Callaghan

She’s one of the Gold Coast’s most prominent CEOs – but tourism powerhouse Patricia O’Callaghan’s rise to the top started with very humble beginnings. VIDEO

Destination Gold Coast CEO Patricia O’Callaghan cites her Filipino mum who arrived in Australia with little English as one of her heroes.

The 38-year-old, appointed to the Gold Coast’s top tourism job in the midst of the crippling Covid pandemic in late 2020, says her Mum dealt with a lot of hardship and taught her the value of hard work.

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“I grew up in a caravan and housing commission. We grew up very humbly. She could speak very little English. She never gave up and always said to me education was going to be the key.”

Ms O’Callaghan’s personal insights come as the Gold Coast Women of the Year nominations open. A new category - Stars of Tourism - has been added and is sponsored by Destionation Gold Coast.

Ms O’Callaghan’s mother was a cleaner who would often take her to work – and Ms O’Callaghan who became a mum at 21 has followed in those footsteps as her corporate career flourished: “I never shied away from bringing my son in as part of my work. He would come to board meetings, he’d be in my office. It’s been really good for him to see – but it hasn’t been easy.”

Destination Gold Coast CEO Patricia O'Callaghan. Picture: Glenn Hampson

PORTIA LARGE: Who do you look up to?

PATRICIA O’CALLAGHAN: I look up to my mum. She fought for everything. She could speak very little English and went out to a rural town. She started at (remote Queensland mining settlement) Mary Kathleen and we ended up at Mt Isa. In the Philippines, especially for young females, it was very difficult to get an education and get ahead. To come to Australia, the land of opportunity, for us to be able to have an education was amazing. She put up with a lot of hardship. She was a cleaner. She taught us hard work. On school holidays she would take me to clean toilets and pubs. I appreciated hard work from a very early age. She drove me to go to uni. Even when I finished uni, and I fell pregnant at 21, she continued to support me through that and just did everything she could to ensure I had a career. I’ll never ever forget that – she’s pretty phenomenal.”

Patricia O'Callaghan: “I look up to my mum. She fought for everything.” Picture: Glenn Hampson

PL: You’ve gone from strength to strength in your corporate career, from Townsville’s tourism boss to the Gold Coast’s. How did you feel landing the Destination Gold Coast CEO gig?

PO: I didn’t go into the process backing myself. I had a really supportive chairman of Townsville Enterprise and a couple of close mentors who knew it was time for me to look at what the next opportunity was. I went into that process not thinking I’d make it all the way. Sometimes you don’t see your own qualities – thankfully I was surrounded by good people who continue to push and back me. I remember when I finally got the call to say I was successful from the (then) chairman Paul Donovan. I was floored. Having done a lot of research on the Gold Coast I was so excited even though the pandemic was at a peak. I saw the City of Gold Coast investing heavily in tourism. They had just announced the new HOTA gallery and investment in the Wonder Reef. Even though the city was hurting, I saw a real window of opportunity moving forward. Once it all fell into place I couldn’t have been happier.

Patricia O'Callaghan, Picture Glenn Hampson

PL: You touched on not backing yourself. Is there a link between success and imposter syndrome – and is it more predominant among women in leadership?

PO: Women have traditionally second guessed themselves a lot, especially for leadership. That shows in the number of leadership roles, board directors across the country who are women. There’s been growth and huge changes but it’s definitely prevalent which is why it’s so important we support each other. Being born and bred in Mount Isa, taking the step to go to uni, I’ve always had strong figures around me and strong people who have always backed, supported and seen things in me that I didn’t. You do have confidence but sometimes you do second guess yourself and that’s just natural.

“Women have traditionally second guessed themselves a lot, especially for leadership. That shows in the number of leadership roles, board directors across the country who are women.” Picture: Glenn Hampson

PL: What do you do on days you’re not feeling confident?

PO: I have very good mentors. I use people as a sounding board, I’m never too proud to ask for help. That’s been the biggest thing and I do like to listen. Because even in criticism, you can find gold that can really change your life trajectory. That’s always really helped me in my career, and in life.

PL: What was your vision for your life in those formative years? Did your mother plant seeds of inspiration?

PO: She always wanted better than what we had. We were very grateful in Mt. Isa, we had a very supportive church and very supportive community around us but my family lived, pay to pay, dollar to dollar. As much as they were proud, there was always no shame in being poor. She wanted us to be better. So for myself and my brothers it was always important we got an education. We were in a position where we didn’t have to rely on every dollar that came in. That’s why I’m very appreciative of the government systems. Without all of that, we wouldn’t have been able to get an education, go to uni and be where I am today.

