Exposure Productions has been supplying iconic images of remote Northern Australia locations for more than a decade. The Darwin-based business was established in 1997 to meet demand from the national and international television industry for reliable, professional and cost-efficient freelance production services. Two years later Exposure expanded its location filming services to offer complete post-production facilities. It also provides corporate communications solutions to the local market including television commercials, corporate DVDs and multimedia products. Director Andrew Hyde says Exposure’s reputation has been built on its supply of broadcast and photographic images which reflect the dynamic visual and social landscape of the Northern Territory. In 2006, Exposure won a three year contract to supply all television production services to the ABC in Central Australia and last year it won the contract, as part of a local consortium, to provide content for a major multimedia project to develop the West MacDonnell Ranges online visitor centre for the NT Government.
“We have demonstrated an ability to understand and respond to the ancient and exceptional Northern Territory environment and to blend it into the modern and dynamic world of multimedia,” – Andrew Hyde, Director.
After a career as an elite athlete and a stint in the Australian Army, Hollie Goodall moved to the Northern Territory in 2004 to establish Darwin’s first outdoor personal training business. The 2002 Queensland professional tri-athlete of the year has grown HG Fitness by offering 12 different fitness training programs including bootcamps, infant aquatics, corporate team building and community sports. She also developed and introduced innovative pre and post-natal fitness programs to Darwin. HG Fitness won a contract in 2007 to train NT police recruits and currently runs fitness classes for members of the Defence forces and their families. The 2007 NT Surf Iron Woman champion also provides water safety sessions to kids under five, funded by the NT Government’s initiative to reduce the rate of drownings in the Territory. Hollie ran an Australian Institute of Personal Training program for fitness instructors, six of whom she later employed.
“No other company in Darwin offers such a variety of training techniques and services as HG Fitness – that is what has made us successful,” – Hollie Goodall, Owner.
If you wish to dress like Elvis or Darth Vader, Cleopatra or Scarlet O’Hara, the place to go in Darwin is Penny’s Fancy Dress on the Stuart Highway at Winnellie. Owner Heather Malone bought an existing business in 1999 and ran it from home for two years before leasing larger premises. She built her stock up to about 10,000 costumes, with wigs, boots and accessories. Heather’s willingness to make costumes on request proved to be a great marketing tool, bringing in corporate clients and building solid relationships with local schools and theatre companies. The business is stronger from May to December, particularly when Halloween and themed Year 12 graduation parties kick in, but Heather keeps a close watch year-round on cinematic blockbusters to meet demand for movie hero costumes. The rising popularity in Darwin of themed wedding parties has customers flocking to Penny’s to frock up.
“Most costume shops in Australia have standard costumes. We go further – nothing is too hard to provide for our customers,” – Heather Malone, Owner.
Tony Avenell started his furniture assembly service in 2005 after being amazed at the difficulty that his friends had when installing home-based products purchased in flat packs. Seeing a niche to take over the challenge for people who do not have the time, skills or energy to put together their new barbecue, bed or wardrobe, Tony called his business The Flat Pack Man and established strong relationships with local suppliers. The growing popularity of flat pack kitchen cabinets in Darwin is reflected in the growth of the business with at least 50 per cent of installation work in this area alone. Tony says many people doubted that his sole-trader service business had a place in the marketplace – he is delighted that he persevered and points to a high number of repeat clients and ‘rescue missions,’ where customers have struck trouble with self-installation, as testament to his vision.
“I believe my success has come from the ability to provide a fast, reliable and efficient installation service with no fuss and great customer service.” – Tony Avenell, Owner.
Gaynor Beck managed a number of jewellery stores and was Darwin’s only registered jewellery valuer before she opened her own retail business, the Pearl Galleria, in 2003. Earlier, she completed an apprenticeship in Adelaide as a goldsmith and manufacturing jeweller and in 1986 she was the first woman to win the SA Young Achiever of the Year Award. The Pearl Galleria, located in Darwin’s Smith Street Mall, promotes the breadth and quality of its collection which includes one-off necklaces, bracelets, wedding rings, head-pieces and jewellery for men and children. It offers a jewellery hire service which its owner says is unique in Darwin. Knowing that many competitors send repair work “down south” to Adelaide, Gaynor was determined to be different by offering an in-house service which is quick, efficient and secure. Gaynor keeps up to date with industry trends by attending the annual World Jewellery Fair and buying items ahead of her competitors.
