$40pp

Abercrombie Room

Join us for the inaugural WOW Cairns Festival Men's Breakfast, a thought-provoking and engaging event hosted by comedian and accidental cult leader Mandy Nolan and local Cairns Councillor Trevor Tims, together with special guests: Tarang Chawla advocate working across gender equality, mental health, anti-racism, inclusive leadership, lived experience advocacy and violence prevention, Sabina Akhtar Head of Projects & Programmes, WOW – Women of the World UK and Nathan Leigh General Manager of Centacare FNQ; along with an amazing panel line-up of local leaders and visiting guests from a diverse range of perspectives:

Conversations That Matter: Men, Care & Community
Pair a hearty breakfast with some laughs and dynamic panel conversation on what happens when men centre care.  Care for country, care for family & community, and care for the health and wellbeing of boys and men?  Couldn’t that solve some of the world’s biggest problems today? 

At a time when communities are seeking new ways to strengthen connection, wellbeing and belonging, Glen Tozer from the Be There Group explores the role of care in modern masculinity together with a fantastic panel.  From supporting families and raising children, to creating and contributing to inclusive communities and workplaces, mentoring young people and protecting the planet, care is increasingly recognised as a vital leadership skill and social responsibility. Featuring Carl Honeysett of Kunjur First Nations Men's Collective,  Tynan Narywonczyk mental health and suicide prevention advocate and Francis Nona Registered Nurse and Senior Lecturer in Indigenous Medical Education at Queensland University of Technology.

Preventing men’s violence against women and girls requires a fundamental shift in how societies engage men and boys, moving beyond punishment and blame toward approaches rooted in care, accountability and action, creating a more connected and safer future for everyone.

Speakers

Tarang Chawla

Tarang is an award-winning keynote speaker, writer and advocate. He also serves as Commissioner at the Victorian Multicultural Commission, where he works to bring the voices and lived experiences of culturally diverse people to policymakers. He is also the co-founder of Not One More Niki, a grassroots non-profit working to end men’s violence against women.

Carl Honeysett

Carl Honeysett is a proud Wiradjuri man, father, researcher and community leader based in Cairns. His career spans across health, wellbeing, policy, community development, and leadership, driven by a passion for helping people and communities thrive. His journey has included volunteering in Cambodia, founding a charity focused on holistic health and wellbeing, and supporting initiatives that strengthen connection, resilience, and social change. Carl is shortly commencing g a PhD exploring First Nations men's life promotion, suicide prevention, and healing through the Kunjur First Nations Men's Collective, combining academic research with community-led approaches to wellbeing for First Nations men. Through his research, mentoring, faith community involvement, and lived experience as a father, he believes that care, connection, and service are at the heart of strong families, workplaces, and communities 

Nathan Lee

Nathan Lee is an experienced Mental Health and Wellbeing leader with more than 20 years working across the community services sector. As General Manager of Mental Health and Wellbeing at Centacare FNQ, Nathan leads multidisciplinary teams delivering mental health, psychosocial and wellbeing services across Far North Queensland.

His work has given him a strong interest in how we talk about mental health, particularly the expectations we place on ourselves, our relationships and the way we seek support when things aren’t going well. Nathan is passionate about making conversations about mental health more practical, relatable and part of everyday life.

His approach is grounded in connection, early intervention and the belief that strong individuals, relationships and communities are central to good mental health and wellbeing.

Tynan Narywonczyk

Tynan Narywonczyk is an Australian mental health and suicide prevention advocate. After surviving a severe workplace accident and subsequent personal crisis, he became a prominent lived experience leader, co-chairing the National Men’s Lived Experience of Suicide Network (Men's LENS) and working with Roses in the Ocean and the Northern Queensland Primary Health Network

Tynan co-hosts the podcast Over the Fence.

Francis Nona

Francis Nona is a Torres Strait Islander man from the Dhoebow clan of Saibai Islandand Badulaig from Badu Island. He is a Registered Nurse, Senior Lecturer in Indigenous Medical Education at Queensland University of Technology, and a PhD candidate at The University of Queensland. His research sits at the intersection of climate change, Indigenous health, human rights, and Indigenous Knowledges, with a strong focus on community-led research and advocacy. Francis works to strengthen Indigenous leadership across research, policy, education, and governance, ensuring Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander voices shape decisions that affect Country, culture, health, and future generations. 

Glenn Tozer

Glenn is a Gold Coast City Councillor, community leader and long-time advocate for strengthening local communities through practical leadership and partnership. Glenn has built a reputation for bringing people together around issues that matter, with a strong belief that lasting change happens when communities take shared responsibility. 

Over the past two years, Glenn has worked closely with Be There Group to pioneer a community-led approach to domestic and family violence prevention on the Gold Coast. He has invested significant time alongside local organisations and residents to help build bystander capability, strengthen community connection and explore what a whole-of-community response can look like in practice.

MC

Mandy Nolan

Mandy is a force of nature. She's not just a comedian; she's an author, journalist, activist, educator, humour therapist, a mum of 5, and a bloody good sort – truly "never just one thing!" From pioneering the Byron Bay comedy scene and teaching Hannah Gadsby, to her acclaimed national show 'Women Like Us' and innovative 'Stand UP for Dementia' therapy, Mandy uses her wit to spark change and challenge the status quo. She's a passionate voice for the unheard, a "trouble maker" who reframes it as a "change maker," ready to use a joke or a vote to drive progress

Cr Trevor Tim

Trevor is a proud First Nations man with deep roots in the Waanyi / Gangilidda tribe on his father’s side and Erub Darnley Island in the Torres Strait on his mother’s side. He has called Cairns home for 46 years and is the first Indigenous Councillor elected to represent Cairns.  Trevor and his wife Jackie, both alumni of Cairns State High, have been married for 33 years, built a life in Brinsmead, raising four children and enjoying their four grandchildren. Trevor’s career spans three decades in the tourism industry, and he has co-founded a motivational speaking business, “Success With Attitude”.  Trevor is also the host of “National Talkblack,” a popular program on Cairns Indigenous Radio Station, Bumma Bippera Media (BBM 98.7FM).