30 Years of CityLife – A Local Legacy, Built to Last
For three decades, CityLife Magazine has celebrated the businesses, people, events and lifestyle that make North Queensland extraordinary. In 2026, the publication marks an exceptional milestone — 30 years as a truly independent, locally owned and produced magazine, shaped by many hands and still evolving for the generations to come.
Thirty years. More than 300 quality editions. More than 20,000 businesses showcased. An estimated $3 million in sponsorship and in-kind support provided to charities, not-for-profits, sporting organisations and community-focused events across North Queensland.
Behind those numbers are thousands of stories, and an extraordinary local publishing legacy.
Since CityLife Magazine was established in 1996, its pages have documented the changing face of Far North Queensland – entrepreneurs backing themselves and building businesses, remarkable local personalities, major community milestones, significant developments and events, and everything from food, fashion and property to health, travel, education, sport and entertainment.
Today, CityLife proudly stands as North Queensland’s longest-serving, truly independent, locally owned and produced magazine – a significant achievement in an industry that has undergone enormous technological and commercial change.
But CityLife’s story has never belonged to one person or one era.
Over three decades, many owners, editors, journalists, photographers, designers, salespeople, contributors, advertisers and community supporters have played a role in shaping the magazine’s direction and personality.
For CityLife Media Pty Ltd Director and CityLife Magazine Publisher Danae Jones, acknowledging that history is an important part of celebrating the milestone.
“Thirty years is an extraordinary achievement for any independent local media brand, and CityLife would not be here today without the many people who have contributed to its journey,” Danae said. “Every owner, team member, contributor, advertiser, partner and reader has helped shape CityLife in some way. We feel very fortunate to be the current custodians of that history.”
Three decades of local impact
CityLife’s contribution to North Queensland extends well beyond the number of magazines it has published.
Over its lifetime, it is estimated that more than 20,000 businesses have been showcased through editorial, advertising and promotional opportunities – helping local operators gain publicity, strengthen their brands, tell their stories and grow.
More than 300 editions have been published since the magazine was established in 1996.
Its community contribution is equally significant.
Throughout CityLife’s history, an estimated $3 million in sponsorship and in-kind support has been provided to local charities, not-for-profit organisations, sporting groups and community-focused events across North Queensland.
PULL OUT BOX
$3 Million donated in sponsorship and in-kind support to local charities,cnot for profits and sporting groups
300+ printed editions
20,000+ businesses showcased
That commitment continues today, with CityLife supporting organisations including the Far North Queensland Hospital Foundation, The Salvation Army, Mayor’s Christmas Cheer Appeal, Moyamoya Australia, The Junction Clubhouse, KickON and numerous local sporting groups in 2026.
“When you look at those numbers, they represent so much more than advertising pages or editions,” Danae said. “They represent businesses that have grown, charities that have been supported, events that have brought people together and thousands of local stories that have been given a platform.
“CityLife has always been about celebrating this community, and we are proud to continue that tradition.”
Protecting the legacy by evolving
By 2019, CityLife had already built a remarkable reputation and history.
But the media industry around it was changing at extraordinary speed.
Audiences were increasingly consuming content digitally, advertising behaviour was shifting and regional print publications across Australia were facing growing commercial pressure. Relying on the traditional publishing model alone was becoming increasingly difficult.
When Danae bought into CityLife in November 2019, joining then sole director Jacqui Nolan, the focus became ensuring the magazine could continue to evolve while protecting the qualities that had made it successful for more than two decades.
Drawing on Danae’s extensive background across media, public relations, marketing, television and strategic communications, CityLife began progressively expanding beyond its traditional print model.
The intention was not to replace print. It was to build around it.
“I had enormous respect for what CityLife had already achieved,” Danae said. “The brand had history, loyalty and an important place in the community. Our focus was simply on making sure it could remain relevant and commercially sustainable in a media environment that was changing incredibly quickly.
“We could see that people were consuming information differently, so we needed to broaden the offering while protecting the quality print product that readers and advertisers already knew and trusted.”
In 2021, Danae and her family acquired Jacqui Nolan’s remaining share of the business and continued that expansion.
KidsLife Magazine was brought back, while investment continued across social media, digital publishing, video, television, radio, podcasting, online content, email marketing and events.
