Tropical Innovation Festival: Where the only thing warmer than the weather is the people

“When are you moving here Dickie?”

This was the question I heard over and over again at this year’s Tropical Innovation Festival.

“TIF”, as the locals affectionately call it, is Australia’s largest regional innovation event. It’s hosted in majestic Cairns and boasts a mammoth five-day schedule, which culminated last Friday, much to the dismay of its loyal attendees.

I managed to make it to the last three festivals and still fielded this question over 15 times – each time it’s the inquirer wearing the same straight face and wry smile, despite the fact I laughed it off as a joke.

For context, I’m a global citizen, currently residing alongside my fellow British expats in Bondi Beach, though dig a little deeper and you’ll find a secret Melburnian masquerading as a Sydneysider.

Why would I want to move to far north Queensland? I’d pose, though only in my head so as not to offend.

After all, the clue is in the name, it’s really far and it’s in the north!

But by the Friday morning of TIF, I was asking myself “why wouldn’t I want to?” Let me tell you why…

L-R: Roberto Damante, Vinisha Rathod, Tim Brewer, Kate Montgomery, Dickie Currer, Laura Ashmole.