“Our growth is attributed to unique products, local knowledge and great client treatment – we say ‘if it doesn’t last three generations, don’t bother to make it’.” – Gaynor Beck, Owner.
Investing in a purpose-built showroom to offer design professionals, tradespeople and retail customers a one-stop shop for ceramic tiles has significantly boosted sales turnover for City Ceramics of Winnellie. Established in 1999, the business operated from rented premises on the back of Robert Sheppard’s 20 years experience running a successful commercial tile fixing company. The move to a 4000 square metre development in June 2008 broadened the services and products that City Ceramics could offer large and small customers. Interior design advice is provided from attractive display stations of custom-made kitchens, stone bench tops and products sourced from Italy, China, Indonesia and Dubai. A marketing strategy of targeting developers, architects and designers with ease of product selection and extensive supply has won City Ceramics contracts for most of Darwin’s new high-rise apartment complexes. The business benefits from sponsoring sporting clubs and believes this practice is highly regarded in regional communities.
“Moving into the new premises was a maturing of our business and a step towards being an industry leader.” – Robert Sheppard, Managing Director.
The Daly Waters Historic Pub was originally a store built in 1930 to service travellers, settlers, drovers and later air passengers staying en route to London. Since the pub was taken over by Robyne Webster and Lindsay Carmichael in 2003, travellers have been offered “a fair dinkum outback experience.” Located three kms off the Stuart Highway and 600 kms south of Darwin, the pub is packed with memorabilia and historical artefacts. With a range of accommodation from cabins to backpacker’s bunks and a caravan park, the venue has been developed from a brief stopover to an overnight destination. Daly Waters was named by 19th Century explorer John McDouall Stuart and was a major watering hole on inland droving routes. Today, the historic pub with a beer ‘n’ barra menu is on the itinerary of 20 different coach companies. The pub won an Australian Hotels Association accolade for Best Wayside Inn venue in 2005-2007 and 2010.
“We strived for, attained and maintained an excellent standard of service through hard work and dedication stemming from a love of the hospitality industry.” – Robyne Webster, Owner.
Embarking on an extensive refurbishment and introducing new business processes were the first but not the only changes made when 24-year-old Jason Newman purchased Tennant Creek’s Eldorado Motor Inn in 2006. Jason says the business was a large 77-room complex on a 4.4 hectare location with significant growth potential. The turning point for the business came from two avenues – improving customer service and providing free wireless internet. The latter decision was a low cost but high yielding marketing initiative. Eldorado Motor Inn’s turnover has risen steadily and it won contracts with two companies which currently ensure a minimum 50 per cent occupancy level. The outback complex faced challenges such as the rain-forced closure of the Barkly Highway for five weeks early in 2009. After the Eldorado’s refurbishment is completed in 2011, the owners plan to develop eco-friendly accommodation within its site to meet Tennant Creek’s needs.
“The internet is such an integrated part of a traveller’s life that the service has become a necessity – our free wireless network proved to be our best marketing tool.” – Jason Newman, Director.
From its origins as a market stall in 1999, Greenies Real Food developed into a health food retailer which operates in Darwin and also sends fresh produce to customers in remote parts of the Northern Territory. In its early days, Greenies traded from a station wagon and ice-filled foam boxes. Since it took the plunge to open a shop at Rapid Creek, Greenies has never looked back and its organic fruit, vegetables, grocery items and healthy lifestyle products have found strong customer demand. Now having extended the shop front with the addition of several commercial chillers, Greenies has been able to extend their range into organic meat products. Greenies places great importance on nurturing and sourcing from local growers. Owners Ursula Kupfer and Mal Green say ‘vegie box bush orders’ delivered to communities have been one of Greenies most popular services. To further improve convenience to their Darwin customers they plan to develop a home delivery service with online shopping.
“One of our primary goals is that organic food is affordable for all the community.” – Ursula Kupfer, Co-owner.
