Daryl Harper
International Cricket Council Elite Panel Umpire
Daryl Harper was announced as an ambassador for Orana in March 2009. Harper, who became a cricket umpire more than 25 years ago, is also an ambassador for the Adelaide Crows.
Harper was born and bred in Adelaide, attended Norwood High School and spent his time playing Aussie Rules football and cricket. He first became a cricket umpire in 1983, and has umpired 80 Test Matches, the most by any Australian, and 158 one day internationals, also the most by an Australian.
Harper was the first Australian umpire to join the International Cricket Council’s Elite Panel in 2002, and since then he has spent most of his time travelling the world, and even found time to make his Bollywood debut this year in the movie ‘Victory’.
“We’re extremely pleased that Daryl has agreed to be an ambassador for us,” Orana Chief Executive Officer Nick Mihalaras said.
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John Swan
Singer/Songwriter
John Swan became an Ambassador for Orana Incorporated in June 2010. He grew up in Elizabeth, Adelaide and still has strong connections with South Australia.
Swanee is an Australian music legend famous for such hits as “Hold Your Head Up” “Temporary Heartache” and “Have a Little Faith”. His career spans 45 years and during this time he was the front man for the party Boys as well as enjoying a long and successful career as a solo singer. He has toured with many famous acts some of whom were AC/DC, Tina Turner and his brother Jimmy Barnes.
Orana CEO Nicholas Mihalaras said he was thrilled to have Swanee come on board to support and help with the organisation’s 60th anniversary celebrations. “He is such a genuine, compassionate person and we know that when he tells others about Orana it will come from the heart,” he said.
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Amity Dry
Singer/Songwriter
Amity Dry is an Australian singer/songwriter. Amity is also a former contestant on the popular television show The Block. Amity fulfilled her lifelong ambition in recording an album of her original songs and her debut album, The Lighthouse which peaked at #6 on the ARIA chart with certified GOLD sales.
Amity also starred in the one woman show “Mother, Wife and the Complicated Life”. The show was heart-warming and explored the joys and challenges of marriage and motherhood. Amity also performed in the 2009 Cabaret Fringe Festival, where she launched her new show “Tapestry – A Tribute To Carole King”. Both shows received raving reviews and praise from critics.
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Peter Goers
Media Personality
Peter Goers is an actor, director, reviewer and is a current host of the radio program The Evening Show on 891 ABC Adelaide, South Australia. Peter’s career has spanned over thirty years in the entertainment industry including a range of mediums and formats including television, print, radio and theatre.
Peter Goers holds the record for the only person in the history of South Australia with four different plays with interlocking seasons, performing approximately ten productions a year. Peter Goers also reviewed movies, theatre and was better known as “the Critic that ate Adelaide”. Peter Goers has a fiery wit and a big heart; however he remains down to earth stating that he is the same as everyone else, just a regular guy.
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Daryl Somers
Media Personality
Daryl Somers has become a Patron for Orana Incorporated in their 60th Anniversary year. Daryl made his professional TV debut as the host of the afternoon kids’ show Cartoon Corner in 1971. The same year Hey Hey It’s Saturday came to Australian television, which Daryl co-hosted with Collingwood footballer Peter McKenna, then later “Ossie”, the pink ostrich for 28 years.
Daryl Somers career spanned a variety of different career paths in the media industry. Daryl hosted a variety of television shows and even hosted the TV Week Logie Awards and successful Dancing with the Stars earning him numerous Logies. Daryl was also awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia for service to the television and entertainment industries, to charitable organisations and to the community.
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Mark Holden
Performer/Broadcaster/Producer
Mark made his name in the mid 1970s singing hits like ‘Never Gonna Fall in Love Again’ and ‘Last Romance’. He won three Logies and performed for HRH The Prince of Wales at the Sydney Opera House.
Mark has been instrumental in launching the careers of Vanessa Amorosi and Deltra Goodrem.
In 2002 Mark was a judge on the record-breaking ‘Australian Idol’ television show. This led to Mark performing again in various TV Shows including The Panel and MDA.
In 2009 Mark completed his legal articles and then undertook the Bar Readers Course. He signed the Victorian Bar Roll in November of that year and is now practicing as a barrister.
Recently Mark was seen guest starring as an alcoholic doctor on Season 5 of Sea Patrol and has recently become an Ambassador for Orana. To view Mark Holdens Bio please click here.
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Diesel
Singer/Songwriter
Some 25 years ago in Perth, singer-guitarist Mark Lizotte (aka Diesel) finalized the line-up for his band at that time, Johnny Diesel and the Injectors. Within a matter of months they were on their way across the Nullarbor, blitzing it live and heading for a national top 3 album chart debut. In those intervening years since leaving Perth, has sold in excess of 800,000 records and become a household name, simply as ‘Diesel’.
Diesel has released a string of gold and platinum albums and earned a swag of ARIA Awards (including Best Male). He has had ten Top 10 albums and more than a dozen Top 20 singles. To celebrate his alter ego’s silver jubilee, Diesel has cut 15 tracks for his brand new album ‘Under The Influence’ – an album dedicated to his musical heroes.
Diesel’s career has also taken him to the four corners of the globe, including a lengthy stint in New York. He continues to be one of the country’s foremost live performers playing around 150 shows a year wether solo or with a band.
Orana is very lucky and thrilled to have Diesel on board as an Ambassador.
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Michael Weldon
The Kitchen Gardener
From a young age it was pretty obvious to all who knew him, Michael loved eating. Somewhere along the way his childhood love for eating transformed into a serious passion for experimenting with the foods he loved to eat.
Through his teenage years and early twenties Michael's hobby of cooking for his grateful family and friends was his love, but he never envisaged it could become anything more.
Over the 6 month Masterchef rollercoaster, cooking took over his world and fast became his obsession. Little by little, and with the help of some amazing experiences on the show, Michael's thirst for food knowledge has grown and fuelled a desire to turn his culinary curiosity into a career.
From entering a competition to get a mate of his back, to cooking in the final of Masterchef, he's come a long way. There have been a lot of lessons, a lot of tears, even more laughter, plenty of sleepless nights and more than the occasional cut and burn. But through all of it, Michael has never been happier and Orana is very happy to have Michael as an Ambassador and also as part of the new Orana Cooking School.
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