CityLife Media Annual Business Retreat 2025
🥥The CityLife Annual Business Retreat is BACK!🥥
The 2025 CityLife Annual Business Retreat will be hosted at the 5 star, Crystalbrook Riley and we are thrilled to announce Daniel Flynn, Co-Founder of iconic brand ‘Thankyou’ as one of our special guest speakers along with Media Personality and Social Commentator Jane Caro AM.
These two highly acclaimed keynote speakers will lead a two day event dedicated to the business community of Far North Queensland with expert local presenters backing them up in key fields to help skyrocket your business success for the 2025-2026 financial year and beyond!
The Business Retreat is the perfect blend of restoration and relaxation to usher in a New Financial Year full of positivity and a refreshed focus for attendees, as well as time to strategically map out a solid plan of attack with the guidance of local experts to give your business the best opportunity for success in the 2025-2026 period.
Full Day 1 Program
Download CityLife Business Retreat 2025 Day 1 PDF
CityLife Business Retreat 2025 Day 1
Full Day 2 Program
Download CityLife Business Retreat 2025 Day 2 PDF
CityLife Business Retreat 2025 Day 2
📢 Meet Our Keynote Speakers! 📢
Daniel Flynn
Co-Founder of Thankyou | Entrepreneur | Author
In 2008 as just teenagers, Daniel Flynn and his mates Justine & Jarryd co-founded Thankyou to help bridge the gap between two of our world’s extremes; extreme poverty & extreme consumerism.
Thankyou became known for its breakthrough, viral consumer marketing campaigns — from flying helicopters over supermarket head offices to launching a pay-what-you-want book – ‘Chapter One’ to raise money to help the organisation expand, which became second only to the Harry Potter book launch in airport bookstores – but this was only the beginning of this innovative brand.
Thankyou was voted number 1 by Australian consumers as the most sustainable brand, placed ahead of Tesla in 2022 (Mumbrella, 2022). With over 35 disruptive, design-led and sustainable consumer products across the personal care and home cleaning categories, Thankyou has to date given $18.1M (AUD) to charities from products sold in Australia & New Zealand. After the proven success of the social enterprise business model, Thankyou is now launching across the Middle East, Asia and Europe.
Jane Caro AM
Author | Entrepreneur | Social Commentator | Walkley Award Winning Journalist
Jane Caro AM is a Walkley award winning Australian columnist, author, novelist, feminist, public education activist and social commentator. For 35 years she was a multi-award winning advertising copywriter. For 7 years she was an academic teaching Advertising Creative in the School of Communication Arts at Western Sydney University. In recent years she has become most well known for her media appearances and thought provoking books. When she isn’t writing novels, she is a full time columnist, speaker, MC and TV, radio and media commentator.
Jane Caro appears frequently on ABC Radio, The Drum, Sunrise & Weekend Sunrise. She created and presented 5 documentary series for ABC Compass, airing in 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019. She and Catherine Fox present a popular podcast with Podcast One, Austereo Women With Clout and she writes regular columns in Nine Newspapers and her opinion pieces appear regularly in The Saturday Paper, The Guardian and The Big Smoke.
Speakers
Click any speaker to jump to their biography or jump to all speaker biographies now.
🌴What You Can Look Forward To!🌴
This retreat will be intimate in size, action-packed, and RESULTS DRIVEN!
The CityLife Magazine team last hosted this event in 2021 straight out of the gates of COVID – you may have heard about the amazing speakers and business comradery that was forged by attendees who took part in this iconic event at the Sheraton Mirage Resort in Port Douglas. This year, we are hosting the event a little closer to home, at a 5 star tropical resort that feels like you are a million miles away, but in the heart of the Cairns CBD.
It’s been a tough few years and we want the 2025-2026 financial year to be the best year yet for the business community and we know our Business Retreat, which is a proven success model will be a MUST ATTEND for anyone in business who wants to reset their focus and hear from the leaders in their field on how to tackle business with a new perspective, a sharper focus, creative ideas and a sense of gusto!
