The Team - Jennifer Hawkins

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Jennifer Hawkins joined The Great Outdoors team in 2005, after a whirlwind year in which she was announced as the 2004 Miss Universe in front of a full-capacity audience in Quito, Ecuador.

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Jennifer Hawkins' Blog

Posted: August 25 02:08PM EST

Top five things to do in my home town

Newcastle, New South Wales
1. Go to the cafes and shops on Darby St. 2. My fave beach is the Cliff - you've got to go! 3. Have a drink! Check out the Kings St Hotel, Fanny's, The Great Northern and The Brewery. 4. Have dinner at Silo Lounge Bar and Restaurant on the wharf. 5. Take a boat out on Warner's Bay. … More

A former legal secretary who had spent the previous two years modelling, Jennifer had hoped to utilise her contacts and experience from the industry to leverage a position in television. This became a reality when she was offered her dream job on The Great Outdoors.

The program has given Jennifer, 24, the chance to turn her passion for traveling into a profession.

"I was thrilled to join such a successful show," she says. "I'd done a lot of travelling with my Miss Universe commitments and The Great Outdoors enabled me to continue my world adventures and the opportunity to establish myself as a TV presenter.

"What I now love most about working on the show is the diversity. I do things that I wouldn't normally do myself. I also love that when I go to a place with The Great Outdoors, I know that I'm doing the best possible things that country has to offer." In her time at Channel Seven, Jennifer has also co-hosted Carols in the Domain with fellow The Great Outdoors reporter Andrew Daddo and been a presenter on the network's coverage of the last two Melbourne Cup Carnivals. And a dancer since the age of five, Jennifer's schedule hit fever pitch in 2005 when she enjoyed a successful stint on Dancing with the Stars.

Away from television, Jennifer keeps busy as the face of Myer, Cover Girl and Lovable. And as Miss Universe 2004, she continued the crusade of her predecessors, using her title to increase awareness about HIV/AIDS and the research needed to find a cure for the deadly disease. Her year-long reign took her around the globe as an ambassador for organizations like Youth AIDS, the Global Health Council, amfAR, the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation and God's Love We Deliver. Over the years, Jennifer has also turned her agility on the stage into ability on a surfboard. She says she loves all water sports, especially surfing and wakeboarding and heads to the beach whenever she can.

"I think Aussie beaches are some of the best in the world," she says. "When I'm not travelling, I have a few favourites like Pelican Beach on the Central Coast of NSW and the northern beaches in Sydney. Overseas, I love the Brazilian beaches like Ipanema in Rio. They are fun and have a cool vibe - there's music and they're always packed. It's different to what I'm used to at home."

Jennifer is the youngest of four siblings and was raised by her parents, Gail and Robert, in Newcastle, Australia.