Ballarat Talks

Emma Conroy is the owner of Emma’s Bakery in Sturt Street, Alfredton. The successful bakery opened direct to the public in 2021 after Emma first started selling her baked goods at the Trash and Treasure market in Creswick Rd in 2015. Emma’s journey to her own business has been an interesting one, having grown up in Daylesford with her parents and siblings, Emma left school at the age of 15 and fell into a baker’s apprenticeship through Purtell’s Bakehouse. After two and a half years working full time, Emma moved to Sydney as a 17 year old to follow her passion in equestrian and show jumping. Working seven days a week training and preparing horses for competitions Emma was fortunate to be able to travel to Europe for three and a half months in an attempt to qualify for the 2004 Australian Olympic Equestrian Team, though unsuccessful in her pursuit, Emma still competed on the world stage and won medals for equestrian around Europe.   After returning to Australia, Emma decided to move home and began working track work for Ballarat thoroughbred trainer, Darren Weir. When Emma gave birth to her first child, having worked long hours since leaving highschool at 15, the shift to being at home with her new baby was a huge upheaval for Emma and she began to suffer from post natal depression. To preserve her mental health Emma began baking to pass the time and was soon providing delicious home baked treats to family and friends. Her desire to return to work in 2015 required her to find a job that worked around her young family, the Trash and Treasure Market on a Sunday provided a great opportunity for Emma to showcase her baked goods and through this she was able to establish a great wholesale network through various local cafes and independent grocery stores. Having registered her personal home kitchen to commercial standard, Emma soon outgrew her home bakery and had to develop her own commercial space. The opening of her own retail space was the icing on the proverbial cake for Emma. With her incredible work ethic and award winning cakes and pies, Emma’s bakery is quickly becoming a Ballarat legend for a whole host of delicious baked treats!

David Lenehan is living proof that your life’s journey can be as varied as you want to make it with no limits to when you can make a change. Born in Colac, Dave grew up on the extended family dairy farm in Weerite, just outside of Camperdown. The second of 6 kids and, being the oldest son, Dave took what he felt was the expected path out of school after completing year 11 into a farming apprenticeship. For the next 25 years Dave worked across country Victoria and New South Wales as a farm hand and livestock manager.   Mental burnout was the final driving force that saw Dave eventually move out of farming and into a completely different life path. Knowing that he wanted to work in a helping role with people, Dave decided to complete a Cert 4 in disability support, working with Pinarc and through the Ballarat Specialist School Farm in Norman Street. For six years Dave continued in this role, but sensing limitations in his capacity to grow from a career standpoint, Dave took the brave leap into tertiary study at the age of 47 and completed an undergraduate Bachelor of Nursing degree.   Since completing his studies Dave has taken a role as a nurse in oncology which is where he has remained and built to now work as an ANUM on his ward. As a nurse Dave has had the opportunity to navigate through a global pandemic, with constantly shifting rules and regulations impacting both on his own work and on the care of his patients. Through it all Dave has continued to learn and grow and recognise the privilege that comes from working with people at a time when they are at their most vulnerable.

Harley Tempest is a local Ballarat boy who was born and grew up in the commission area of Wendouree West, raised predominantly by his Nan. With a somewhat turbulent childhood, Harley credits some of his position now to the fact that he was able to attend Ballarat High School, one of Ballarat’s best public high schools, and was exposed to families and lifestyles so different from his own that he could see how he wanted his life to be. Harley decided at the beginning of year 12 that school was not for him and so left to become a professional fighter. Despite working to achieve this, it soon became obvious that this was not to be. As an eighteen-year-old man, living off Centrelink benefits he was encouraged to undertake some vocational training and completed a course as a Personal Trainer, though not initially sold on the idea and, left in the lurch at times during work experience by other trainers, eventually Harley found his passion for PT and his niche first as an assistant and eventually manager at Snap Fitness in Ballarat. Through his role at Snap Fitness Harley met Josh and together they worked to build Iron Oak the brand and eventually opened their first gym together in Ballarat in 2014. Since opening Iron Oak, Harley has moved to Shepparton where he and Josh have opened their second gym, Origin, and he has stayed to build it to what it is today. Throughout his life Harley has proven to be a highly motivated young man with vision and purpose; he sets his sights on a goal and works hard to achieve it, always striving for bigger and better things.