Moving to Darwin from Indonesia in 2000, Rob Priest found few employment opportunities in the Northern Territory for instrumentation service specialists - so he set up his own company operating from a shed at home. Today Territory Instruments is a Winnellie-based electrical, instrument and process control engineering company that is engaged in mining, oil, gas, manufacturing, power generation and defence projects throughout the Territory. The company specialises in industrial automation controls from project feasibility stage through to maintaining or modifying existing plant. It created a local market for resource industry clients who previously looked to Adelaide and Perth based service providers. Territory Instruments opened an Alice Springs office in 2009 and plans to extend to Broome as new resources-based opportunities arise in Northern Australia. The company obtained an electrical contractor’s licence which expands its capabilities in offering labour hire to offshore oil and gas facilities and defence sites.
“The focus on climate change will require additional instrumentation to be installed – we’ve completed a number of energy saving projects and are in a good position to capitalise on this area.” – Rob Priest, Project Manager.
From a small Darwin store opened by two brothers who arrived from East Timor in 1978, Jape Furnishing Superstore has grown to be one of the Northern Territory’s largest furniture suppliers of commercial and domestic furniture. In the mid 1980’s the company expanded with the addition of a commercial fitout business which attracted large Government and Private contracts. The growth led to the company moving to a larger showroom and Warehouse in Millner. Jape now employs more than 25 staff and has a display and warehouse area covering 4000 square metres. The superstore’s recent major Territory contracts include supplying furniture for Charles Darwin University’s new administration building and furnishing Royal Darwin Hospital’s new National trauma centre and oncology department. Jape carries ready to assemble and custom-made furniture from numerous local and international suppliers. Director Connie Jape says staff constantly undergo product information training so that the business can offer the best possible customer service.
“With over 30 years of experience, we pride ourselves in offering competitive prices at no cost to quality customer service,” – Connie Jape, Director.
In 2006, HG Fitness owner and former professional triathlete Hollie Goodall developed a training program for new mothers seeking to regain fitness after pregnancy. She completed certificate training in pre and post-natal fitness and ‘borrowed’ the babies of friends to help her devise the ‘Mums N Bubs Bootcamp’ program, an outdoors exercise regime which involves the babies as ‘weights.’ Its popularity led to the introduction of ‘Pilates with Prams’ in 2009, based on Hollie’s own experience of returning to fitness after having a baby the year before. Established in 2004, the Jingili-based HG Fitness offers a wide range of outdoor personal training including programs catering for the elderly and people recovering from injury. The two specific services for new mothers provide about a quarter of HG Fitness’ revenue and provide ongoing benefits to the business as some mothers have signed up for extra personal training sessions and enrolled their babies in infant aquatics.
“We are the only personal training business in Darwin and, I believe, the only one in Australia, offering a ‘Pilates with Prams’ program.” – Hollie Goodall, Owner.
Greenies Real Food of Rapid Creek promotes an environmentally sustainable food chain. The business, owned by Ursula Kupfer and Mal Green, starts by supporting producers that choose to farm using responsible and sustainable practices. Local produce is always sourced when available which supports local growers while reducing transport and costs. Greenies encourages eating of healthy organic food and says it has achieved a greater public awareness of food production issues, especially for people with food allergies or illnesses. The organic produce and healthy lifestyle retailer began as a market stall 11 years ago. It offers recycled boxes to customers for carrying their goods, although most shop with their own bags. It also supports community groups that share a commitment to healthy eating, promoting in its store initiatives such as local health expos and organic gardening courses. Greenies’ owners say all their business practices are aimed at minimising their carbon footprint and encouraging others to do the same.
“We have helped educate the public about many issues regarding food production and assisted them to achieve better health as they change their shopping and eating habits” – Mal Green, Co-owner.
www.jape.com.au
Jape Furnishing Superstore has participated in hundreds of projects to benefit charities and community organisations in Darwin over the past three decades. Owned by the Jape family, the business always integrated a responsibility to support the wider community into its business activities. While the business prides itself on ethical service and offering the best furnishing solutions to its customers, it also believes that customers support a business that cares for the community. In 2008 Jape raised more than $10,000 for Royal Darwin Hospital’s Emergency Department through a charity auction. The company’s support for its local Millner Primary School led to the naming of the Jape Community Oval. The commercial and community roles of Director Connie Jape, which include mentoring Casuarina Senior College business students, have resulted in her selection to represent NT in Australia’s People Exhibition at the 2010 Shanghai World Expo.
“Social responsibility is an integral part of our business, the foundation on which we have established our procedures,” – Connie Jape, Director.
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