🎟️ Tickets Include 🎟️
- 2 x days with national and local business experts
- 2 x days to work on your business uninterrupted
- One-on-one time with local experts
- Photo opportunities with nationally acclaimed keynote speakers
- All materials provided
- All meals provided (morning tea, lunch, afternoon tea) as well as drinks and canapes at the evening welcome cocktail party
- Opportunity to network with like minded people in business and industry experts
- Goodie Bag with contents valued at over $300 per person
- Be inspired, motivated and energised to breathe new life into your personal and business life post attendance
- Special rates for accommodation on offer for all attendees who wish to stay in-house and experience the true business retreat getaway
- Special rates for massages and beauty therapies at the in-house day spa for all attendees
- 1 x FREE ticket to The Salvation Army Red Shield Appeal Business Breakfast the morning of the event (commencing at 6:45am and ending at 9am Fri 9th May 2025) to be inspired by keynote speaker to be announced soon – $100 from every ticket will be donated to The Salvation Army to kick off the local Business Appeal on your behalf
* If you wish to attend this breakfast please advise us when booking your ticket so we can reserve you a seat and allocate your $100 donation for the event. - One on one and groups sessions with experts in:
💌 Marketing | 📈Finance & Accounting | 💰Wealth Creation | ⚖️Commercial Law | 👨Recruitment & Human Resources | 👷♂️Industrial Relations | 🤝 Executive Leadership | 🍎Nutrition, Personal Development & 🧘🏽♀️Wellness
Book Now All Weekend (Full 2 days)
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Speaker Biographies
Andrew Matthews
Andrew Matthews
Bestselling Author | International Speaker | Happiness Coach | Illustrator
Andrew Matthews is a bestselling author and international speaker. His books are published in 42 languages and he is a regular keynote and motivational speaker at conferences and conventions all around the world.
Andrew shares happiness tips that anyone can use. Andrew Matthews’ books are simple and entertaining – all illustrated by himself!
Says Andrew: Happiness is our most important goal. Sometimes we don’t need new information. Sometimes we just need to be reminded about things we already know.”
Daniel Flynn
Co-Founder of Thankyou, a social enterprise that exists all-for the end of extreme poverty, voted number 1 by Australian consumers as the most sustainable brand of 2022, placed ahead of Tesla, who ranked 2nd (Mumbrella, 2022). With over 35 disruptive, design-led and sustainable consumer products across the personal care and home cleaning categories, Thankyou has given $18.1M (AUD) to charities from products sold in Australia & New Zealand. After the proven success of the social enterprise business model, Thankyou is now launching across the Middle East, Asia and Europe.
Thank you has been known for its unconventionality, consumer-led campaigns that resulted in flying helicopters over the head offices of Australia’s two biggest retailers, with giant signs that helped secure national product ranging, to launching a pay-what-you-want book called ‘Chapter One’ to crowdfund the expansion of Thankyou that in launch week, ended up second only to one of the Harry Potter book launches in airport bookstores across Australia, with all proceeds funding the expansion of Thankyou globally.
Daniel has been recognised in Forbes Asia 30 under 30 for Social Entrepreneurship, one of JCI’s 10 Outstanding Young People of the World, and was the recipient of EY Entrepreneur of the Year (Southern Region).
Daniel has spoken in global forums around the world, most notably, being interviewed by President Barack Obama.
Jane Caro AM
Jane Caro AM (Member of the Order of Australia) is a Walkley Award winning columnist, author, novelist, broadcaster, documentary maker, feminist and social commentator. She spent 35 years as an award-winning copywriter and 7 years teaching Advertising Creative in the School of Communication Arts at Western Sydney University. These days she is a full-time writer, social commentator, speaker and broadcaster. In August 2023 she won the B&T Women in Media Lifetime Achievement Award.
She has published thirteen books, including a trilogy of YA novels about Elizabeth Tudor Just a Girl, Just a Queen and Just Flesh & Blood, a memoir Plain Speaking Jane, and Accidental Feminists the life story of women over 50. Her first novel for adults, The Mother, is a bestseller.
