The Team
Our host, avid surfer and fisherman Dean Miller is joined on Queensland
Weekender each week by the very well traveled Bridget Adams, local fishing
expert Scott Hillier, a girl who never says no to a challenge, Taryn Onofaro,
rugby hero Chris "Buddha" Handy, Chris Parsons and occasionally Creek
to Coast’s fishing
guru Gary Howard.
Dean Miller - Host
When Dean Miller walks into a room, people notice. It's
not just that he's a big bloke (192 cm in socks). Or that
he's got a big voice, which is a professional necessity for
an ongoing radio career. But, he's the kind of guy people
like to be around.
And it's this quality that has made him such a popular
television presenter. Dean previously hosted Network Seven's
popular outdoor water recreation program Creek to Coast, and
now hosts Seven's best leisure and lifestyle half-hour, Queensland
Weekender.
Dean effortlessly shares his enthusiasm for his work with
television viewers, and anyone else who'll listen to him harp
on about having "the best job in the world".
He is a professional communicator through and through. High
profile positions in local FM radio have included hosting
the breakfast show at Triple M Brisbane, SEA FM on the Gold
Coast, 4BC and RIVER 94.9.
There have been other jobs along the way, most to fund a
two year "Endless Summer" that took him surfing
across the globe in the late 1980s. But booking British teenagers
on trips to Ibiza from a travel agency in London, and pouring
beers at a wedding reception centre in San Diego, aren't the
kinds of career detours you want to be reminded about in a
bio.
These days, Dean is the very proud father of two gorgeous
young kids, a daughter Jordan and a son Harrison.
Dean's ideal Queensland Weekend?
"I'd rent a beach house at Moreton Island with the
family," he decides.
"Or go camping with a few mates at Double Island Point….Or
go for an early morning surf at a South East Queensland right
hand point break like the Alley, Currumbin Alley, or Moffatt
Beach on the Sunshine Coast."
Bridget Adams
Bridget Adams has traveled the world, but
found paradise in North Queensland.
During her 10 years as a reporter with Seven's The
Great Outdoors, Bridget criss-crossed the globe, seeing
the sights everywhere from London to Uganda.
But it's as a presenter with Queensland Weekender that
she's truly found heaven.
The locally produced show means Bridget gets to indulge
her passion for travel, and continue to work in a profession
she loves. But, the icing on the cake is that she's
never too far away from her family, and the 150,000 acres
of Tropical North Queensland they call home.
Bridget, husband Damien and their children, daughter Madeline
and son Cooper live and work Springvale, a cattle property
near Cooktown.
It's a lifestyle that the former city-slicker, who
was born in Sydney; schooled on the Gold Coast; and previously
modeled in New York, Germany, Milan and Asia (and appeared
on the covers of Vogue, Mode and Cosmopolitan); never envisaged
for herself. But it's a lifestyle that she adores.
But then, Bridget seems to adore everything about life.
The smile viewers see throughout her stories doesn't
switch off when the camera is off. In fact, she's one
of those people who genuinely has that "sunny disposition".
And if Bridget had the opportunity to plan an ideal Queensland
weekend? Well, it involves a sunny spot with the family,
for starters.
"We'd be getting out on the northern reef, waking
up at sunrise and jumping into cool, clear blue waters. We'd
spend the day snorkeling, and have fresh fish on the barbie
for lunch. At night, we'd fall asleep to the sound
of waves lapping up against the boat we're staying
on."
Sounds like paradise is on her own doorstep.
Scott Hillier
If Queensland Weekender had to nominate the program's
equivalent of the class clown, there's no question that Scott
Hillier would get the nod. But that's not using the term "class
clown" in a negative sense. It's in that "lovable
larrikin" way. Scotty is irrepressible; his humour, his
friendliness and his absolute enthusiasm for every day life
seem to know no bounds. And it's contagious.
Television viewers have really taken to Scott's natural
and unpretentious style of TV story telling. Reeling in a
big game fish for the cameras on Queensland
Weekender or as host of Creek to Coast , Scott
will instinctively holler, yell and whoop it up, his delight
saying more than any detailed how to fish guide could.
But then, that's how Scott is, and how he's always has
been, ever since he could toddle over the sand dunes to the
beach from the family home on the Sunshine Coast when he got
his first "foamy" (surfboard) at age 5.
Originally Scott studied for a career in hospitality and
spent a few years as a recreation supervisor at a swanky Sunshine
Coast resort. But he eventually needed to be closer to the
water, and joined the Queensland Boating and Fisheries Patrol
as a patrol officer.
Scott was first seen on the small screen as a fishing expert
on Brownie’s
Coastwatch and was a member of founding team of presenters on Creek
to Coast when it launched in 1999. He has been host of the program
since 2005.
These days, Scott has a stack of media commitments in addition
to Creek to
Coast. He is a member of Seven’s Queensland Weekender team
of travel presenters. He co-hosts a magazine panel chat
show on SEA FM Townsville every Friday morning and his fishing
reports appear each Friday evening on Seven's Local News
in Townsville and Cairns. For newspapers, he contributes fishing
reports to The Courier-Mail and The Cairns Post.