Eric Morris 

Though often confused for a Ballarat Local, Eric Morris’s journey to Ballarat was a long and fairly convoluted one. Eric, well-known owner of Ballarat’s own D2E gyms, was born in Cowra, in country NSW, and spent a lot of time growing up in various small towns around NSW with his mum and sister, and his grandparents in Cootamundra. At the age of 16 he made the move to Canberra and took on an apprenticeship as a glazier before an injury to his hamstring provided a setback and he was forced to find a new job that would allow his injury to heal. At the age of 18 he took a job as a signalman on the railway and remained for four years working as a contractor for John Holland, completing the railway sleeper replacement works that took place from Sydney to Melbourne. While working on the railway was an opportunity to make good money, the nature of the work was a hindrance for a young man in a new city. Having already completed his PT ticket, Eric left John Holland and took on a job as a personal trainer at Fitness First gym in St Kilda. Having to compete for work with many other trainers at the gym Eric realised he was going to struggle to get ahead, so, after a brief journey back to the railways to get some money behind him, his passion for health and fitness drove Eric to take a job with AWA Supplements in Albert Park. The success of the business allowed for the development of a new store in Ballarat and it was with AWA, that Eric first started working in Ballarat, commuting back and forth daily to Melbourne.   During his time working at AWA Eric met his wife, Mel, and together they moved to Ballarat in 2012. For both Eric and Mel their background in fitness prompted them to take a chance and step out of their corporate work back into group fitness training. Initially training out of a friend’s gym their group sessions soon became so popular that they had to find a way to move into their own space. With an unfortunately less than perfect financial history in the background Eric and Mel had to find a creative solution to make their business work. Initially starting with group training sessions and a small amount of second hand equipment, Eric and Mel were able to open D2E gym in its current Delacombe location and have built it up to be one of the most popular 24 hour gyms in Ballarat with state of the art equipment and a solid member base.   Since opening D2E, Eric, along with Mel, has poured so much time and energy into their business in an attempt to build an atmosphere where members feel safe and comfortable to train. In the midst of the pandemic, with multiple lockdowns occurring in the health and fitness industry, Eric and Mel took a huge leap and opened a second D2E space in Wendouree. Now, as we emerge from the height of the pandemic, Eric is enjoying the challenge of running both gyms and raising his young family with Mel.

Kyle Ponder - The Black Hill Hotel #042

Kyle Ponder originally grew up in Skipton, 45 minutes southwest of Ballarat, where his family owned the local Roadhouse. After finishing primary school in Skipton, Kyle attended secondary school at Ballarat and Clarendon College, and, though the academic life was not really his forte, he completed year twelve with the support and encouragement of his family.   After finishing high school Kyle worked for a brief period in his family’s shop before taking on a role as a logger. Kyle enjoyed his work, despite the long days and commuting to work in the wee hours of the morning, but after seven years Kyle opted to make the huge leap from his job in logging into the hospitality industry to fulfill a goal he had had even as a child, to own his own bar.   In 2019 Kyle officially went into business for himself, taking on the lease at the Black Hill Hotel. Having been scouring the market for a pub and researching various venues around the Ballarat area, his local, the Black Hill Hotel, was put on the market and Kyle snapped up the opportunity to take on the business. For the past three years Kyle has shaped the hotel and put his stamp on the business, creating a successful bar and bistro for the people of Ballarat North with live music and a warm, inviting atmosphere.   Along the way Kyle has experienced some troubling times, finding himself, as he says, ‘on the wrong side of the bar’ and enjoying the social aspect of life a little bit too much. Through it all though his family and partner, Chelsea, have supported him and helped pull him out of a negative cycle that threatened to ruin his career and his dream. Having found the drive to refocus and pursue his passion, Kyle is now working to build his business and hopefully, one day soon, expand even further.

