Townsville Shines

The North Queensland Law Association Offermans’ Conference was held in Townsville in the last weekend of May 2022.   

More than 125 registered attendees enjoyed this year’s conference, with practitioners coming from further north, west and southern Queensland, and some from even further south from Sydney practices.   

The perfect NQ weather turned up, as ordered, nearly stealing the show from a stellar line-up of speakers from across Queensland, and making our southern friends google local house prices and job vacancies. 

This conference was simply one of the best ways to accumulate CPD points, network, and stay up to date with legal developments.  In the plenary session, we welcomed our new Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, on the same day as the exciting announcements of the elevation of some of the North’s favourites: Justice Hindman and Justice Crowley (JCU Alumni, returning in October to deliver the JCU Mayo Lecture).  Dean Parkin also took us on the 30 year journey from Mabo to the possible referendum, and truly spoke From the Heart. 

Commercial, Family and Litigation and Advocacy Streams kept the delegates engaged and informed from the judiciary, barristers, solicitors, QLS and the Bar Association.  The papers and power point presentations are available here: https://nqla.com.au/. 

However, it was the evenings under the stars which perhaps shone most brightly – private boat hire to enjoy a balmy evening of live music at Nelly Bay on the Friday night and then a rocking band on Saturday night with life membership awards, and memorable and moving acceptance speeches, to Anthony Collins (barrister, 31 Sturt) and Heather Humphries (solicitor, Mackey Wales). 

Some had too much fun on Friday night and did not make appearances on Saturday morning, but I will not speculate on their identity … except to say they are one of almost 100 of the smiling faces of the lucky attendees, delegates and speakers captured posing in front of the calm, azure waters between The Ville and Yunbenun aka Magnetic Island, or as James Cook coined it, Magnetical Isle, or as the locals simply say “paradise”.