Latest news with #Noosa
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Health
- Daily Mail
Michael Klim doesn't look like this anymore! Olympic swimmer shows off his new style as he spends time with his family in Noosa
He's best known for his ripped physique, bald head and fierce stare from his days dominating Olympic swimming pools. But Michael Klim looked worlds away from his former life as an elite athlete as he showed off a new softer, laid-back look while spending time with his family on holiday in Noosa. In a series of candid photos shared by his daughter Stella to Instagram on Monday, Michael, 47, appeared relaxed and smiling as he donned a black T-shirt and apron at a cooking demonstration for Pork Star Live by Australian Pork. Another photo showed Michael posing with Stella on a scenic balcony, both dressed in stylish black outfits as they beamed beside the ocean. Gone was the intense, chiselled look fans remember from his modelling campaigns and Olympic heyday - replaced with a wholesome, smiley family man vibe. From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. 'So great to have the family together for @noosaeatdrink,' Michael commented under Stella's post, which was quickly flooded with love heart emojis from fans. It comes as Michael confirms he's gearing up for a major life change. After more than a decade living in Bali, the Olympian has revealed he is planning a permanent move back to Australia. 'At the moment I'm still in Bali and coming back-and-forth, but definitely at some point in the near future we will be heading back to Oz to be with both of the kids,' he told the Daily Telegraph. '[Daughter] Stella is with me here in Bali, so we're kind of still in limbo at the moment.' Michael moved to Bali in 2012 and currently resides there with his partner Michelle Owen. But the decision to return Down Under has reportedly been influenced by his ex-wife Lindy Klim's recent relocation back to Australia. Michael's revelation comes after he recently gave an update on his health. The Olympian was diagnosed with the neurological disorder chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP) in 2020 and told The Project this week that he was doing well. Asked how he was doing in terms of his health battle, Michael was optimistic. 'I'm feeling really well. My life has stabilised physically and mentally' he explained, before answering a question on whether he was in any pain. 'My mobility is compromised. But I've got some great AFOs, are kind of prosthetics. Some of my favourite things like surfing and playing tennis are out of the question, but I had a ski for the first time in 12 years last year' he said. Michael said there were 'a lot of things' he couldn't do, but many he could, and added that he was now focused on his foundation, The KLIM Foundation, which is raising funds and awareness for CIDP. 'With the foundation, it's what we're trying to do, enable a lot of sufferers, give them their life back' he said. 'Not only can we do it through blood donations, AFOs, having the right physio, having that support, and also counselling.' Michael recently detailed his 'tough' four-year battle with the disorder and spoke about the mental challenge of going from being an Olympian to not being able to walk. Speaking at Drew Barrymore and Wanderlust's True North event in Sydney in July, Michael explained how his leg muscles began 'disappearing' as he deteriorated. 'I had a lot of neural symptoms early on - most people would get cold feet at night time or you'd get a tingling on your quad - but I started getting these random feelings in my legs and they started progressing and getting worse,' he shared. 'Towards the end, my legs would give way on me when I was walking back. All my other aches and pains started popping up even more, affecting my everyday lifestyle from my ankle to my back. Michael - who is now able to walk with the assistance of a cane - admitted the diagnosis also took a mental toll as he struggled to come to terms with his physical symptoms. 'It was really confronting mentally, not just physically,' he explained while speaking to press ahead of actress Drew's talk event at the ICC Theatre. 'I could look down and see these sticks hanging off my body, which for someone that used to pride myself on my physical ability, that was taken away within six months.' Michael undergoes rehabilitation including plasma treatment, which has helped him to become more mobile by reducing inflammation and restoring nerve damage. He also praised his girlfriend Michelle Owen for her support over the past four years as he admitted it has been a difficult journey. Klim first unveiled his romance with DJ Michelle in October 2019, three years after his split from his model ex-wife Lindy Klim in 2016 after 10 years of marriage. Meanwhile, Lindy recently moved back to Australia following her split with husband of six years, Adam Ellis with whom the Balinese Princess shares daughter Goldie, seven. Michael and Lindy share three children - Stella, 18, Rocco, 16, and Frankie, 13.
