Queensland Art Gallery Presscuttings Book 10 : Record of press coverage, March 1982 - May 1984

The Courier-Mail 19 November 1982 A DAY IN THE LIFE OF MISS.AUSTRALIA -· .... ; .•· . ... ,. , .. ' , . .. She just kept smiling. And perhaps 1he did have a lot 10 smile about. For Lisa Cornelius, 19, recently crown~ Miu Australia, the thriU or winnina Australia '1 big• gest quest wu llill sinking in. Sbe wu 1111ilinp u early u 8 a.m. yatuday when sbe began her finl full claf 1n Brisbane with the official la11nebina or the 1983 Miu Auslrl• lia Queat at the Crat Hotel. TM i,raidcnt or the Oucen1land Sputlc Welfare League for the tut 20 yean, Sir David Longland, 1poko warmly or the new Miu A111tralia. MEach!irl in her year is the best," he aaicl. But Lisa stands very tall among all the entrants we've had - and I don't mean only pbysicall(' Sir David wu referrina to Lila 'a height. She is 175 cm (5ft 9in). M All the younaer men are breath• IT was just the day for a stroll !long Brisbane's Soatli Bank for Miu Charity Judy Gallagher (left), Miss Australia Lisa ComeUus, and Miss Qllffnsland, Julie Parker, All smiles for awinning lady in• down my neck to give up my po- 1it1on since I'm involved wilb all tbcse lovely young 1irl1," said Sir David. MB11t I keep telling them 'not yet, not yet'." Li11 followed the breakfast launch with a rushed visit to Queensland'• new Art Gallery, ac– companied by Miu Charity, Judith Gallagher and Mill Queensland, Julie Ann Parker. "I'm verr, interested In art since I love m111ic, • Lisa smiled. "But my talent, don't extend to painting. Maybe when I'm old, l'U ONE or the blah polot, or the clay for Usa Cornelius, 19, was helping Allan Cohout put the flnblllng touches to .______!!B!!rls~b~ane City CoupcU's 25m Christmas tree In King George Square yesterday. .. ' have time 10 sit down and take les– sons." II mar have been Lisa's talents as a musician which attracted her 10 the contest's judges. She h11 nearly completed her three-year coune al the Adelaide Conserv11ori11m or Music and has 20 piano and flute studenu. Lisa displayed this musical ability with an impromptu recital on the City Hall's grand piano before the Lord Mayor, Alderman Harvey, and bis wire, Pearl. She wu delighted lo try her hand at the keyboard again and agreed that her year as Miss Australia would disrupt her practice. "The Spastic Centres are wonder– ful and have arranged that I'll have a piano in most places I go for my practice," she said. "My music is very imponant to me and I love to sit by mysetr and practice without interruption. But I don't like lo perform if I know I am DOI up to the standard I should be." Her ambitions in music include performing, teaching and perhaps studying ovencu or in other Aus• tralian states. Lisa believes her upcricnce or performing helped her in the quest. "You team to relax with people and that'• an important quality for anl Miu Australia," she said. But the Brisbane people I've met have all been so warm and friendly that it is very c.isy to meet them and communicate with them." After a lunch with executive rep– resentatives or the national spon– son, Lisa paid a courtesy call on the acting Premier, Mr Sullivan. Still smiling she tried out "Joh's chair", chatted with Mr Sullivan and hurried off to another courtesy call on the Governor, Sir James Ramsay. "It is a busy life but I think I'm coping with it quite well. I'm usually given a chance to recharge my bat• teries after a long day," she said. But how docs she keep that r, petual smile? "I think smiling is fairl y natural for me and besides, I didn't weJr bands on my teeth for two years for nothing," she laughed. Pictures: STUART Rll,EY.