Pioneering Ballerina Inspires Others Through Unique Yoga

At seventy-nine, one of Queensland’s first professional ballet dancers continues to inspire through her Unique Yoga classes at the Fitzgibbon Community Centre, proving that movement knows no age.

At ten, Lynnette Sorrensen (as she was then) started dancing at the Lisner Ballet Academy in Brisbane. Charles Lisner founded this in 1953, and his wife Valerie was Lyn’s first ballet teacher. At just fourteen, Lyn was one of five Academy members chosen for an Arts Council tour along with five dancers from the Borovansky Ballet, the forerunner of The Australian Ballet. This photo of Lyn graced the front page of the Courier Mail around 1960.

For six months they toured Queensland and New South Wales, with long journeys on dirt roads followed by having to unpack everything. Lyn, the “baby” of the group, also had to juggle schoolwork by correspondence—and wash out her tights at night! It was a challenging and intense experience that taught her discipline. Many audience members had never seen ballet, and Lyn believes it might have opened a whole new world for them.

After the tour, Lyn worked as a window dresser for a couple of years, as the ballet company was not subsidised. The dancers worked very hard and for very little money. With so few people dancing at that time, the members performed in practically every production. They also taught ballet. For three years from the age of eighteen, Lyn taught at Yeronga, on the Gold Coast and at St Margaret’s Anglican Girls School. Then she’d race back for her own class, followed by rehearsals and the nightly performance. The dancers would go home exhausted—then get up and do it all over again.

In 1963 Lisner received a small government subsidy to launch the Queensland Ballet Company. Lyn was one of the original principals, who were now fully employed by the company and received a moderate weekly wage. In addition to performing and touring, they did a lot of television work (hour-long ballets on ABC TV).

When she was twenty, Lyn married Joseph Savoie from New York City Ballet, and the couple moved to Sydney. By day, she travelled with the New South Wales Arts Council Ballet, taking ballet to kids at nearly every school in the state. At night, Lyn worked as the principal ballet dancer at the world-famous Chequers Nightclub, bringing a bit of culture. There she met stars such as Shirley Bassey and Frank Ifield and had a fantastic time. She would return home at midnight, get up at six o’clock, and be on the bus at eight o’clock to tour all day. Exhausted by this relentless cycle, Lyn stayed at Chequers for only one year, during which time she danced in a Paul Hogan advertisement for Winfield cigarettes.

In 1968 Lyn and Joe moved to Canberra, where they opened a ballet school that attracted hundreds of students. Lyn taught right up until she was eight months pregnant. Her daughter Michelle accompanied Lyn to classes, where the students would help look after her. When Lyn was on stage, a lady took care of Michelle.

After Lyn and Joe separated in 1974, Lyn moved to Melbourne. There she married Richard Kent, and in 1976 they moved to Taigum. Back then, the newly-named suburb of Fitzgibbon was pretty much just bushland, and the couple felt as if they were living far from the city. What made people feel better was being able to drive to Sandgate and Shorncliffe. Since then, Lyn has witnessed major changes in the area. She taught ballet at the Paul Atthow School of Dancing at Aspley for ten years and danced with Paul on Hamilton Island and at the SGIO Theatre, for example. Lyn danced professionally until she was forty-four.

At thirty-eight Lyn also took up yoga at Ailsa Gartenstein’s Yoga School at Chermside to relieve stress. After a few years, she obtained an instructor’s diploma from the International Yoga Teachers Association and began teaching at various locations, including the Tavernetta and QUT in Carseldine. After Richard passed away, she also began teaching guest classes at Norfolk Island every year.

A dozen years ago, Lyn’s daughter mentioned a lovely hall in Fitzgibbon. Lyn thought it was beautiful, with its wooden floors and large windows framing the trees outside. She calls her class there “Unique Yoga” because it fuses Hatha yoga and Iyengar yoga with the balance, movement and discipline of ballet. This approach is very popular with mature women. Although Lyn had taught many teenagers at health clubs like Goodlife and Coops, the youngest student in the Fitzgibbon class is probably in her thirties.

At this stage, Lyn prefers an intimate group. This Monday class typically has a dozen or so students. Most come from Fitzgibbon, Carseldine, Aspley, Taigum or Geebung. The daytime class mostly attracts retired people. Former police officer Wendy has been taking Lyn’s classes for thirty-five years, while eighty-eighty-year-old Delle and eighty-four-year-old Muriel have studied with her for over thirty years.

Any older adult interested in taking up yoga should first get their doctor’s green light. Lyn emphasises the need to modify things to suit your age, fitness level and any injuries. Yoga means respecting your body—not pushing it, but challenging it—since it’s your lifelong home. Senior citizens can still gain a lot from the class. Although it includes floor work, they can opt for chair yoga if that is more appropriate for them. Lyn encourages students to focus on their strengths and do this for themselves, as they are unique—hence “Unique Yoga”.