She appears frequently on The Drum & Today Extra. She created and presented 5 documentary series for ABC Compass, airing in 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019. She is in demand as a speaker, panel facilitator and MC. She writes a regular column in Nine Media and her opinion pieces and articles appear frequently in The Saturday Paper, The Guardian and The Big Smoke. She is currently developing a TV series about education and has just completed her second novel for adults – Lyerbird.
She is on the boards of The Public Education Foundation and Every Age Counts. She is an Ambassador for The Older Women’s Network.
To engage Jan Caro for radio, television, or presentation engagements contact Peter Wall at Wall Media on 0408 489 057 or www.wallmedia.com.au
Nicola Baker
Nicola founded Moyamoya Australia, a Not for Profit organization dedicated to raising awareness of Moyamoya Disease, a rare, progressive, and often fatal condition. Through her leadership, she has played a key role in fundraising efforts, contributing over $100,000 to institutions like the Stroke Foundation and Macquarie University Neurosciences. Beyond financial support, Nicola provides both financial and emotional assistance to Moyamoya patients and their families.
As an active member of the Lived Experience Advisory Group for Childhood Stroke, Nicola works tirelessly to raise awareness about Moyamoya, Stroke, and Childhood Stroke. She was instrumental in securing Queensland’s participation in the TeleStroke program, ensuring the state gained access to this life-saving service. A published author and recipient of multiple awards for her contributions to the Moyamoya community, Nicola continues to advocate for this rare disease at every opportunity.
Shelley Wild
Shelley Wild is the CEO of PeopleHQ and Founder of the Human Learning Collective. She specialises in leadership development, applied psychology, and human behaviour. Regarded as the “Humanpreneur,” she helps leaders unlock their strengths, enhance people leadership, and build character-driven impact.
With expertise in applied psychology, social cognitive neuroscience, and functional neuroeconomics, Shelley has worked across education, consulting, HR leadership, board directorship, and business ownership. She has successfully advised organisations on cultural transformation, remote team engagement, leadership alignment, safety practices, and change management.
Her work applies brain science to teaming, communication, brand strategy, employee engagement, performance management, values alignment, and business transitions. Through the Human Learning Collective, she translates complex behavioural frameworks into practical, interactive learning experiences for her global network via her social learning platform and app.
Shelley, a trusted advisor and mentor, delivers groundbreaking, real-world leadership solutions backed by research and hands-on expertise. She equips leaders with actionable strategies, resources, and wisdom to navigate complexity and drive meaningful change. Learning with Shelley isn’t just insightful—it’s a transformational milestone for those seeking to lead with purpose and impact.
Shaun Donaldson
Shaun Donaldson is a Chartered Accountant and Director at Halpin Partners, bringing over 20 years of experience in audit, taxation, and business advisory across Queensland. Known for his strong work ethic, leadership, and analytical ability, Shaun has built a reputation for delivering practical solutions that help clients grow and thrive. His career has seen him lead multi-million-dollar client portfolios, implement cutting-edge systems, and serve on various boards, including Brothers Leagues Club Cairns and Advance Cairns.
Shaun is passionate about regional business development and mentoring the next generation of professionals. He holds a Bachelor of Business (Accountancy) from QUT, is a Registered Tax Agent, and achieved company auditor registration before the age of 30—an uncommon milestone.
Grounded by a strong sense of community and family, Shaun balances professional life with raising three children, enjoying sport, and spending time outdoors. His focus remains clear: helping clients navigate complexity with clarity and confidence.
Donna Patane
DRIPL was founded by Donna Patane – a legal expert for entrepreneurs, business owners, and CEOs who want to protect their ideas and brands and grow their businesses.
Donna Patane is a lawyer, speaker and mother with a great sense of humour. Many in business say that Donna is approachable, strategic, and more fun than your average lawyer.
People need her to help with business legal affairs and to speak on her niche expertise. She says, at home on the other hand, her 3 little people need her to mostly make them snacks and pick up their stuff.