Today, CityLife’s offering encompasses print, social media, email, video, television, radio, online, events and podcasting.
Without that willingness to adapt, CityLife could easily have been exposed to the same pressures that have seen many regional print publications reduce their presence or disappear altogether.
Instead, the business has continued to grow.
Advertising revenue has increased, market share has strengthened, CityLife’s commercial offering has expanded and the geographical footprint available to advertisers is now greater than at any time in its 30-year history.
“We are proud of the direction the business has taken, but in media you can never stand still,” Danae said. “For us, it has always been about creating more value for our advertisers, more opportunities for local stories to be seen and heard, and ensuring CityLife remains a strong, independent local media voice.”
Taking local businesses further
One of the most important developments of CityLife’s modern era has been the establishment of significant cross-media alliances.
Through strategic relationships incorporating the Southern Cross Austereo network (Channel 10, 7 Cairns, Triple M, HitFM) and Coastal Broadcasters (4AM, 4KZ and KOOLFM), together with CityLife’s own print, digital, social media, video and podcast platforms, advertisers can now access audiences across an extraordinary geographical footprint – from the tip of Cape York, west to the Tablelands and south towards Townsville.
It represents the greatest geographical reach CityLife has been able to offer advertisers in its history.
That expanded network sits alongside CityLife’s own established audience, including 10,000 glossy magazines distributed quarterly throughout Cairns, Port Douglas and the Atherton Tablelands, more than 40,000 Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn followers, 6,000 plus dedicated weekly email subscribers and thousands of weekly website visitors.
The CityLife Podcast, first launched in 2021, is also returning in 2026 following further development of the company’s multimedia platforms and strategic media partnerships.
“The media partnerships we have developed mean local businesses and organisations can now take their stories much further,” Danae said. “That is something we are particularly pleased about.
“We haven’t tried to make CityLife less local. We have simply created more ways for local businesses, people and stories to reach a much larger audience.”
Still local. Still independent. Still evolving.
Perhaps CityLife’s 30th anniversary is ultimately a story of both legacy and evolution.
Its first three decades have been shaped by many people and many chapters. Each has contributed to the publication North Queensland knows today.
The platforms have changed. Its geographical reach has expanded. The business model has evolved.
But the heart of CityLife remains remarkably familiar – celebrating local success, backing local business, supporting the community and sharing the stories of the people who make North Queensland such an extraordinary place to live.
“Being independent and locally owned matters enormously to us,” Danae said. “CityLife is produced here by people who live here, work here, raise their families here and understand this community.
“We are very proud of the history behind us and incredibly grateful to everyone who has been part of it. Our responsibility now is to keep evolving so CityLife remains relevant, successful and proudly local for many years to come.”
Thirty years of stories. Thirty years of business. Thirty years of community. And a new chapter is only just beginning.
Celebrating 30 Years Together
CityLife’s 30th Anniversary Collector’s Edition was never intended to be a celebration of our story alone. For three decades, CityLife has existed because of the extraordinary businesses, organisations and people who have helped shape Far North Queensland – so it felt only fitting that this milestone should be shared with them.
As we prepared this special edition, we invited businesses from across the region to celebrate their own milestones alongside us. Whether marking one year in business or 10, 20, 30, 50 years and beyond, every milestone represents something worth recognising. Behind each anniversary is a story of vision, hard work, resilience, innovation and the relationships built with customers, staff and the wider community along the way.
The result is our 30th Anniversary Business Milestone Feature – a celebration of the businesses that have contributed to the growth, character and success of our region. Within the pages that follow, we share some of those journeys: where they began, how they have evolved, the people behind their success and what lies ahead.
Business longevity should never be taken for granted. Markets change, industries evolve and challenges inevitably arise. To continue operating, growing and serving a community year after year is an achievement in itself. These stories are also a reminder that the strength of Far North Queensland has always been built on people prepared to have a go, invest locally, employ locally and support the communities around them.
For 30 years, CityLife has had the privilege of telling those stories. In this Collector’s Edition, we are delighted to turn the spotlight once again onto the businesses that have helped make Far North Queensland the vibrant and resilient region it is today.
Their milestones are part of our region’s history – and we are proud to celebrate them together.
