Special thanks to our sponsors

Many thanks to our wonderful sponsors.

For more information on Event Sponsorship, Corporate Gold and Corporate Platinum Sponsorship, please contact our Sponsorship Coordinator Sarah Fraser on 0408 880 435, or email us at info@bla.org.au.

	James Cook University James Cook University is Australia's leading tropical research university. It takes its name from the eighteenth century British navigator and explorer Captain James Cook, whose epic voyages contributed significantly to the world of science. The University was proclaimed in Townsville on 20 April 1970, two hundred years after Cook charted the eastern seaboard of Australia. JCU is a multi-campus university with the main sites located in the vibrant tropical Queensland cities of Townsville and Cairns. Smaller sites are located in Mount Isa, Mackay and Thursday Island. JCU courses are also delivered in partnership with education providers in Sydney and Melbourne. Offshore facilities and partnerships continue to grow. JCU offers courses in a broad range of study areas and has a strong research focus, particularly in matters relating to life in the tropics. In a ranking of the world's top 500 universities, JCU was one of only 13 Australian universities listed (Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Academic Ranking of World Universities 2003).

	Bendigo Bank The Bendigo Bank story is actually 300 stories - those of the communities we serve. Each of them is different and each has its own needs and priorities. As a retail banker to their families and businesses, we certainly help to make each community tick. But we like to do more - we want to engage with our communities to find out if there are other ways we can contribute to their prosperity. Why? Because successful communities are great places in which to run successful businesses like ours.

	TAFE - Tropical North Queensland

	Telstra Country Wide Telstra Country Wide has been in Far North Queensland for the past six years. Our local presence has enabled us to better understand and address the needs of our community. Our locally based management team have worked hard to provide a local focus for telecommunications in Far North Queensland. In six short years, telecommunication across the region has come a long way. Almost every township and community now enjoys mobile phone coverage, broadband internet via a range of technologies and more robust and reliable services as a result of several millions of dollars of investment in optical fibre upgrades. Telstra Country Wide actively supports numerous industry, community, sporting and cultural groups throughout the region to advance the economic, social and cultural wellbeing of our communities. Where to from here? The future is very exciting with the announcement of 3G (Third Generation) mobile coverage throughout the region. This latest technology will give our customers access to video calling, Video MessageBank™, and access to great entertainment and information sites, through the wireless broadband internet features.

	Zinc 102.7

	Department of Education, Training and the Arts - Queensland Government

	Defence Force Recruiting Defence aims to be an employer of first choice and we are always looking to recruit high quality people. The range of jobs is enormous. The ADF needs capable people, from dental assistants, musicians, carpenters, general hands, clerical staff, fitters and armourers, anaesthetists, psychologists, tank commanders, boatswains’ mates, engineers, submariners to fixed or rotary wing pilots. Members of the Defence Force enjoy a range of excellent benefits including: Great pay Free medical and dental care Subsidised housing Great mates and meeting new people Exciting jobs Travel Training/learning new skills Fitness and health With more than 200 different roles available, there has never been a better time to find out more, so come and visit our display, check out our website www.defencejobs.gov.au, or call 13 19 01 today.



	McDonalds "For many years now, McDonald's has been listening to our customers to understand what they want from their experience in our restaurants. As a result, we've been making significant changes to our food quality and menu variety. Our customers were also looking for a more contemporary restaurant experience. Now the majority of our restaurants have been remodelled and provide appealing environments for our customers' different needs. More than ever Australians are conscious of the food they eat and the need to exercise regularly. So in the past few years we have introduced a series of landmark initatives to our menu and our food. These include Lighter Choices menu, an extended breakfast menu, Deli Choices, Pasta Zoo and Espresso Pronto. We also made improvements to our existing products by changing the recipe for our buns to reduce sugar content, introducing a liquid canola oil which meets recognised guidelines for healthy oils, using rasher bacon and making our chicken nuggets from white meat only. McDonald's vision is to be Australia's favourite employer. We are currently one of the largest employers and trainers in Australia with some 56,000 people employed by the company and its franchises. We are committed to maintaining work environments where everyone feels valued and accepted, providing training and learning experiences as well as opportunities for personal and professional growth. Each of the McDonald's Cairns Restaurants are proudly and locally owned and operated. We would love for you to come in and experience first hand the changes. For further details about McDonald's, including opportunities for employment and careers, please visit our website www.mcdonalds.com.au

	Seven Television is a powerful medium. The combination of both sound and moving imagery helps us notice and remember messages far more effectively than other media. Television has the highest daily and weekly reach of any medium in Australia. Television is the main source for news, sports, entertainment and general knowledge. Television is immediate and timely. Television appeals to more of the consumers' senses than any other medium. With television, a powerful, emotional impact can be created. Television can create high impact with viewers by offering dynamic and visual messages. Seven would like the opportunity to show you how TV advertising can get you the results you need in today's competitive marketplace. As a special introductory offer to businesses viewing this website we have designed a comprehensive 12 month plan to showcase your business to our viewers. “The Business Builder” Frequency is an essential element of every marketing campaign. Are you telling the people of Cairns & surrounding areas your story frequently enough? We're confident that this campaign will put your business top of mind with the extensive Seven audience. Contact us on: (07) 4044 0777 cnsreception@seven.com.au All your favourite SEVEN programs are at: www.yahoo7.com.au

	Myer

	GHD To learn more about GHD, you can visit their website at: http://www.ghd.com/australia/

	Marino Moller Lawyers Established in 1988, Marino Moller Lawyers is led by partners Charlie Marino and Brett Moller with a team of over 45, including solicitors, conveyancers and support staff. The firm provides legal services to one of the fastest growing, diverse and beautiful areas of Australia - Far North Queenland - with offices in Cairns, Port Douglas, Edmonton, Gordonvale and Babinda. Charlie and Brett aim to build a strong firm, which provides legal direction and is a successful asset for its clients; a firm that is genuine in it's mission to provide legal and conveyance expertise, when it matters. Marino Moller Lawyers prides itself on being different from other law firms in the region and as a result business is booming. Every client is respectfully managed and each matter is dealt with professionally and expediently. Please visit our website www.marinomoller.com.au for more detail.

	Mindwire - The web and internet experts

Gold Sponsors