Donna is a specialist IP and business lawyer and a registered trade marks attorney, the only one in Far North Queensland. On a daily basis, she helps entrepreneurs and business owners protect themselves and their brand and, should the need arise, she helps them out of tricky situations.
Trevor Gard
Trevor Gard is a highly accomplished property valuer with extensive experience in both commercial and residential real estate. His core expertise lies in property valuations, where he delivers precise and reliable assessments for commercial, industrial, and residential properties. Over the years, Trevor has earned a reputation for his meticulous attention to detail and his ability to provide actionable insights that guide informed decision-making for both individual and corporate clients.
Born and raised in Far North Queensland, Trevor was educated at Mother of Good Counsel and Saint Augustine College before completing a Bachelor of Business, majoring in Property Studies, at the University of Queensland. With a strong family legacy in real estate—his grandfather, Con O’Leary, being one of the first real estate agents and developers in the Cairns and Cooktown regions—Trevor’s passion for the property industry and his commitment to the growth of the region are deeply ingrained.
In addition to owning and managing his company, Trevor is a community-oriented professional who devotes time and resources to various causes, including the Red Shield Appeal, assisting families in need within school communities, and integrating environmentally sustainable practices into his business operations. His contributions reflect a commitment not just to his profession but also to the long-term well-being of the region he calls home.
Trevor’s hands-on experience extends to property investments and the construction industry, where he has purchased, renovated, and flipped properties, undertaken residential subdivisions, and invested in commercial properties. These endeavours have shaped his ability to connect with everyday investors, including families and small business owners, offering them valuable insights into the industry.
Through his leadership, Trevor continues to make significant contributions to the real estate and property development sectors while fostering growth and innovation in his team and the wider community.
Megan Macallister
Megan Macallister is an accomplished HR professional withmore than two decades of experience spanning the government,not-for-profit, and private sectors. She has a proven track record of delivering positive, solutions-focused human resources services for a diverse range of industries including mining,aviation, health, welfare, and humanitarian aid.
As a HR practitioner, Megan is experienced in all facets of human resource management, including employee relations,industrial relations, strategic workforce development and recruitment.
With over 20 years of experience in HR, Megan understands the complexities of managing peopleand the challenges of running a business. She brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the table,along with a passion for helping small and medium businesses to succeed.
Throughout her career, Megan has worked in-house for a range of high-profile organisations including Boeing, Bechtel, Queensland Rail, and Cairns Regional Council. She has completed a Diploma of Human Resources Management and a Diploma of Management and holds professional membership with the Australian Human Resources Institute.
Megan’s recent accomplishments include managing voluntary redundancies for several large local organisations, developing HR systems for startups,leading culture change initiatives, and effectively managing under performance and dismissals across a diverse range of industries in the local business community.
At MMC HR, Megan works with clients to establish practices that are compliant with Australian employment laws, and which support their business goals. Her focus is on designing tailor made strategies that are effective but also practical, to enable businesses to navigate the dynamic and complex landscape of the business world today.
James Mousa
James Mousa — known to many as “Moose” — is the Founder and Director of Life Sumo, an innovative financial education and planning platform designed to empower everyday Australians to build powerful, future-proof lives.
With over two decades of experience in financial advice, James has helped clients navigate every stage of life — from early career hurdles to wealth-building breakthroughs and the complex realities of modern adulting. His expertise spans Superannuation, Self-Managed Super Funds, Securities, Managed Investment Schemes, Margin Lending, Derivatives, and Carbon Credit advising.
James holds a Bachelor of Laws from James Cook University and multiple financial planning accreditations through Kaplan Professional, including a Diploma of Financial Services, Investment Products Certification, and an Advanced Diploma of Financial Planning.
Known for his relatable style, sharp insight, and refreshing honesty, James has made it his mission to change the way people think about planning for their future—ditching outdated models for smarter, more human-centered solutions.