Although born and bred on the Sunshine Coast, Scott loves
North Queensland. As does his wife Helga, and their two sons
Ben, 12, and Bailey, 9, who've
also inherited their dad's love of the water.
So, he's torn when pressed to nominate his ideal Queensland
weekend.
"It's a toss up. Either a trip to the folks' home at Marcoola, so the boys
can catch up with their cousins and grandparents and everyone can play in the
surf.
"Or I'd take my wife and kids somewhere remote. Somewhere like the Atherton
Tableland. We'd get a nice treehouse in the bush, where there's plenty for the
wife and kids to do. And I can fish Lake Tinaroo."
Taryn Onofaro
 She
may be a Sandgroper by birth, but Taryn Onofaro has embraced
the lifestyle of her adopted home of Queensland with a gusto that's breathtaking.
Since arriving here from Perth to break into commercial television via a researching
gig on the Nine Network's children's program Y, Taryn
has morphed into action woman. Surfing, abseiling, parasailing, scuba
diving, jet-skiing, four wheel driving … you name it, Taryn's
done it, and enjoyed it, since joining Seven's locally produced program, Queensland
Weekender and Creek to Coast. She'd already seen a bit
of the State prior to that, as a presenter on Nine's travel series, Queensland
Escapes.
"I've definitely seen more of Queensland than Western Australia,
and I've got to do a million things I wouldn't have otherwise done,"says
Taryn, who admits she was a little less adventurous back home.
Because back there, she'd virtually grown up inside a dance studio.
Trained in classical, jazz, tap, neo-classical and acrobatics, Taryn looked
set to follow in the footsteps of her dancing mother, grandmother and aunt.
But after graduating from a broadcasting course at the Western Australian
Academy of Performing Arts, she scaled back the professional dancing career
she was already successfully forging, to pursue her interest in media. And
she's never looked back.
She is now one of Queensland's best known local faces, seen ever Wednesday
night presenting the Gold Lotto draw, and Saturday evenings announcing the
Winner's Circle Bonus draw.
A born traveller, (she's already seen the sights of the U.S, parts
of Asia and Europe) she's relishing the scope Queensland Weekender offers.
And she's got her ideal Queensland weekend sussed.
"If money was no
object, I'd fly to the Whitsundays and spend
the weekend snorkeling, diving, soaking up the sun and chilling out," she
says.
Seems every action woman needs to rest up sometimes.
Chris "Buddha" Handy
 Chris "Buddha" Handy -
few names are more recongnisable in the world of rugby than
this larger than life sporting icon. Even though he is a
Wallaby great representing his country in six internationals,
it's Buddha's deeds and words in the commentary
box that have endeared him to rugby fans across the
globe. And it was this enthusiasm for life which made him
an ideal recruit for Queensland Weekender.
The man who has described a player as having a "face
like a squashed grape" or the All Blacks as being "like
15 mongrel dogs outside a butcher's shop", brings
fresh perspectives to weekend travels.
Whether it be on a country pub tour or jumping on the back
of a camel, Buddha always throws himself into the challenge.
His post-Wallaby resume is the envy of every Rugby enthusiasts,
commentating the TV coverage of every World Cup from 1987
- 2003, as well as the Super 10 and 12 tournaments.
Buddha's capabilities are not limited to the world
of rugby commentary. He is in constant demand as a guest
speaker, both in the rugby and corporate arena, captivating
his audiences with endless stories, sharp wit and his distinctive
character.
And he's a dedicated family man. He has been married
to Mary, his childhood sweetheart for 30 years and they have
three adult children Rebecca, Sam and Jacob. Buddha is a
proud first time grandfather to little Angus.
Buddha's wide and varied following is testament to
his affable nature and ability to infect his viewers with
the excitement and emotion of the occasion. As only he can
say, "Go You Good Thing!"
Naturally, Buddha's idea of the perfect Queensland
weekend is a Saturday night at Suncorp Stadium, cheering
the Reds to victory over the Blues…. And maybe a few
celebratory coldies at the pub afterwards.
Chris Parsons
 In his own words, Chris Parsons spent
his early years on the Gold Coast developing his BMX and yo
yo skills, before moving to Brisbane for high school and university.
With journalism degree in hand, Chris jetted overseas for
a boys’ own tour of France and Spain in a 1974
VW called ‘Chad’.
Chris returned home to pursue
a career in the media industry, and claims he had many, “oh
so many” auditions,
before landing a job on a Gold Coast lifestyle show.
This lead
to a presenting role on the Briz 31 car show ‘Rev
Central’, despite the fact that Chris didn’t
know a welsh plug from a transformer.
He’s tried every
job from labourer to bathroom supplies rep to perfume sprayer
at Myer, but since being a part of Queensland Weekender, Chris
has ‘never been happier’.
He also works radio station Nova 106.9 as part of the Night
Show.
Chris’ perfect Queensland escape? “If it’s
in the sun, I’m happy, but plonk me down at Burleigh
heads with friends and a barbecue and you’ll never
see a smile so wide. Having said that, put me on a boat in
the tropical north and I sure won’t complain,” he
said.
|
