When floodwaters surged through Jimboomba in the wake of ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred, 14-year-old Ollie Major saw an opportunity.
While many stayed indoors, the aspiring reporter grabbed his phone, hit record, and got to work, bringing live coverage of the floods to the community through Facebook.
For Ollie, who has lived through three major flood events in his young life, the recent disaster was more than just another bout of extreme weather, it was a chance to hone his craft and connect with people.
“I wanted to show people what was happening firsthand,” Ollie said.
“It was right here, and it affected people in our area. I thought it was important to get out there and report on it.”
Ollie and his family, who live in Flagstone, were left without power for a few days.
But that didn’t stop him from capturing footage of the flood’s impact.
His videos gained traction online, catching the attention of major media outlets, including Channel 7, where he was featured for his efforts.
“It was pretty exciting to see myself on TV,” Ollie said.
“I was bummed that I didn’t get on Channel 9 as well, but it was still really cool.”
The flood coverage isn’t Ollie’s first foray into reporting.
He has previously interviewed rugby league star Corey Parker at the CP9’s event in Beenleigh, and he’s keen to pursue a career in sports media.
“I’d love to get into reporting, mainly in sport, but I’d be happy covering anything that lets me be in front of the camera, talking to people and keeping them updated,” he said.
“Interviewing people is great because you get to learn how passionate they are about their sport and what drives them.”
Ollie’s dad, Tyson, has been behind the scenes filming and editing his son’s videos.
“I think it’s great,” Tyson said.
“I enjoy editing the videos, and it’s nice to see Ollie doing something he’s passionate about. It’s been a bit crazy how quickly it’s taken off. One day he’s just making videos for fun, and the next, people are recognising him around town.”
Tyson also shared that Ollie recently entered a Channel 9 competition called ‘Cool Footy Sidekick’ for the Sunday Footy Show, where young sports fans get to shadow a presenter.
“A few people messaged me after seeing him on the Footy Show, saying he should go for it,” Tyson said.
“Technically, you’ve got to be under 13, but we thought we’d give it a shot anyway.”
For now, Ollie is focused on having fun and improving his skills, but he’s got his sights set on a future in media.
“I reckon I’ll want to go pro in it and learn all the good stuff about reporting,” he said.
“If I keep doing this, maybe one day I’ll end up on TV full-time.”