One student, Anne from Carseldine, is the same age as Lyn and has been attending her classes for about a decade after taking up yoga twenty-five years ago. Anne walks every morning and takes several weekly exercise classes (including the Senior Fitness class at the Community Centre on Wednesdays), and she stresses the importance of keeping moving in our senior years. Anne’s arthritis and osteoarthritis mean there are some things she can no longer do, but the idea is to do what your body lets you do.

Lyn’s class is more than just an exercise program. Yoga offers physical and mental benefits. At the end of each class, Lyn invites participants to share a meaningful saying or word (sometimes using card prompts), and she comments briefly. In a recent class, students shared words such as tenderness, enthusiasm, discipline, patience, reflection, harmony, freedom, fun, action, balance, simplicity, serenity, grace, courage and communication.

Lyn also offers private lessons at her home. Twice a week she herself attends Silver Swans ballet classes for adults aged fifty-five or over. Lyn also enjoys Jill’s Jive Dance Club at Nundah, where seniors jive, waltz and cha-cha. She loves seeing mature people being treated with respect for their continued involvement in life.

About ten years ago Lyn wrote an unpublished book about her ballet career, her mum and her experiences growing up locally after World War II. The book is basically complete, but Lyn wants to delete some rambling parts and personal content, add more photos and perhaps let it “sit” a little longer. Living life full-on and in a new relationship these days, Lyn has dialled back a little of her initial enthusiasm for publishing this.

Lyn’s current partner is also still very active and an inspiration to her. While Lyn acknowledges that ageing brings challenges, she insists that a youthful spirit can last a lifetime. She credits yoga for helping her overcome some of the tough things she’s experienced, such as Richard’s fourteen-year battle with Parkinson’s Disease. Yoga helps lift Lyn’s spirits when she is feeling low, fuelling her passion for life.

Lyn remains involved with Queensland Ballet as a proud alum, and she received a big write-up in the program to celebrate their sixtieth anniversary. Fitzgibbon yoga enthusiasts are lucky to have such a multi-talented and inspiring instructor.

Turning Sunshine into Savings at the Community Centre

November 21 marks a milestone at the Fitzgibbon Community Centre, which since then is powered by solar panels supplemented by batteries to help minimise the energy cost of the community centre and make its operations more sustainable. This important investment in our community was made possible by a $30,000 grant from the Queensland-based Community Benefit Fund.

As always, there was a little pain, with the car park closed while work was under way. We would like to thank the community for their understanding during the few days it was closed.

And more good news! The Community Centre has also just received a grant of $4,000 from Community Underwriting to purchase audiovisual equipment. Both of these successful grant applications are thanks to Ann Ingamells’ efforts.

Local Photographer Snaps Regional Award with Tech-Savvy Story

Fitzgibbon technologist, photographer and content creator Keith Heinrich is the winner of Synology’s 2025 APAC Capture and Protect story sharing competition for photographers. You might be familiar with Keith’s work on the Fitzgibbon Community Centre website. His comprehensive submission explored Synology’s model DS225+ data storage device and its application to improving photography/digital imaging workflow, data protection and personal cloud.

You can read Keith’s winning submission here: https://gallery.heinrich.id.au/synology-diskstation-225-review.

Fitzgibbon’s Own Making a Difference—Renee and Elaine from Project Yumi

Did you know that right here in Fitzgibbon, we have neighbours who are helping transform lives in Papua New Guinea (PNG)? Renee and Elaine, proud Fitzgibbon residents, are the driving force behind Project Yumi, an Australian registered charity that’s all about connecting communities and creating opportunities.

Renee was inspired to start Project Yumi after visiting her husband’s village in PNG many times. She saw firsthand both the warmth of its people and the challenges many communities face in accessing quality education and health resources. Determined to make a difference, she founded Project Yumi along with her friend Elaine to help bridge that gap, linking Australians who want to help with schools and health centres across PNG that need support.

Elaine was motivated by wanting to give back to the country she still proudly calls her birth home. Together, Renee and Elaine have helped Project Yumi grow into a dynamic, volunteer-driven organisation delivering real, lasting impact.

From shipping classroom furniture, educational supplies and medical equipment to rural

communities, to empowering women and youth through training programs, Project Yumi continues to focus on improving education, health and youth empowerment across PNG.

Over the years, many Fitzgibbon locals have supported this mission, whether by donating school items, volunteering time, or simply spreading the word. And as 2025 draws to a close, the Project Yumi team are once again inviting our wonderful community to get involved.

End-of-Year Stationery and Reading Books Collection

If you have any leftover school stationery—pens, pencils, exercise books, rulers, reading books, or other learning materials, please consider donating them to Project Yumi. These items will be packed and shipped to schools in PNG, where they’ll be put to great use by students who otherwise go without. Every pen and book helps a child learn, dream, and build a brighter future.

