FESTIVAL COMMITTEE
BILL HURLEY FRASER - FESTIVAL DIRECTOR
A vinyl hoarder, avid skateboarder and surfer with a background professionally and recreationally heavily invested in food and music. An Apollo Bay lifetime local who was cultured from a few years fermenting on the European festival and event circuit, the Director of The Apollo Bay Seafood Festival in the summer and Director for WinterWild throughout the colder months. Bill is the Vice President of the local community radio station 3ABR and hosts a weekly Friday afternoon timeslot ‘Front Left’ playing whatever feels good on the day. Follow him on Instagram if you like oversaturated iPhone pics and want to see how good life in Apollo Bay really is.
Contact him at - billhurleyfraser@gmail.com
LIZ WATERS – EVENT COORDINATOR
Liz graduated uni with a degree in Speech Therapy, and worked in rehab centres and hospitals until the need for a change gave her the bright idea of opening a restaurant in Warrnambool….cue long hours of hard work alongside the absolute joys of hospitality, and of cooking food people seemed to enjoy.
Running a restaurant and having kids proved to be an insurmountable challenge so when Liz sold the restaurant she taught hospitality at TAFE in Warrnambool, discovering the joys of teaching in the process. Throughout the time at TAFE Liz worked with hospitality and tourism students on all of the significant festivals and major events run in and around Warrnambool, in addition to numerous conferences and functions held throughout the district. She went on to manage the Hospitality and Tourism Department, and the Centre for Business, Hospitality and Service Skills.
Time spent growing and producing food on a farm in the Goulburn Valley gave Liz a deep respect for our primary producers and the challenges they face, and an even deeper love of good food grown and gathered locally.
Since moving to Apollo Bay, Liz has managed events for the past four Seafood Festivals, and for each WinterWild Festivals.
Contact at lwaters962@gmail.com
PAT MACKLE - SPONSORSHIP MANAGER
Pat has worked in creative industries all her life. From 10 years in advertising & film production to establishing a successful print media company, Avant Card - in operation for 25 years. Pat created a national company with 3 offices & managed a staff of 30 with an annual turnover of $4 million. In 2010 Pat opened Shop Neutral, an eco-friendly retail store based in Melbourne. After living in big cities, moving to Apollo Bay in 2019 was the best decision she has ever made. Pat is also the Sponsorship Manager of Apollo Bay's WinterWild Festival & loves putting her 40 years of business experience to work in a voluntary capacity. Pat is pescatarian, loves Yoga & is passionate about the environment & sustainability.
Contact at patmackle21@gmail.com
MARKUS NOLLE - SEAFOOD INDUSTRY CONSULTANT
After 25 years in the corporate world, Markus combined a love of the ocean with a whole new lifestyle to become an Apollo Bay rock lobster fisherman. That was a few years ago, in 2006. In recent times Markus has become a vocal seafood industry and local community advocate as Director and Chairman of the Apollo Bay Fishermen’s Co-Operative and Committee Member of the Apollo Bay Chamber of Commerce.
KEVIN O’CONNELL - ADMIN
Kevin was virtually penniless when he left Australia is the 1980’s. He returned from living and traveling through Europe, Asia and the US three decades later and is now almost penniless. Progress of sorts I suppose. Oh well, he learnt a bit, picked up several skills and is very focussed on Community.
Kevin is Chair of the Southern Otway Landcare Network and President of the Apollo Bay Chamber of Commerce. Kevin spent several decades working in the publishing and healthcare sectors, most recently as a senior global project manager for a range of companies headquartered in Brussels, Tokyo, London and the US.
Kevin believes that there is much each of us can do to shape, nurture and support the creation of the person we want to be. Purity of intent, clarity of vision and surrounding ourselves with those who believe that the heart of a community is created from within.
NATTIE MURRAY - VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR
Nattie is all about food, art, community and most importantly family. She is mum to 4 awesome kids and an educator of sorts. On arrival in Apollo Bay 9 years ago, Nattie threw herself into community volunteer positions and has been involved in many of the Otway’s creative ventures ever since. She is the volunteer coordinator for the Seafood Fest this year and loves an excuse to bring people together!
Contact at: nattie.murray@gmail.com
JANINA WAGNER - FINANCE COORDINATOR
It's been 10 years since Janina fell in love with the dreamy coastal town of Apollo Bay where she found not only her life partner but also a wonderful community that included her like a local right from the start. Giving back to these people is close to her heart.
Before she permanently settled in the bay, Janina completed a bachelor’s degree in Leisure and Tourism Management in her homeland Germany. She has travelled extensively and worked in a broad range of businesses in the tourism industry. Currently, she works in different roles in Bookkeeping and Tourism Officer for the Colac Otway Shire.
Janina’s favourite things are walking in the Otways, swimming with her dog, creating art pieces and dancing the night away.
EM FENNEY - OPERATIONS COORDINATOR
Em’s vast experience of working in international project teams enables her to provide very effective and focused operational support to the Seafood Festival.
Since moving from the UK to Apollo Bay in 2014, Em has been actively involved in supporting a variety of festivals and community-led programs. Her passion is to create community engagement and highlight the great things Apollo Bay has to offer.