PL: Was your first born at 21 planned or an unexpected surprise? How did it impact you and your plans?

PO: I always wanted to be a mum, it just happened earlier than I expected. Luckily, I had graduated. I look back now and, and it was a blessing in disguise. You look at it, and you take a moment and think, right, I had plans on living in the city on the east coast, but you just change it. My mum was a huge supporter. You just shift your thinking and say ‘I’m gonna start my career at Mt. Isa’. I’m going to go back to square one. Having a child at 21, it gives you maturity and a different perspective. Balancing a family while starting a career and trying to make something of yourself in a regional town, you have to work even harder. A lot of good business people, the Mayor and politicians really took me under their wing at Mt. Isa. It’s a tough town – they definitely breed a toughness in you. But that’s been really good for me growing through my career.

Destination Gold Coast is a sponsor of Gold Coast Women of the Year and Destionation Gold Coast CEO Patricia O'Callaghan has shared her upbringing as part of the launch: “Having a child at 21, it gives you maturity and a different perspective. Balancing a family while starting a career and trying to make something of yourself in a regional town, you have to work even harder.” Picture: Glenn Hampson

PL: Did having a child early impact your ability to climb the corporate ladder?

PO: Husband Jeremy has been amazing. I couldn’t have done any of the things I have without him. I know a lot of women and mums struggle to find balance, raising a family and ensuring you have a career. They always say it takes a village to raise a child. My village extended from Mt. Isa to Townsville. I had a lot of good people around me. I never shied away from bringing my son in as part of my work. He would come to board meetings, be in my office. There were days during school holidays where we’d have to set up an office with his toys. My workplaces were always really supportive. It has given my son Keanue an appreciation of work, he has a deep understanding of what we do for a living. It’s really been good for him to see but it hasn’t been easy.

PL: What advice would you give to mothers navigating similar?

PO: Keep going. There are mornings you wake up and it can be so overwhelming understanding how you’re going to get through the day, how you’re going to be there for your children. I have those mornings, even now. Keep going and if people are going to throw stones at you, you just get better at catching them. I’ve always had roles where you have to take strong positions on issues, policy and projects, you will always get an element of people that are critical. Some can get very personal. But as long as you believe in what you are saying, just keep going and back yourself. Don’t look back.

PL: What was the dream job as a child?

PO: I wanted to excel in business. I wanted to be in that world of commerce. I always dreamed I’d be flying around the world and doing deals. To finally be in a role where it’s very similar, I’m very grateful and humbled. But I also know I can’t take it for granted.

PL: How supportive have other Gold Coast women been of you and your progress?

PO: I’d like to acknowledge Mayor Tom Tate who’s been absolutely supportive and our amazing deputy Mayor Donna Gates, Destination Gold Coast chair Adrienne Readings, the amazing female councillors who have been brilliant in terms of guiding and advising, showing me the way. There’s a group of women here – business leaders that when I first started, offered support and have always been there. That’s what I’ve loved about the Gold Coast. The women here have been so warm, and embraced me. They’re tough as. But they are a big reason why women are making a difference here on the Gold Coast.

PL: Male support – how critical is it for women to thrive – why should our men champion women into tightly held jobs?

PO: It is so important. I am very humbled in my career, that a lot of my mentors and leadership figures have been men; my Chairmen in both Mt. Isa and Townsville were male, (Destination Gold Coast chairman) Paul Donovan was a very strong male figure for me. If we’re going to see the transition, in supporting women in leadership, it’s not just women we have to have that discussion with. It has to be men as well. That’s where the step change will be. We’re seeing it. I haven’t had pushback from men in my career. If anything, they have been really strong in seeing me grow. They saw someone who wanted to learn and grow. I would like more women to experience what I experienced with support from men as well as women. Men are part of our journey. Success and gender parity will be achieved when both men and women are standing shoulder to shoulder on this. It’s so important, especially as I look at generations coming through. I look at my son, understanding he needs strong female role models, but he needs men who are role models that appreciate and acknowledge the role women have in our lives as well. We’re getting there but we still have a long way to go.

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*PORTIA LARGE IS CONTRACTED TO THE BULLETIN FOR GOLD COAST WOMEN OF THE YEAR CAMPAIGN CONTENT