Posts by Nicole Duyst
It’s Not My First Rodeo: What a Mechanical Bull Taught Me About Regional Economic Development
There’s a story behind this photo, and it involves a mechanical bull, a lot of hard work and one of the more unexpected lessons I’ve learned about regional economic development. About ten years ago, my husband and I decided to build something a little bit different. We wanted to create the only Australian-made mechanical bull,…
Read MoreThe unexpected community hub: What the local reuse centre has taught me about connection
I have recently discovered one of my favourite community spaces in Hervey Bay. It is not an art gallery, a library or a community centre. It is the local reuse centre at the resource recovery facility. Since moving back to Hervey Bay, I have been trying to buy secondhand and reused things wherever I can.…
Read MoreGrowth is not the same as progress: Why liveability matters in regional Queensland
There is something I have noticed since moving back to Hervey Bay after nearly a decade away. There are a lot more people here. Of course, that is not particularly surprising. Queensland has experienced significant population growth, and regional Queensland has been part of that story. And honestly, who could blame people for wanting to…
Read MoreHow do we make engagement actually engaging?
I think we’ve all been there. A room.A whiteboard.A group of people sitting around it.A stack of sticky notes.And someone saying, “Okay, we really want to hear from you.” The problem is… sometimes the way we’re asking people to engage is completely unengaging. Don’t get me wrong , there is absolutely a place for formal…
Read MorePreparing Our Frontline Teams for Public Scrutiny
There is a part of working in local government that we don’t always talk about enough. Being visible. Across councils and local governments, we have passionate, capable and highly skilled people working directly with our communities every day. They are the people answering questions, delivering programs, managing facilities, supporting community groups, coordinating events, working in…
Read MoreBringing Art to Community: Why Creativity Belongs in Everyday Life
When we talk about increasing participation in arts and culture, the conversation often starts with a familiar question: How do we get more people into our galleries, libraries, theatres and cultural venues? But perhaps we should also be asking a different question: How do we bring more arts and cultural experiences into people’s everyday lives?…
Read MoreThe Uncomfortable Side of a Career Pivot
What I Learned From Being the Least Knowledgeable Person in the Room A career pivot can be one of the most exciting, challenging and terrifying things you can do. Particularly when you’ve been working in an industry for a couple of decades. After 20 years in a particular field, you develop a certain level of…
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