Congratulations to Zoe Creed of Queensland, who was crowned Miss Universe Australia 2024 in the Grand Ballroom at Crown Perth on the 5th of Septembner, with a great crowd in attendance for the events first time in Perth. 

Zoe is the first title holder to bring the crown back to Queensland since Jesinta Campbell back in 2010. We caught up with her for a quick chat in the lead up to the National Final; read her interview below.

So, Zoe, why don’t you start by telling us a bit about yourself?

I’m a 23-year-old, Brisbane-born and raised girl from the Sunshine State, Queensland. Due to my roles in the modelling and fitness industries, I am lucky enough to have called Brisbane, the Sunshine Coast, and now the Gold Coast home. I’ve been modelling and working within the fitness industry since I was 15. I feel both jobs have challenged me to take on different experiences and evolve.

Despite a sort of gypsy-like lifestyle from having to work and travel all over the place, I’m loving my life right now. So much so that I’ve recently ticked off my dream and launched my own fitness platform, created for women, called “Born Creed”.

“Born Creed” is something I developed to empower women of all ages and stages of life. My aim is for them to feel good in their bodies, bringing the basics of fitness in a fun and inspiring way. I want to continue to challenge myself and experience every opportunity I can.

Health, fitness, fashion, and new experiences—that’s me.

What inspired you to take the leap and enter Miss Universe Australia?

Shooting straight, what inspired me was seeing many past contestants and winners go on and influence their careers and others as a result of being in the program. Watching them evolve and take on new opportunities post-program has been inspiring.

I’d love to use this experience to further my career not only within the modelling and fashion industries but also to expand my knowledge and reach within the women’s health industry, which I’m invested in. The experiences and connections with the girls and sponsors have been fantastic. I don’t want to be one-dimensional; I hope the program can provide many opportunities in my current fields of expertise, as well as new and challenging ones.

As part of the program, you had the amazing opportunity to travel to Vietnam, courtesy of Vietjet, and stay at the beautiful Hoiana Resort. How was that experience for you?

I loved it! The Vietnam experience—flying with Vietjet to Vietnam and staying at the Hoiana Resort and Golf—was an unbelievable experience. It’s not very often you get to travel across the world with 27 beautiful, intelligent women from all parts of Australia, experience not only a new country and culture, but also really get to know yourself away from all your own comforts.

As a lover of food, I loved the Vietnamese cuisine we were fortunate enough to experience in cooking classes—with a few fails but nonetheless delicious dishes. In addition, the Hoiana Resort, where we did the swim shoots and played some mini-golf, was absolutely beautiful. The pristine grounds and surroundings, pool areas, and overall vibe made it a very special place.

But the best experience for me was the NIDA workshop and walking classes. These were two areas that were relatively new to me, and I’ve gained real, tangible skills from them.

What would you say was the highlight of the trip?

I keep looking back at all of the videos and photos from the trip, which makes me want to relive the experience again because it was just so much fun. I think it’s very difficult to highlight just one experience because I enjoyed them all.

One that really hit home for me was being able to go out and work with the organisation @hearing_and_beyond, a niche school for deaf and hard-of-hearing children in the area. They taught us sign language, we danced, laughed, and played games. It was a heart-warming experience, realising how privileged we all are. It was a day that I will remember forever, and I truly believe more people should experience this, as it puts life into perspective.

Can you describe an experience in Vietnam that pushed you out of your comfort zone?

The heat. Look, coming from a Queensland girl, I thought I’d be fine, but let me tell you, the heat in Vietnam was no joke. However, it was very ideal for a poolside day, which is where us girls went for our downtime.

In all seriousness, the first walking class. I have done runway for many years now, but learning to transition from modelling to being more vibrant and almost dance-like in my walk was definitely a learning process. But don’t worry, I’ve got it down pat now.

Your next question comes from our current Miss Universe Australia, Moraya Wilson. Imagine you’re standing on stage with the title of Miss Universe Australia 2024. What advice would you give to your younger self?

Great question. It’s you vs you!

For so long, my mindset was probably that I had let others stop me from achieving things in my life. However, I guess with age and more life experiences, I’ve realised it was never anyone else standing in my way. The only person stopping me from achieving what I wanted was, well, me! That’s why I entered the program—I stopped getting in my own way, and I just went for it.

With everyone bringing their own unique flair to the program, what would you say sets you apart from the other contestants?

You are right, everyone is unique, which is what’s beautiful. For me, I think I’ve been able to continually adapt and evolve through the experiences I put myself in. I think from my early modelling career and teaching within the fitness industry, I’ve been conditioned to elevate myself to what will be expected of me by clients and deliver—similar to the MUA program.

I love fashion, fitness, nutrition, and creating, and I think what sets me apart the most is that I really believe in what I do.

What’s something about you that people might find surprising?

I was a boxing instructor for five years, which I loved—teaching a different way of movement. Most of all, I love my art! I almost went into a creative industries degree. Most of my free time is filled with sketching, painting, or creating in some way, which often results in a lot of mess. Some of my favourite artists are Frida Kahlo and local Aussie-born artist Jai Vasicek, who I met when I was a young girl at a market.

If you could work on any dream project, with no limits on time or resources, what would it be?

My dream project would be to merge all my loves together. I’ve often visualised the idea or possibility of a physical studio for “Born Creed”. A coffee shop attached out front that focuses on nutrition, and my own fashion line where your active lifestyle meets high-end fashion.

Imagine that… fitness, food, and fashion. I like it.

We have a few quick questions to wrap up the interview:

If you could instantly master any skill, what would it be and why?
Golf – because I was terrible in Vietnam, and I want to be able to redeem myself. It’d also be cool to win against Dad on the first go, which would be very satisfying.

What’s the most adventurous thing you’ve ever done?
Skydiving! I loved it so much, they offered me the opportunity to go up twice. No questions asked—I was back up in that plane and jumping straight out again.

Do you have a guilty pleasure that you enjoy?
Chocolate-covered dates, stuffed with peanut butter (it has to be crunchy), and sea salt on top! If you haven’t tried it, you are missing out.

If you could have any superpower for a day, what would it be and how would you use it?
To breathe underwater. H2O: Just Add Water was my favourite show growing up, so any opportunity to live out that mermaid life, I’d take it.