Tim and Samantha Kimmince are an energetic and down-to-earth couple raising their young family in Bundaberg. But they didn’t always plan to settle here. It was a detour off the Bruce Highway and a chance encounter that changed their plans – for good.
Newlyweds Tim and Sam moved from Townsville to the Sunshine Coast in 2012. Tim had a carpentry job lined up and Sam has just finished her degree.
As they headed south on their new adventure, a friend asked them to make a delivery to the Burnett Youth Learning Centre on the outskirts of Bundaberg. Ironically, it was a box of Bundaberg Sugar sachets being donated to the Youth Centre kitchen. Tim and Sam didn’t realise that Bundaberg was off the highway but the detour ended up changing the direction of their life.
Tim says as soon as they arrived at the Burnett Youth Learning Centre they were swept into a four-hour tour.
“I loved it and thought the place was amazing. It was dealing with disengaged youth in the Bundaberg, Gin Gin and Childers area and I just thought ‘Oh this is a great place. I’m so glad there is a place like this that exists’,” Tim said.
But aside from feeling inspired by the work of the centre, Tim and Sam didn’t think much more of their stop-over. Four weeks later they got a call from the principal of the youth centre who asked Tim if he was interested in a role as the Woodshed Trainer.
“I guess that was totally out of left field for me but at the same time it really resonated,” Tim said.
Fast forward eight years, and the Kimmince family have built their life in Bundaberg with their two boys, aged five and two. Tim is now the Burnett Youth Learning Centre’s Community Engagement Worker. Part of this role involves chaplaincy and in addition to supporting students, he connects with families and the broader community. Sam also worked at the Youth Centre before starting their family.
It wasn’t just their chance encounter with the Burnett Youth Learning Centre that surprised Tim and Sam. The beautiful and diverse Bundaberg Region, with its proximity to the beach and abundance of fresh produce and seafood, was an added bonus they didn’t expect.
Sam likes to buy from farms or markets and is grateful for the opportunity to provide her family with such good quality produce. And she loves strawberry season!
“Not only do you get good strawberries through the season, then you get the seconds, then you freeze them and have kilos of strawberries for the rest of the year. It’s so good!” Sam said.
Tim appreciates the sense of local community not only within Bundaberg, but the Childers and Gin Gin areas. With our increasingly busy lives, Tim likes that people still have time for a chat.
On the weekend, Tim, Sam and their boys enjoy Nielson’s Beach or Elliott Heads, and the surrounding walking tracks and parks. Their favourite place for breakfast is the Windmill Cafe in Bargara and while in town, Sam can’t go past Indulge Cafe or Leaf and Bean for a coffee and gluten free treat.
And if she has any spare time after chasing their young boys, Sam likes to garden. Tim jokes about Sam’s enthusiasm for her new indoor plant hobby.
“I’ve come home with a plant more often than an item of clothing these days!” Sam admits.
Whether they’re at work, caring for their family, connecting with their church community or enjoying their weekend in the beautiful Bundaberg Region, there’s no doubt that Tim and Sam do everything with purpose. They have a refreshingly positive outlook and believe in the value and potential of everyone they meet.
Tim and Sam Kimmince are the cover models for our 2020 and 2021 media kit. Crush Magazine models are not paid professionals, just people who love the Bundaberg Region. Our Editor-In-Chief saw Sam out shopping with her children and thought she radiated happiness, so went and asked if the family would like to be involved. We are so glad they said yes!