NEWS – Torquay Community Enterprise

Ferne Millen

Ferne Millen

Ferne has been working as an artist, photographer and art director in her own business for over twenty years. She is dedicated to tackling social issues such as Indigenous affairs, mental health and the overall health of community through creative development.

During Covid Ferne pivoted to enable some of her passion projects to develop further and a touring exhibition encompassing sound, photograph and installation was born. Working closely with the Wadawurrung Traditional owners, “Journey on Wadawurrung Country “was created with a need to educate and engage community who had expressed a desire to learn more about the people who took care of these lands for thousands of years where we live work and play.

Ferne loves nature and living here on the Surf Coast and hopes to continue to engage with all manner of activities that enhance, protect our environment and creates genuine, lifelong relationships here on the Surf Coast to build a better and healthier community.

Nicole Nelson

Nicole has lived on the Surf Coast for 17 years with her husband and 3 children. Nicole works locally and is treasurer of the Torquay Football Club and has been on many kinder and school boards locally.

She is passionate about the area we live in and on issues affecting the local community and loves how the community helps each other. She looks forward to working with all community groups small and large.

Nicole loves catching up with friends at the local coffee shops and watching her 3 children play sports.

Miranda McGree

Having grown up on the Surf Coast, Miranda now lives in Torquay with her husband and three children.

Working in Real Estate Miranda has seen many changes to Torquay over her professional life and on a personal level has enjoyed the increased opportunities the growth and variety of community groups has given her children. She sees the TCE as an integral part of engaging locals and providing support to further to facilitate and develop the needs of community groups, in a variety of sectors on an ongoing basis in our wonderful community.

Wendy Maitland-Smith

Wendy is a local resident, having made Torquay her home after working as a Lawyer in the Essendon area for over 40 years. Wendy volunteers at Torquay Community House as a tutor with Young Wolves and wishes to help local community groups thrive and prosper. Wendy hopes her legal experience and expertise will be of assistance to the Board and the Torquay Community.

Bowen Kress

Bowen has resided on the Surf Coast for over 20 years. Bowen was part of the opening team at RACV Torquay Resort and currently oversees all operations as Manager. Originating in Anglesea, Bowen worked in local surf shops and cafes. He admires the lifestyle our coast has to offer, surfing, mountain biking and beaches. In he’s professional career, Bowen has experience across a diverse range of industry and services.

Product Management in the surf industry, Business Development and Membership in Golf Club Resorts, and Event Management / Sponsorships with swimming and triathlon companies. Bowen’s held positions on Community Foundation Boards, and Sporting Committees. Bowen joined the Torquay Community Enterprise in 2019, supportive of what it stands for and what it delivers to our local community.

Andrew Crowley

Andrew has worked in the community and sport sector for 30 years. He is committed to increasing physical activity and projects that connect the community socially.

Andrew moved to Torquay in 1998 and currently works at Deakin University as Manager of Sport and Recreation. His previous experience includes working in Local government in Community Services and as a Consultant specialising in community engagement and designing community facilities.

Brian Singer

Brian Singer is best known locally as one of the two founder-owners of international surfing company Rip Curl, based in Torquay since 1967 when Brian and Doug Warbrick started the company.

Through their business, Brian and Doug have actively supported a broad variety of local community activities and groups over the past four decades including the kindergartens and schools, coast action groups, surf lifesaving, football and netball clubs among others.

Now a director of Rip Curl (rather than working in the business full-time), Brian is a Bells Beach resident when he’s not travelling – one of his favourite pastimes. He’s also an avid surfer and snow-skier, a die-hard Geelong Cats supporter and one of a very small number of people to have successfully climbed Mount Vinson, the Antarctic’s highest peak.

Dean Webster

Dean has a background in agriculture and has worked in Western Victoria, remote outback Australia and Northern Ireland. He has worked on large land care and water saving projects in the Great Artesian Basin and provided skills training for the unemployed and the Aboriginal community.

Dean has travelled extensively throughout Asia, researching regional development and aid projects and facilitating trade and investment opportunities. He is now a self-employed beef producer and fire prevention contractor.

Dean was a member of the Surf Coast Shire’s planning committee for 10 years and is currently deputy-chair of Surf Coast Energy Group. He was elected to the Surf Coast Council in 2004, served as Mayor in 2007/2008 and was re-elected in November, 2008.

Dean is an outspoken advocate of alternative energy and water saving projects, a reduced carbon footprint, appropriate, sustainable, strategic land use planning and regional tourism.

Sujin Boonchuay

Sujin is originally from Thailand and has lived on the Surf Coast and in Geelong for 28 years.

She is a well-known member of the local business community as the owner and manager of two Sujin Thai restaurants – one in Torquay and on the waterfront in Geelong.

Sujin is the president of the Geelong Thai community group and was previously the South-East Asian liaison officer for the Surf Coast Shire and the Migrant Resource Centre.

She is a proud supporter of the Bendigo Bank community enterprise model and enjoys helping to find ways of improving the quality of life on the Surf Coast for its diverse residents.

Michael Brugman

Michael has been participating in community groups for almost 30 years, particularly community legal centres.

He says he discovered early on in his career that professional groups can often be closed and aloof and reluctant to share the knowledge their members possess. By being involved in community groups like the Torquay Community Enterprise (TCE), he plans to use the skills and knowledge that he can offer for the benefit of others in the local area.

Michael believes the TCE is a fantastic grassroots means for the Bendigo Bank to form working relationships with the local community to the benefit of all participants in the initiative.

Michael is a father of four boys and has an established legal practice in Geelong.