At Life Sumo, he’s redefining what it means to “have a plan” — blending financial literacy with real-world tactics, accessible tools, and a whole lot of heart.
When he’s not leading the Life Sumo community, you’ll find him behind the mic hosting The Wealth Hunters Podcast: The Quest for Knowledge, where he brings real conversations, real insights, and real laughs to the finance world.
Through every project, James remains committed to a single goal:
Making financial education not just accessible, but empowering — helping people stop guessing and start growing with real tools for real wins.
Danae Jones
Danae Jones has been in the media business for over 25 years.
As a multi award winning communications expert she is the driving force behind the Danae Jones Consulting brand – which operates in Cairns, Townsville, Gold Coast and Sydney. Danae boasts extensive national and international media experience across all mediums (TV, Radio, Print and Online). She is renowned for her strategic ability to increase a brands “Degree of Influence” and develop the methods to assist businesses to grow and scale throughout Queensland. She says that “achieving results for my clients is what makes my heart sing. It’s what gets me out of bed each morning.”
Danae is also an experienced Chair and Director on many not-for-profit boards across the Far North Queensland region, contributing to the communities growth in various sectors including health, education, defence, energy and construction. In 2019 Danae invested in CityLife Magazine and in June 2022 she purchased the entire CityLife Media Group and continues to grow and expand the brand’s footprint.
Most recently, Danae was appointed as one of only 9 Business Advisors on the Australian Xero Small Business Advisory Group.
Tara Diversi
Tara Diversi is the CEO of Launch Y(E)P and Director of the Tropical Innovation Festival. She holds formal qualifications in business, psychology, behavioural economics and health. Tara has been an Entrepreneurship Facilitator for almost a decade after exiting her business in 2012 and going onto support other businesses thrive and communities build successful innovation strategies and ecosystems.
She is published in the unique intersection of her qualifications and her understanding of human physiology provides a unique understanding of symbiosis within an ecosystem and how this relates to building innovation and business support ecosystems.
Lisa Monks
Social Media Strategist | AI Enthusiast | Founder of ChipMonk Media
With over 19 years in marketing and digital marketing, Lisa Monks is a seasoned Social Media Strategist and AI Enthusiast based in Cairns. As the founder of ChipMonk Media, she specialises in helping local businesses enhance their online presence through organic, practical strategies.
Lisa is renowned for her ability to demystify complex digital concepts, making them accessible and actionable for professionals at all levels of digital literacy. Her philosophy, “KISSS—Keep it Simple, Social & Strategic,” underscores her commitment to straightforward, effective communication.
At the 2025 CityLife Annual Business Retreat, Lisa will present a current overview of where we are with AI in business. Attendees will gain practical insights, actionable tips, and key considerations for integrating AI effectively and responsibly into their operations, ensuring both leaders and team members are well-equipped to navigate this evolving digital landscape.
Join Lisa to explore how AI can be a powerful tool for business growth, and leave with strategies and resources to implement in the new financial year.
Nyree Banks
Nyree is a dedicated Naturopath and experienced Yoga Teacher with over 20 years in the industry and more than a decade of teaching Yoga. She believes in a simple, practical approach to health. One that is refreshing, realistic and attainable. Passionate about helping others to feel their best, Nyree combines Yoga, Nutrition and Naturopathy to support well-being. Continually learning and evolving, she is currently studying a Diploma in Counselling to deepen her ability to support and empower her clients.
Pete Faulkner
Pete Faulkner GAICD
Having graduated at the Bayes Business School in London, Pete spent 15 years in the City of London as an investment banker in some of the world’s largest banks leading teams of traders, salespeople and economists. For the past 19 years Pete has been a Partner in Conus Business Consultancy Services where his specialisations include economic analysis, strategic planning, business modelling, and board governance. Pete is well-known for his analysis of regional economic data and has created many bespoke datasets covering labour markets, building approvals, income and inflation statistics for regional Australia. Pete is a Graduate member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and a Non-executive Director of Terrain NRM and Australian Chocolate.
The Economic Outlook Panel
