Kerry Collins: Territory businesswoman, owner of Infidelity remembered after death

The family of a beloved Territory businesswoman want her legacy to be remembered in full colour. Read what’s planned.

Kerry Collins with her husband Michael Warr.

A colourful and much-loved Territory businesswoman will be remembered at a heartfelt farewell in her honour on Friday.

A commemoration for popular Territorian Kerry Collins will be held at Thorak Cemetery from 11am Friday, January 24 – and her husband Michael Warr and two sons Matthew and Kasey want the fashionista to be remembered in style.

“As Kerry is a fashion icon of Darwin, we urge all that attend to wear their brightest colours and their finest bling,” they posted on social media.

“We also ask that you each bring a sea shell from wherever you are, as Kerry is a woman who loves to travel and collect shells from every location.”

Born at the old Darwin Hospital in February 1967, Kerry had an idyllic childhood growing up at the old Mindil Beach Caravan Park before moving into the house her father built in Nation Crescent Coconut Grove.

Popular Territorian Kerry Collins will be farewelled on Friday.

Minutes walk from the old Bagot Park speedway, Kerry was barely at school when she discovered her love for the adrenaline-fuelled world of motorbikes.

As the years passed she improved spectacularly, with only Cyclone Tracy putting a temporary halt to her racing ambitions.

It was then Kerry and her mother, Gail, were evacuated to Sydney for eight months during the clean-up.

She was 10 when she had her first race at the 14 Mile in 1977 which led to a career that took her to circuits at Mount Isa, Mary Kathleen and Geelong.

She finished third nationally in the Australian Junior Women’s titles.

Her skill on the motorsports carried over into the classroom where she was considered an excellent student.

She was captain at Millner primary school in Year 6, excelling in maths and creative arts – her scones finishing runner-up in the 1978 Darwin Show junior cooking competition.

Nice day for a white wedding. Kerry and Michael marry in Las Vegas in 2014.

At year 12 graduation she was awarded a scholarship to pursue a vocation in art but turned it down, without first telling her parents because she didn’t want to relocate south.

Her first steps into business were with Gail at Suttons car dealership as well as learning the used-car game from Honest.

Her first car was a 1972 red Celica that became a feature at local haunts such as the Shell Airport gates and Darwin’s popular 1980s discos including Fannies, Darby’s Sylvesters and Beach Coma.

She was 19 and on a night out when she met Michael in 1986 in what was to by far her longest partnership.

When he was relocated to Jabiru for six months she joined him, the couple conceiving Matthew before relocating to Adelaide where he was born.

While in Adelaide she revived her love for arts and took ceramic lessons, and when the couple returned to Darwin they carried a trailer full of ceramic moulds.

It was here the hugely successful Kerry’s Ceramics was born, with her designs from her Green Ant Art label gaining national attention.

Kerry, Michael and Matthew.

Michael built the workshop at Nation Crescent and as well as ceramic classes, Kerry opened pop-up shops in Casuarina and shop fronts in Coolalinga, Parap and the CBD as well as operating a Mindil Beach market stall for two decades.

At the time of Kasey’s birth around 1995 she, Michael and their business partners bought Designer Cane which they rebranded to Infidelity – and a Top End business legacy was born.

On one of their many overseas trips and inspired by The Hangover movie, Kerry married Michael at the Little White Chapel in Las Vegas in October 2014.

“All the work, sacrifice and time put into running her own business was towards the goals of securing her family’s future and retiring in Bali,” Michael said.

Kerry is survived by Michael, Matthew and Kasey.