Welcome to our 20 Year Anniversary Annual Edition of Connect Magazine North Qld. Edition #172! Wow that’s a lot of magazines! I’ve calculated that over the 20 years we’ve distributed approximately half a million copies of Connect!
The journey of the magazine has been laced with synchronisities and this edition is no different. Edition 172 breaks down 1+7+2 = 10. The number of completion and wholeness. Yes I feel I have come full circle with this creation. My life is pulling me into different directions and making this edition annual gives me time to either find someone who’d love to carry the torch and keep this community resource going, or feel refreshed and inspired when the clock ticks over to 2025.
This edition begins with a brief history of Connect Magazine on page 6. Followed by a Feng Shui Astrologicaly overview of 2024 by Master Jan Leese on the Year of the Green Dragon on page 9.
I’ve mixed things up a little in this edition and have some of the Regular Features throughout the magazine not all piled up at the back. So you can find the Essential Oil by Toni McMahon on page 13. And you can find the Herb feature by David Peirce on page 26.
Naturally we’ve had so many amazing contributors over the years and many committed regular feature writers that have shared their wisdom and knowledge for years in the pages of the magazine. I want to thank them all.
The Universal Storyteller has been the most consistent contributor over the years, a Siddha Story for every edition, until her passing in April 2023. That was 168 stories! This edition it’s on page 7.
And Astrologer Rob Hart has also been contributing from the very beginning, only having time off to attend to his health and then return again. You can read his summary of 2024 on page 37.
It’s been wonderful to watch resources like the A-ZEN Directory growing over the years from one page to six pages. In this edition you’ll find it between pages 40-45 with over 100 different categories!
As it’s an Anniversary Edition I’ve added snippets from two of my favourite and most famous interviews over the years – Songstress Deva Premal on page 15 and Author Neale Donald Walsh on page 17. You can read their entire interviews on our website.
This edition we also feature an article to help keep you steady throughout the year, 5 Essential Ingredients for Realising Your Highest Potential by Stephen Chong on page 21.
Some information to reflect on with Kerrie Womersley on page 23, What’s Your Five Element Personality?
And two issues that I feel are very important and needed to be published are revealed in the Book Review and Film Review pages. The book is Himalayan Dreams: The Story of Som Tamang by Kirsty Nancarrow. What an amazing story! You’ve got to read this book! Check it out on page 24. And the film is The Trust Fall: Julian Assange by Kym Staton on page 28. Great documentary and free speech is so important. I can’t believe we’re not doing more to help him! And he’s northern born and bred from Townsville!
Thank you for your support over the last 20 years. I hope you enjoy this edition.

With love from Renee