2024 Women to Watch
This year we showcase over 80 South Australian women to watch throughout the year. From business, to careers, arts to science. This year’s selected women highlight the depth and diversity of the women in our state and also the vast array of opportunities to develop a business or career in South Australia. Find our more about our inaugural Women to Watch initiative here.
I founded and currently direct SA-based innovative educational organization, DunnART Productions: winning acclaimed Industry Leader Award 2023 from What’s on 4 Kids.
My career highlights include my educational wildlife-themed theatrical show for young audiences which I wrote and directed ‘Bettongs & Buddies!’ winning coveted ‘Best Live Kids Show 2023’ from What’s on 4 Kids; plus it was headhunted by The Garden of Unearthly Delights for their 2024 Adelaide Fringe Festival season. In 2023, I produced educational and interactive digital-theatre ‘Wopilkara!’ supported by Inspiring SA and researched in collaboration with Arid Recovery, currently being considered to be added to school curriculum: dunnART.com/wopilkara.
Most recently, I launched children’s chapter book ‘Bettongs & Birds: Rufous Can’t Stop Scratching!’ researched in collaboration with Warrawong Wildlife Sanctuary and Kangaroo Rescue South Australia, and supported by Inspiring SA and Woodville Civic Library: dunnart.com/birds.
I’m also a seasoned children’s educational entertainer, touring from Yorke Peninsula to Coober Pedy, from Kangaroo Island to Penola and more. Other project were to raise awareness of rising female homelessness: I presented a one-woman show with sell-out sessions and extended season supported by Adelaide City and Charles Sturt Councils: gigipinwill.com/vanlife. Also in SA, I’ve founded not-for-profit DunnART Services and educational escape room company Escapeneers.com with recent sold-out premiere season at Gluttony, Adelaide Fringe Festival, featuring SA Inventions like: sunscreen, the Stobie Pole, crystallography, and more. I’m grateful to have served SA through these diverse projects, initiatives, and programs.
// Favourite inspirational quote
As a Māori woman, I love that the mana of women is expressed in many whakataukī like: “me aro koe ki te hā o Hine-ahu-one” meaning “pay heed to the dignity and power of women.”
As a lover of nature I adore, ‘Mā te huruhuru ka rere te manu.’ Meaning: adorn the bird with feathers so it may soar.
And as someone who has lived on Australian soil for generations with a love of innovation, knowledge, and positivity: “Traveler, there are no paths. Paths are made by walking.” – Australian Aboriginal Proverb
“The more you know, the less you need.” – Australian Aboriginal Saying
“Keep your eyes on the sun, and you will not see the shadows.” – Australian Aboriginal Saying
Which echoes my own Māori culture of: “Turn your face to the sun, and the shadows fall behind you.”
// Let’s get to know you
After studying at university in areas of music, law, film, creative writing and more up to masters level; and working in diverse areas such as Senior Communications Officer and Property Liaison for government departments and school incursions facilitator for Education Interactive, Starrs Productions, and Education Group Incursions; I am delighted to have found a space to bring all of this experience and diversity together into DunnART which covers creative and interactive communication educating on important topics such as lesser-known wildlife like dunnarts and bettongs.
I’ve felt connected to animals my entire life and always wanted to learn more about and promote lesser-known Aussie fauna. My native Princess Parrot, Palya meaning ‘all good,’ sits on my shoulder wherever I go and is my best mate. As a Māori women, my passion for protecting endangered cultures and species is only enhanced.
I’m currently working on a third story in the ‘Bettongs & Buddies’ series called ‘Bettongs & Burglars’ combining wildlife biology and forensic science, along with many other projects: dunnART.com/coming-soon. They say never work with children or animals, but I do just that daily by creating and performing ‘pawsome’ kids’ interactive creative programs!
// What makes you a Woman to Watch for 2024?
Through DunnART Productions, I develop original programs like writing and producing ‘Bettongs & Buddies,’ ‘Wopilkara,’ ‘Bettongs & Birds: Rufous Can’t Stop Scratching,’ workshops, and online learning activities.
My insight into educational art and professional experience in theatre and conservation and working with children, come to the fore in developing ground-breaking and innovative DunnART programs. Growing up on an Australian farm, I’d fall asleep listening to dingoes and wake to find diseased native animals during morning chores which I’d love back to health and freedom.
With many new projects and regional programs in the wings, I’m excited to offer more and more through DunnART and our dedicated team.
// What is your goal or intention for the year ahead? And how are you going to achieve it?
Many new projects are ahead for 2024 including developing content supporting ‘ugly animals’ who often receive less funding and research time than our cute-and-cuddly-looking furry mammals; many other innovative initiatives like VR and hologram programs will be taken to the next level with support from Flinders University’s Science Connect and other collaborations with local companies. We will also be touring new content to north of Coober Pedy once again in collaboration with Landscape SA, offering wildlife creative writing competition prizes to youthful writers, and more! I will be actively involved in directing and developing all of these initiatives.
// What would being a Woman to Watch mean to you?
I mostly hire women and will continue to offer opportunities to women, so I hope if I became a ‘Woman to Watch’ that this would help me to support women even more and inspire other women who may be interested in similar areas of starting a business, passion projects, and working in wildlife awareness.
// What would you like to see for the future of South Australian women and girls?
I’d love to see the brain-drain of brilliant women to the East Coast and overseas to cease, so women are only moving away out of genuine desire and not necessity. In the past, I wanted to stay in SA but all the people I knew told me I owed it to myself to move away. It seemed to be a SA cultural given at that time that a smart woman shouldn’t remain in SA, and she owed it to herself to be somewhere else. So many of my impressive female friends moved away, and I felt like I was becoming increasing isolated in SA. I spent some time away on the East Coast, but I really wish I could have felt staying was a valid option. I’d like to see a lot more options for women in all fields of endeavour in SA so nobody feels like they must go away in order to thrive and succeed and reach full potential. Now as an employer of locals, I’d love to see more women setting high standards of excellence for what they can achieve in SA and receiving full support to make our dreams a reality: here and not somewhere else.
Get in touch with Gigi:
LinkedIn: Gigi Pinwill
Website: www.dunnart.com
Check out all of the incredible Women to Watch for 2024 here as their profiles are uploaded throughout the year.
To become an SA Woman Member, check out our Membership Options here.
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