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
Why a huge social media presence and millions in the bank doesn't mean you've made it in 2025
An e-commerce expert with 15 years experience has warned Aussies keen to start their own brands about the pitfalls that have caused so many to fail. Joshua Uebergang, 40, has been helping businesses navigate the Shopify online storefront since 2010 with his marketing agency Digital Darts. He told Daily Mail Australia the two simple rules that can help any business thrive - customer retention and keeping a handle on spending. Mr Uebergang said the recent closure of Exoticathletica, an online activewear brand founded in Noosa in 2014, was an example of companies outspending their profits without locking in a loyal customer base first. The activewear brand collapsed earlier this month owing $13million to creditors after raking in $7million in sales of an 'ultra-comfortable' crop top in 2021. It accumulated debts of over $6.2million, including $800,000 to the ATO, $6.7million to the Commonwealth Bank and $114,000 to staff. 'What you generally see on TikTok is customer numbers, high revenue numbers and media mentions but that's all meaningless compared to what really keeps the business afloat,' he said. 'Building up a brand is perfectly fine but the main thing these brands are missing is the fundamental basis of businesses: Can you acquire a customer for less than what they give you over their lifetime?' Emerging companies are too focused on social media visibility instead of investing in creating loyal customers at a cheap price, Mr Uebergang explained. He pointed to the Lifetime Value to Customer Acquisition Cost ratio (LTV/CAC) which compares a customer's lifetime value to the cost a business puts into acquiring them. This roughly translates to how much a customer is willing to spend on a brand compared to the money a business invests in attracting them in the first place. When the ratio becomes lopsided - usually when a customer spends less than three times the amount a business had spent on them - it can cause issues. 'The smaller that ratio is, the more dangerous the business becomes and it also becomes more of a long-term bet,' Mr Uebergang said. Venture-funded start-ups have more time to make up the margin compared to those which are self-funded as the latter relies on the founder's personal wealth. With venture-funded companies, investors and stakeholders are able to make up the initial difference between profits and spending. 'They can really can push because they've got more money than its founder initially had when they started it. If someone has a small business, self-funded company, they can't push that hard,' Mr Uebergang said. He warned new business owners can easily become obsessed with creating the illusion that they're living 'the dream'. 'Founders are incentivised to promote a dream, and it's a bit like general human reality with social media that we want to favour our successes and not highlight our failures, so it's no different to e-commerce brands,' he explained. 'It comes from a "make money quick" belief, which can be great, because it's good for people to try new things.' But he said some start-up owners can I greatly underestimate the debts their start-ups owe at the end of the financial year. 'It's pretty common to see people in their first year or two of business, someone who is not particular to the e-commerce space, shocked to find that after making $4million they might have to pay $2million in taxes,' Mr Uebergang said. A good rule of thumb for newcomers is to focus on making ends meet first before focusing too much on expansion or growing their customer base. Making sure the business is making enough profits and listening to customer feedback is essential to creating a lasting business, Mr Uebergang said. 'Start from day one with profit in mind, so that's having a product that you pay for and then having at least 500 per cent on top of that with what you will sell it for,' he said. 'That will help account for freight costs, general labour, customs, even some marketing to help get customers. 'Second, really master one marketing channel, focus on one and get really good at it. This can take you to $1million in annual year revenue. 'And thirdly, listen to your customers and improve on their feedback from your first sales. Build 100 customers initially and really seek to make them returning sales because they are the people that you ultimately serving.'
Daily Mail
5 days ago
- Health
- Daily Mail
Sport icon Dawn Fraser reveals the distressing amount of weight she's lost - and her chilling moment after horror fall: 'I didn't want to die that way'
Aussie sporting icon Dawn Fraser has revealed she lost 22kg following a fall on her driveway in December last year - and that she could have died following subsequent surgery. Fraser, 87, is a national treasure after winning Olympic gold in the 100m freestyle at three successive Summer Games, between 1956 and 1964. 'The pain was excruciating,' she told News Corp when reflecting on the serious fall at her Noosa home on Queensland 's Sunshine Coast in December last year. 'I'd never felt pain like that before. I've never sort of fallen or broken anything in my life and it was a shock to me.' And the cause of the fall? Fraser was trying to open a case of soft drink when she slipped on a small ledge and fell onto hard concrete. Fraser's hospital X-rays were grim - they revealed a broken hip, four cracked ribs and potential internal bleeding. Given her age, the anaesthetist then warned 'Dawny' she may not survive the operation. 'When the anaesthetist came in and said I could die, that was the frightening part,' Fraser recalled. 'I didn't want to die that way, so that put my will up to come through and come out of it.' Thankfully, everything went according to plan - only for Fraser to then endure a heart scare weeks later. Now fitted with a pacemaker, Fraser's heart is monitored 24 hours a day. Acknowledging she has to slow down has been a battle. She was on anti-depressants, but an old friend - swimming - has helped keep Fraser mentally strong. Fraser also admitted the recent setbacks have resulted in one of the toughest periods of her life. 'This has been the biggest challenge, absolutely,' she said. 'It's not something I thought I'd (ever) have to face. 'But now it's there in front of me. Winning the gold medals was much easier. I feel so lucky I survived.' In terms of attending the 2032 Olympics in Brisbane, it remains to be seen if Fraser will be poolside. She will be 95 - but you never write off a champion.
