General News
17 June, 2025
From Mareeba to glamourous life in London
FROM being raised in Mareeba to living the high life in London, Juliet Mayhew says her childhood in a small country town has more than prepared her for starring in the latest series of the globally popular “Real Housewives” franchise.
How does a girl raised in Mareeba find herself on the dazzling set of The Real Housewives of London?
“Well, let’s just say it’s been a rather spectacular leap – from kookaburra wake-up calls and Milo milk to champagne flutes and Chelsea afternoon tea parties!” Juliet told The Express.
“I was born in Port Macquarie, NSW, but it was Mareeba that shaped me and where I was raised – it’s a place that lingers in your heart long after you’ve left.”
Juliet is among six glamorous women chosen to be on the first Real Housewives of London which is expected to be available in Australia through Hayu towards the end of this year.
Now, living in Chelsea with her English husband, two children, and their golden retriever, Juliet is living quite a different life than what she did in Mareeba back when she was a kid.
“Weekends were spent on Lake Tinaroo, water-skiing and parasailing, or at our beach house in Palm Cove. I was fearless on the quad bike at Jaques Coffee Plantation, owned by dear friends who produce the best coffee in Australia!
“I’d speed around, hoping to avoid any taipans or crocodiles lurking in the local swimming hole. And the highlight of my year? The annual Mareeba Rodeo, where I dreamed of singing the national anthem.
“Nothing got me more excited than dressing in my checkered cowboy shirt, hat, and boots – proper jillaroo style – cheering on the riders, praying for as few injuries as possible.”
Her father, Dr Martin Panter, was well-known in the town but his work helping others in war torn countries was a major inspiration for Juliet.
“He is a man with an extraordinarily compassionate and amazing heart. Inspired by his meeting Mother Teresa in his 20s, my father dedicated much of his life between his very busy and hard-working Aussie life running a full-time country practice and hospital to volunteering in war-torn areas across the globe, working in desperate situations of need,” Juliet said.
“He was also honoured to carry the Olympic torch and received the prestigious Australia Award for his tireless dedication. James Cook University bestowed upon him an honorary degree, recognising his outstanding service.
“To be called ‘Dr Panter’s daughter’ is a huge honour I proudly carry to this day, no one could ever take over what he has done for the community.”
Juliet’s trips with him to war zones “gave me profound perspective on how blessed I was firstly, for the most incredible, loving, supportive, faith-based, and inspirational family, but also to grow up in such a phenomenal community like Mareeba, filled with real, authentic, hardworking, straightforward people who love and embrace all”.
“It was a community that laughed a lot and stuck together through really difficult times like drought, cyclones, and a major flood in 2000 that everyone still remembers vividly,” she said.
While Juliet left Mareeba when she was 12, she still remembers Sister Mary Stephens from St Thomas’s School, who, she says, “inspired me with her faith and kindness”.
“Though I’ve since lived in Norfolk Island, Asia, Saudi Arabia, and my parents have now settled on the Gold Coast, my heart remains half Aussie and full of that unique Mareeba spirit – cheeky, charming, and resilient,” Juliet said.
“I couldn’t be more thrilled to bring a little Mareeba mischief to The Real Housewives of London.
“You can take the jillaroo girl out of the country but you’ll never take the country out of the girl.”
Alongside her career as a professional actor and singer, Juliet runs an events and production company and recently launched her sustainable social impact brand, “Go CoCo”.
“My humanitarian work continues through various charitable initiatives, inspired by my family’s legacy of giving and compassion,” she said.
And there’s no doubt she will use all of the knowledge and strength she has gathered during her life to deal with the other Housewives on the show.
“From kookaburra laughs echoing through the Mareeba gum trees to champagne flutes clinking on the streets of Chelsea, this Aussie jillaroo knows how to keep a smile on my face, especially when dealing with the other Housewives. No worries, mate!” she said.
