8 new businesses take off in Gympie | List
Despite a rocky Covid economy, entrepreneurial locals have been working hard to launch their dream empires in the Gympie region. Catch up on all the latest business openings:
Gympie
Don't miss out on the headlines from Gympie. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Business confidence in the Gympie region is up despite tough times around the country with eight new options opening in recent months.
From new cafes to dental surgeries and painting classes, business owners across the region are realising their dreams and taking the plunge after the disaster year that was 2020.
Catch up on all the latest business openings below:
1. Grace and Whiskers
High school sweethearts Jarrod and Laura Dangley celebrated the launch of their second-start up in Gympie.
Grace and Whiskers has been operating as a pop-up coffee stop for the past few months, but officially opened as a full coffee house on October 1.
Their latest venture will incorporate menu elements of their other business, The Bunker, while also offering sweet treats, fresh options and a cracking selection of coffees.
“We haven’t tried to bombard it with what we do well which is barbecue we’ve just tried to gently influence the menu with some quality food like that,” Mr Dangley said.
The cafe will be open for breakfast and lunch from Tuesday to Sunday and Mr Dan said at night the upstairs area would serve as a function space for The Bunker.
“In February next year we are going to launch another little surprise,” he said.
2. White Sands Dental
Dentists Charlie Henry and Jill Wilson threw open the doors to their first surgery as a couple on October 5, White Sands Dental in Gympie.
Dr Henry said the practice had been fitted out with all the bells and whistles including two dental chairs to start with and television screens on the roof for relaxation purposes.
“We’ve got some lovely staff on already so we’re looking forward to it and it’s super exciting,” Dr Henry said.
While the married couple have been renovating and setting up the surgery of the last six weeks, Dr Wilson said Gympie residents had popped their head in to check out the space.
“They seem to say they can’t get into a dentist and they're so happy there’s a new dentist.”
White Sands Dental is now taking bookings via phone or email and will have an online booking system up and running soon.
3. Quay Carlo
A new waterfront restaurant has welcomed patrons to watch the sunset over the water while munching on a menu packed with delicacies from across the globe.
Quay Carlo is inspired by cultures and features international dishes like a Caribbean crockpot along with crocodile tempura and classic comfort food.
Darren Emmett and his wife Clare moved to Australia with their two daughters 12 years ago and have run their fair share of restaurants and pubs in the past.
Now, they have started their new venture which they describe as “quirky” and “fun”.
From the classic fish and chips to stone-baked pizzas, Mr Emmett said they were serving simple food with a bit of a twist.
“We want to keep it interesting and not have a big bulky menu that you can’t keep on top of,” he said.
More exciting menu items and events are in the pipeline for the restaurant including cocktails, blue moon ice-cream where children can guess the flavour and themed nights such as Greek, Korean and Italian.
4. Jordi Kate Design – Paint and Sip
Gympie region women are brushing up on their painting skills while sipping on a cold beverage at new ‘Paint and Sip’ sessions run by a Gympie graphic designer.
Growing up in the Gympie region, Jordi Millard said there wasn’t much opportunity to express herself creatively and the only “fun” thing to do was party.
“I wanted to provide a safer environment where friends can connect or mums can meet up for a few drinks and forget their worries for a few hours,” Miss Millard said.
Now, she runs ‘Paint and Sip’ sessions at different venues in the Gympie region, through her business Jordi Kate Design.
“We can’t travel yet so we are finding fun in new ways.”
Miss Millard is running an upcoming session on October 9 at Alchemy Southside.
5. Wild Ivy Photography
It took 31 years for Gympie woman Jessica Preston to discover her passion of capturing life through photos and this year she has taken her hobby one step further in making photography her career.
The mother of two took a leap of faith and started up her photography business Wild Ivy, named after her late grandmother, Ivy.
“She was the kindest, most loving women I have ever known,” she said.
“When you were around Nanna you just felt happy and calm and that’s how I want people to feel around me.”
After starting out in June, Ms Preston has been blown away by the support from the Gympie community.
“From the moment I started by business I have been taking bookings and doing shoots,” she said.
“I am busy and it is so amazing.
6. Studio Yarn
Julia White has been crocheting ever since she was taught by her grandmother as a little girl and now the Tewantin-based mum has realised her lifelong dream of opening her very own craft shop.
After walking through the small town of Cooran with her fiance, Ms White said she fell in love with the friendly atmosphere and saw the empty store for lease.
Five weeks later and Ms White is all set up in her welcoming store, Studio Yarn, which is fully stocked with colourful yarns and craft supplies.
Ms White said she is looking forward to getting her website up and running so she can eventually do online sales and classes.
7. The Two of Us
The former owners of the popular Kandanga Kitchen are back with a brand new business venture after their successful Mary Valley cafe’s run was cut short by Covid.
Trent Kirkwood and Bec Edmonds are gearing up to throw open the doors of their new Tozer St cafe T
he Two of Us more than year after they had to shut the doors on what was a thriving tourism spot.
“Our plan at the three year point (and once the Bypass has opened) … we want to make people not forget about Gympie,” Mr Kirkwood said.
“We want to keep it on the map.”
The couple are eyeing an October opening date for the new cafe.
8. Iron Palace
In the middle of a global pandemic, with lockdowns looming around every corner, a Gympie couple took a leap of faith to realise their dream of opening their own gym.
Throwing open the doors to Iron Palace in February of this year, Mimi Rogers and Bradley Morris said the lead up to the opening day was a whirlwind.
Miss Rogers said Mr Morris came to her last year with what she thought at the time was the most “unrealistic investment” to open their own gym.
“We decided to give it a crack and open up a place we only dreamt to be able to train in,” Miss Rogers said.
Nearly six months after opening their Violet St gym, Miss Rogers and Mr Morris have been left gobsmacked by the community’s response to their risky business venture.
“It’s honestly overwhelming with how much support we have had in the first six months of business,” Miss Rogers said.
Originally published as 8 new businesses take off in Gympie | List
What’s behind Rattler’s $2.1 million staff wage bill?
The cost of staffing the Mary Valley Rattler has gone from $1.25 million to more than $2 million.
‘An inspiration and a hero’: Beloved grazier, uncle and brother mourned
A much loved Fraser Coast cattleman has been remembered as someone who was devoted to his work on the farm and to his extended family.
Gold fever strikes as old mines indicate ‘significant’ quantities of precious metal
It has been long thought there is plenty of gold in the old workings that tunnel beneath the old mining city of Gympie, but it turns out there are also significant riches well beyond the city limits.
Drug dealing mechanic caught with stolen war medals, electricity
A power-pinching mechanic who turned to drugs after surviving a crash which killed his best mate not only took off in a client’s car but was also traced to a number of other crimes.
Qld Hydro helps restore GP services in Imbil
Gympie doctors Jeffery Lee, Randal Davis, Georg Pienaar and Karl Berge-Venter will share duties at the new Imbil clinic, while Queensland Hydro pays the rent and utilities.
‘Big wraps on him’: Falcons Cyril Connell, Mal Meninga 2025 squad previews
Sunshine Coast Falcons Cyril Connell and Mal Meninga head coaches have revealed their 2025 aims, pre-season takeaways and key players to watch. Read the full preview.