To find out more about Project Yumi or to get involved as a volunteer or supporter, visit www.projectyumi.org or follow Project Yumi on Facebook and Instagram. All donations can be dropped off at Storage Choice Zillmere (256 Zillmere Road), or for alternative drop-off locations please contact Project Yumi through their website or social media pages.

Together, we can show that Fitzgibbon’s community spirit reaches far beyond our borders.

Halloween Fun in Fitzgibbon

Halloween began in Ireland but is now predominantly associated with the United States. Whether you regard it as an “American” custom that has no place in Australia or as a fun “excuse” to dress up and drop by your neighbours’ place and say hi, it is a growing presence here. Still, Halloween generally seems to be a pretty low-key affair in Fitzgibbon, with few homes decked out in Halloween decorations.

But Halloween was definitely hopping at Beyond the Brew on the evening of 31 October. The café was decorated for Halloween, from a spooky video on the big screen down to the pumpkin- designed coffee art. By 6 p.m. the café was packed. Some families, many in costumes, gathered outside to set off trick-or-treating, although the thunder and rain from the afternoon into the evening likely discouraged others.

Phoenix Ruth sang for nearly two hours, with her brother Travis on guitar. This was followed by a live DJ (Matt Hutchison), who set the scene with haze and ultraviolet lights. But the real stars of the evening were the kids flaunting their costumes and colourful wigs, while some adults joined in with their own costumes and face paint. Perhaps fuelled by the baskets of lollies, the kids’ energy lit up the dance floor, while some mums grooved with their babies or toddlers. Around 7 p.m. there was a dance-off, with about a dozen kids filling the small dance area. A girl wearing pumpkin headgear won the fancy dress competition.

From Reptiles to Rock at Fun-Filled Community Day

Hidden World came abuzz on Saturday 8 November from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. It was a perfect sunny morning for this community event hosted by Labor politicians Emma Connor (representing Petrie federal electorate) and Bisma Asif (representing Sandgate state electorate). Jared Cassidy (leader of the Labor Opposition in Brisbane City Council) hosted two free face painting stalls. These local representatives held babies and chatted with attendees.

Music greeted visitors even before they arrived at Hidden World. DJ Shorty Brown entertained kids with disco music, a machine that blew bubbles over the kids as they danced, and dogs and swords crafted from colourful balloons.

The food stalls included an ice-cream van, coffee van, soda bar, Sugar Shack, Turkish Tucker, a roti and fries truck, a fish and chips stand and a snow cone stall.

There were also stalls selling “Toys for Kids of All Ages” and gems and items made from gems, such as ammonite fossil necklaces.

Visitors wandered around the colourful stalls and had fun on the all-abilities playground equipment or with some of the games and hands-on activities provided by organisations such as goodstart.org.au. Or they simply relaxed under a tree or a shelter or at the strategically placed tables and colourful chairs with large shade umbrellas.

Perhaps the most popular venue was the True Blue Reptiles stand, where a young woman introduced kids and adults to a few of the over 1,000 reptiles in Australia, such as snakes and a blue-tongue lizard. Kids could get up close and personal with these and learn about them. Also very popular was the large jumping castle, with a “room” to bounce in and a slide to slide down.

Christmas Market Day

The market is back, and this time with a Christmas theme! Come along and join in the fun and festivities on Saturday 6 December at Fitzgibbon Community Centre from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. There’ll be fifteen to twenty stalls, several donated hampers up for grabs in the raffle, and live music.

Model Trains on Display

The previous newsletter featured Kent Dawson and his model trains. As a “Christmas present” to locals, Kent will be opening his garage where the model trains are from the second week of December up until Christmas (between 6.00 and 8.30 p.m.). Everyone is welcome to drop by and see Kent’s great set-up and watch the trains. Kids can even drive them! Kent’s address is Unit 2, 125 Carselgrove Avenue, but the best place to access it is from Undara Lane. Note that parking is very limited.

Black Wattle

Wendy Pang

There is more than one ‘black wattle’ in Australia. Which is this one? 

Photo taken in Fitzgibbon Bushlands in mid-September

Find out by looking at the lovely curved leaves. Then look at how the flowers are lined up along the branches—and the branches are red. 

Now you can search the internet and you will see that it’s acacia leiocalix. Other black wattles have different leaves and different arrangements of the flowers.  Read more at WorldWideWattle: https://apps.lucidcentral.org/wattle/text/entities/acacia_leiocalyx_subsp._leiocalyx.htm

Blast from the Past

Fifty years ago, the name “Fitzgibbon” was given to this virtually unpopulated locale, and the suburb was gazetted and bounded by the Place Names Board on 11 August 1975.

We Want to Hear from You!

If you wish to contribute information, an article or pictures to the newsletters (https://www.fitzgibboncommunitycentre.org/newsletters/) or have ideas for an article, drop us a line through the Community Centre’s Facebook page or website.