News.com.au
27-05-2025
- Business
- News.com.au
Shock twist as former Virgin CEO to tear down $17m mansion
In a shock twist, the outgoing CEO of Virgin Australia plans to tear down a $17m home she bought just months ago, asking council to permit two planning breaches in the aftermath. Janye Hrdlicka – who has been assisting new Virgin Australia CEO Dave Emerson transition to the top job from mid-March – spent $16.9m buying a 1970s-era home at auction in September last year, which settled four days before Christmas. But just five months on, Ms Hrdlicka is seeking Noosa Shire Council approval to not just tear it down – but put in its place a stunning luxury home across three levels one of which is a basement, with two of its design elements requiring special exemptions from council. The first is the height of her planned dream build, with the Noosa Plan 2020 stipulating it should be two storeys – something Mr Hrdlicka seeks to get around by creating a basement level 'floor level L0' to house her gym and games room, with the first and second levels containing the kitchen, living and outdoor living, terrace and swimming pool areas on the upper ground floor; with the home also having a master bedroom, and three other ensuited bedrooms. Despite that, she will still be outside the stipulated height limit which sits at 8m, while her dream home design has a 600mm encroachment to sit at 8.6m. She is hoping council planner will allow her to build part of her roof line higher than the 8m height limit, with the application claiming it was 'not obscuring views from neighbours across the street or adjoining'. The second exception being called for is to let her go outside the Noosa Plan 2020 rules concerning her steeply sloping site. The council rules state that buildings and structures are not to be constructed on land with a slope greater than 33 per cent, but her proposed design touches a slope greater than 33pc – located in the northwest corner of the design next to the pool. The site's geotechnical investigation by Techtonic submitted with the application to council said plans for the steep slope and soil type in back sections will require extra protection and drilling down 5 to 6m below the finished ground level to put in a pile wall to protect the development including the pool. With those in place, it felt the design would work well. Zac Efron's Aussie long lunch haunt is on the market The block is in one of Noosa's most expensive streets because of the 180 degree views from Noosa National Park to Settlers Cove, Noosa Sound, Noosa River, Hastings St, Noosa Main Beach, Laguna Bay, right out to Double Island Point. The move comes two years after the death of her husband Jason Gaudin and almost three years since she sold up her Melbourne home for circa $18m to focus permanently on Queensland. Buyer of $12m mansion plans to give it away Ms Hrdlicka, who has had extensive experience across Qantas, Jetstar and other businesses before joining the Brisbane-based airline company, said in March that 'it has been a career highlight and a huge privilege to lead Virgin Australia'. 'I could not be more proud of how much we have achieved together as a team. Today, Virgin Australia is the most reliable airline, the most trusted and the most loved airline in the country and is delivering exceptional returns for its shareholders.'
News.com.au
21-05-2025
- Business
- News.com.au
Popular Australian women's activewear brand goes bust, owing millions to creditors
A popular Australian women's activewear company has gone bust, owing $13m to creditors. Founded in 2014 by Leilani Chandler in Noosa, Exoticathletica is best known for its size-inclusive, vibrant and bright activewear and quickly became a popular choice for women across the country. However, the brand filed for voluntary administration on April 9, turning to insolvency firm SV Partners Terry van der Velde and Matthew Hudson to search for potential buyers while they comb through the financial debris. Commonwealth Bank – the secured creditor for the business – is owed $6.7m, while the brand owes unsecured creditors more than $6.2m. This includes $211,000 to manufacturers Active Apparel Group, $311,000 to Andorra Australia, $447,000 to Dongguan Huachen Sporting Goods Co and $416,000 to D and J International. The sporting brand also owes over $550,000 to e-commerce giant Shopify, $224,000 to American Express, $53,00 to PayPal , $136,00 to Invenco and $114,00 to Thread Collective Co. Customers have suffered a loss of $172,000, and the Noosa-based business owes $800,000 to the Australian Taxation Office (ATO). Employees have also been left $416,447 out of pockets, with $37,733 in unpaid superannuation. Minutes from the first meeting with creditors on April 23 said the business would continue trading to 'maximise the funds recovered from the sale of stock'. 'The administrators also intend to list the business for sale shortly,' the minutes read. 'After the business is listed for sale, the financial position of the company and the anticipated return to creditors will be more certain.' While the company's total assets are yet to be advised, the administrators estimate its stock to be valued at $2.5m. 'We have continued to trade the business to preserve its value, with the aim of maximising the return to creditor,' Mr Hudson said per Courier-Mail. 'This strategy has allowed the business to remain operational, thereby maintaining its goodwill, customer relationships and employee engagements. 'By trading the business, we have sought to facilitate a sale of the business as a going concern.' Exoticathletica was founded by Ms Chandler in 2014 and was inspired by 'Brazil's fitness fashion culture, their celebration of feminine curves and bold designs that encourage women to express themselves'. The brand is best known for its inclusive designs which aims to 'help women enhance and accentuate their bodies and unapologetically celebrate their uniqueness'. Between April 2020 and April 2021, the brand found success selling a wire-free crop top, with more than 140,000 customers purchasing the $49.99 activewear. A second meeting with creditors is expected to take place next week.
