Nicky to get Heart beating

The Shire of Augusta-Margaret River’s Heart venue has its first manager.

Queenslander Nicky Hansen, above, a sales and business development co-ordinator at Mackay Entertainment and Convention Centre, was appointed last Friday, moving from a sales and business development co-ordinator role at Mackay Entertainment and Convention Centre.

Shire chief executive Stephanie Addison-Brown said she had “10 years of high-level strategic sales and marketing experience” attracting visitors to Mackay’s council-run venue.

The Shire took over the redeveloped cultural centre this year, with forecast first-year running costs of about $1.1 million, which included paid staff to manage the centre previously run by Arts Margaret River.

The Shire established a community arts fund to attract events, and was also committed to bringing in business conferences.

Ms Addison-Brown said the Heart was “already attracting significant interest from interest event organisations, community groups, exhibitors, partners, sponsors, suppliers, and businesses, so (Ms Hansen) will be hitting the ground running”.