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The publishers of the 1999 Australian Swimsuit Calendar had selected Great! Keppel Island Resort as the location for their photoshoot. However, it wasn’t the first time they had visited the picturesque island resort for a photoshoot. The 1994 edition was also photographed on Great! Keppel. 

What makes Great! Keppel so ideal for a calendar shoot is a combination of many factors - the resort and island provide a variety of locations with totally different looks and atmospheres, it is easy to get around, there is plenty of activities for the models to take part in between the shoots, the accommodation is great, the food and service is first class and, last but not least, the night entertainment goes off!

Normally, the crew arrives on location a few days prior to the models. They scout locations, beg, steal or borrow props and spend a significant time in the bar in preparation for the arrival of the models. The 12 lucky young ladies that have won their way into the calendar basically have two priorities - looking their best in the calendar but also having the time of their lives while enjoying this once in a lifetime trip!

The morning after the briefing and the big welcome party, each model went through a fitting session where they tried on a number of the latest KULU ATOLL swimmers, while Linda, our make-up artist and Amber, our photographer, worked out the best look for each particular girl.

The models are assigned different locations and depending on a number of factors such as the tide and the movement of the sun, a shooting roster is put together. Some girls like to have their shoots early in the week so that they can party hard and “pig out” on all the sumptuous food on offer. Others are a little bit nervous because it might be their first time in front of a professional photographer and prefer to have their shoot later in the week so that they can work on building up their confidence.

Then Amber loads her cameras and the hard work starts. Most of the shoots happen early morning or late afternoon because of the light being softer and more flattering. The only time the crew gets a break during the week is when the weather turns overcast. Somehow they always find the energy to join the models in the night-time frolicking in the bar or in the nightclubs.

The week rolled on and if the smiles on the faces of the publishers were any indication, they were getting what they wanted. Everything that happened during the week was documented by a TV crew from d Network. It is going to be used in a pilot for a series called “ON LOCATION”. One of the models - Farrah - was chosen to do introductions to camera and a few other models also got to film segments where they talked about something relating to the shoot or the resort.

Now, getting back to the night-time frolicking, our night normally started with an incredible dinner served in the Admiral Keppel restaurant, followed by drinks in the Bluewater bar while taking part in all the craziness like sports night, karaoke, trivia night, casino night and who could ever forget the crab racing? Then, for some SERIOUS partying and raging, we all staggered over to the Wreck Bar which kept pumping into the wee hours.

The week turned out to be a very special experience for one member of the crew - the disgustingly lucky vote winner Ian from Sydney. He won himself an all expenses paid trip to Great Keppel and found himself spending ten fun-filled day (and nights) surrounded by 12 of the country’s hottest swimwear models. The poor fellow even had to tag along on shoots and was forced to rub baby oil onto a few of the models before their photos...

The 1999 calendars went on sale in October 1998 and the buyers were then invited to cast their vote, only possible through a coupon in the calendar, for their favourite calendar model. When the votes were finally counted in February 1999, it soon became clear that stunning brunette Sharon Hemmings from Cairns was going to be crowned Miss Calendar Girl Australia for the Year 2000! 

Sharon won, as part of her prize package an all expenses paid trip to the Miss Calendar Girl World Finals in the Bahamas in December 1999, but that’s not all - she also got the historic honour of gracing the cover of the Year 2000 edition of the Australian Swimsuit Calendar!