Danielle’s world of opportunity

WEATHER presenter turned Sky News journalist Danielle Robertson knew she wanted to be in front of a camera from a young age.

“I used to sit and watch the TV news and wanted to be a news reader as a kid. I always knew what I wanted to do,” says the 24-year-old, who returns to Sydney this week after 18 months of sharing North Queensland’s biggest news with the world.

Danielle lived and breathed news while studying communications and journalism at the University of Technology Sydney and Copenhagen’s Danish School of Media Journalism.

“I did a lot of internships, working for free anywhere I could. I worked for community radio, online news organisations – always thinking about what I could do.”

Dogged determination and a lucky break at Sky News delivered the job she was after.

“I was working casually at Sky as a digital producer on the website, keeping an eye on stories, but always had a passion to be on air. I pretty much told them ‘trust me, you definitely need me on air’.

“I did the hard yards, working 11 hours every Saturday and Sunday and covering all the graveyard shifts.

“The best way I could think to get on air was to do the weather, so every night I would practise on my own for hours.

“I saved some clips and when I got to a point where I was more confident, I went straight to the CEO and said ‘I want to be a weather presenter’. I thought that was the best way to get a result.”

Given the nod, she spent months training under experienced weatherman and meteorologist Dick Whitaker.

“Sky has a 24-hour weather channel, so we talk about the weather in eight-hour shifts. I was tested on clouds, troughs and all the technical terms before I was allowed on air.

“We’re not reading auto cues and have no script at all.

“I would do the morning shift and have to be on camera by 4am. I’d be in the office by 3am, do my own hair and make-up and study the nation’s weather so I knew what I was talking about.”

When Sky News opened a bureau in Cairns, Danielle jumped at the chance.

“I didn’t know anyone, I didn’t know the city and I didn’t even know where my office was.”

Her first day on the job set the pattern for her 18 months in Cairns when a woman was killed by a crocodile.

“I covered some of the biggest stories of the nation and the world. I’m sad to end my journey, but looking forward to the next challenge.”

Danielle will be replaced in Cairns by Maddie Hale.