ABOUT

I’m Colin Bartley a graphic designer and social media marketer. I design everything from logos and brand identities to web sites, from business cards and brochures to books and online videos.

I also help companies and businesses with Social Media by creating Inbound Marketing campaigns and Social Media Business Strategies.

I work from home and have a great network of contacts in the industry whom I share and learn from.

I started my design career in Perth as an architectural draftsman and then made the move over into graphic design. I then moved to Hamilton Island in the late ‘80s where I started my own graphic design business doing work for the resort and other island businesses. My client list included Hamilton Island Resort, Sunsail, Coca-Cola and Powerade.

While on the island my wife Julie and I also started a sea kayaking company that took guests on eco-tours exploring the Whitsunday Islands. We also organised and ran the Coca-Cola Hamilton Island Cup and international outrigger canoeing regatta that attracted 1000s of competitors to the island each year.

After 20 years on the island we packed up the family and headed off on a 4WD adventure and returned to the west. On the way we kept a blog so our family and friends could follow and share our adventure.

I have a love of the ocean, hence the name ‘Bluedge’. I have always lived near the water and get a lot of enjoyment from the ocean so when it came to a business name I wanted it to reflect this connection. I’m always at my happiest and most creative when I’m close to the ocean or as I call it, the blue edge.

I love paddling and also have a second business manufacturing, exporting and importing racing outrigger canoes called Outrigger Connection Australia.

In 2009 I organised a fund raising paddle across Bass Strait in two OC6 outrigger canoes called the Crossing For Cancer that raised money for the Australian Cancer Research Foundation.

Here is a summary of my career so far.

1980 – Graduated Trinity College Perth
1982 – Draftsman PDM Johns Perry
1984 – Draftsman Oldham Boas Ednie Brown
1986 – Graphic Designer JSW Graphics & Media
1987 – Moved to Hamilton Island and was “Col Porter” the bag chucker for a while.
1989 – Started my own graphic design business “Resort Graphics” on the island.
1998 – Started “Outrigger Connection Australia” building racing canoes for domestic and export markets.
2000 – 2005 – Race Director and Administrator Coca-Cola Hamilton Island Cup.
2001 – Started “Sea Kayaking Whitsundays” an eco-toursim kayak company taking guests for tours around the Whitsundays.
2006 – Sold Resort Graphics and Sea Kayaking and headed off for an around Australia 4WD adventure with my family and returned to Perth.
2008 – A brief stint with the City of Mandurah as the Tourism Development Officer.
2009 – Paddled across Bass Strait in outrigger canoes to raise money for cancer research.
2009 – Started “Bluedge – Design | Marketing” in Mandurah where I am now working with some very progressive and forward thinking clients.