About Me
sue May 8th, 2008
Biographical Information
I arrived in Australia at 2 years of age in 1957. I grew up in Victoria and lived in Melbourne while studying at the Melbourne State College (part of Melbourne University) to become a teacher. On graduating I taught for a short while in Melbourne prior to moving to the Wangaratta district (NE Vic) where I had my children. I then moved to Ballarat where I lived for the next 10 years. It is here that my children ‘grew up’. I completed a Graduate Diploma in Librarianship at the Ballarat College of Advanced Education (now University of Ballarat) in 1985 but was a co-director of a company principally focused on earthmoving and mechanical work during most of my time in Ballarat. I also helped manage a successful local rock and roll band called ‘The Shyboys” during these years.
I finally realized that the sun does shine brightly and more warmly in Queensland and moved to Bundaberg in 1992 with my children. In Bundaberg I quickly found work at the TAFE College as a Library Tutor. I was promoted to Librarian in 1993 and met my partner Graham who also worked at the TAFE teaching Building and Construction. We moved to Darwin in early 1995 to pursue career opportunities. I managed a large public Library (Casuarina) and Graham was promoted to Associate Dean at the Northern Territory University.
In 1998 sick of the heat and homesick for Queensland (yes Queensland not Victoria) I resigned from my job and came to Hervey Bay. Luckily we bought land at Dundowran Beach straight away as we would not be able to afford to buy land here now! I was now unemployed and this was quite scary. I started treading the footpaths with my resume and found casual work in the wonderful Book City Bookstore at Bay Central. Graham had stayed in Darwin (one of us had to earn an income..) and we decided to buy a business as we thought we would struggle to find employment. I was lucky though, and gained full time employment at the Wide Bay TAFE, working between Hervey Bay and Maryborough based in the Libraries. I then discovered Wendy’s Supa Sundaes in Bay Central was for sale.
So commenced this new stage of our lives as small business owners. We purchased Wendy’s in 1999 and my daughter arrived from Darwin to help me manage the store as I continued to work part time at TAFE. My daughter successfully managed our store while still only 19 years old. Graham arrived in Hervey Bay in November 1999 and quickly learned how to sell ice-cream, though he had also successfully gained full time work at Wide Bay TAFE as a Business Development Officer.
In 2001 I successfully applied for the position of Campus Librarian here in the Hervey Bay Library working for our wonderful University of Southern Queensland. I enjoyed the work immensely and together with the Hervey Bay City Council Library staff we made many positive changes to the Library.
In early 2005 I chose to resign from USQ and devote my time to our latest venture Mind Games. We opened our shop in September 2004, doing all the setting up ourselves. I’m pleased to report that the business is doing well. It won’t ever turn us into millionaires but it keeps the roof over our heads and Graham enjoys working and meeting people from everywhere.
My newest role in life now is as a Councillor of the Fraser Coast Regional Council. I was elected via a by-election to Hervey Bay City Council in October 2005 and recently retained a position on our new bigger regional Council in the 2008 March election. The role is full time and I no longer work in our shop although I pop in from time to time to visit Graham. It is a good place to catch up with people from here and everywhere.
Hopes, dreams and ponderings
Why a Councillor? I worry about development wrecking a city I fell in love with the first time I visited. I enjoy helping people and being a Councillor is a role that challenges me to continually help people by listening to them and doing my very best to represent them and adopt or adapt policy within Council, to better meet community needs. I may not be able to change the world but just maybe I can make my little patch of the planet a better place!
I love the outdoors and I appreciate wildlife and our natural environment. Our climate is to be envied and is one of the main reasons we live here. I have dogs and cats and lots of wildlife including wallabies and many birds with which to share our acre near the beach. Daily walks along our beach, pottering in the garden and reading are my favourite activities when I’m not attached to a keyboard!
Personal Interests
- Reading. I can’t live without a book on the go and need the local paper and a cup of tea to start each day.
- Pets. My animals include 2 dogs and 3 cats and all the native fauna that live in our backyard forest. (Yes my cats are locked in at night).
- Gardening. I’m finally creating a garden to grow old in.
- Environment. I care deeply about our environment and am keen to promote conservation. We only have one planet. We must care for it.
- Sport. I stopped playing netball last year but walk the dogs daily. I am a passionate follower of football (Aussie Rules Football of course!) and cricket. Go the Lions!
Memberships
- Wildlife Preservation Society Queensland
- Chamber of Commerce
- Friends of the Mungomery Vine Forest
- Greater Mary Association
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