Jimmy Morrison - Ballarat Barber #041

Ballarat born and bred, as a young lad Jimmy Morrison could be spotted playing gigs as a guitarist at Karova Lounge or doing dodgy haircuts for his mates in his kitchen at home. After completing high school at Ballarat Christian College, Jimmy began work as a builder and shop fitter, only to change track at the age of 21 and follow his passion to become a barber. After commencing a hairdressing apprenticeship at Federation University in Ballarat, Jimmy was encouraged to transfer to Melbourne where he could focus solely on men’s hair design. He began working as an apprentice at a barber shop in South Yarra and, after 9 months pushing through his apprenticeship, qualified and was soon managing the barbershop. For five years Jimmy commuted to Melbourne working long hours, five days a week to support his growing family.   In 2017, needing a change that would allow him to spend more time closer to home, Jimmy finished working in Melbourne and opened his own shop in Ballarat. For three years he worked and grew his business, employing more barbers and apprentices to join him in his shop as their name and popularity grew. In 2020, in the early phase of the COVID pandemic, with uncertainty about work and income as long periods of lockdowns loomed, Jimmy’s mental health took a battering, needing a change he pulled away from the barbershop and began working in construction. After a total hiatus for 6 months Jimmy slowly got back in to barbering and now, whilst working full time in construction, still likes to cut hair for his mates at home, enjoying the social aspects of his craft and the opportunity to be present with his young family.

Dr Frank Triantafyllou is the owner and chiropractor at Tri Chiropractic in Eastwood St, Bakery Hill. Frank originally grew up with his family on a farm in Woodside, Gippsland. Having completed secondary education at St Patrick’s College in Sale, Frank ventured to Melbourne to undertake a five year Bachelor of Health Science (Chiropractic) and a masters of Chiropractic degree. Having completed his studies, Frank knew that he did not wish to continue to live in Melbourne and did not want to return to Gippsland, and so a job opportunity in Ballarat provided the perfect route for him. Working initially as one of the three chiropractors at Central Chiropractic in Ballarat, Frank was able to develop his knowledge, skills and Ballarat client base. After 8 years in Ballarat, Frank and his wife were ready for a change, with no clear plan they set off overseas to travel and work, but the emergence of COVID cut short his plans and Frank was forced to take concrete action. Out of the uncertainty of COVID lockdowns, Frank’s own practice, Tri Chiropractic, was born and has continued to thrive since its development. Having worked and studied overseas through both the United States and Europe, as well as having completed a volunteer experience at the Sant Nirankari Mission in India, Frank’s passion and knowledge in chiropractic is extensive, and his passion for his work and his clients is second to none.

Holly New is one half of the family team who created Ballarat’s own Studio Canvas in Harold St, Wendouree. At just 23 years of age Holly has worked extremely hard to pursue her goals of owning and building her own successful business.   Having grown up and spent all of her life in Ballarat, Holly, a self-confessed introvert, has had to face some enormous hurdles in her life. Affected by crippling social and separation anxiety Holly spent many of her teenage years relying on her mum to be ever close at hand. Though she loved working with people and enjoyed the opportunity to complete a VCAL program through school as a teacher’s aide, her separation anxiety became so pronounced that Holly was forced to walk away from school at the end of year 11. Having commenced work as soon as she was able as a teenager, Holly quickly sought to find employment and worked for a year as a dental assistant before losing her mum tragically just days after her 18th birthday.   What followed was a period of disquiet with Holly floating between jobs and accommodation, whilst searching for her niche. Having spent many years as a child spray tanning with her sister at home, Holly made a chance purchase of a tanning machine and tent and created a fundraiser for Beyond Blue with support from Bondi Sands, working a day job during the week Holly made a name for herself and created her new business “Tans by Holly”, initially raising funds to support Beyond Blue then continuing on in her own business. After a year of solely providing tanning services, Holly expanded her business to include make-up, completing two make-up training courses in Melbourne, and so “Made by Holly” was born. Always looking to expand her business base and break free of the Monday to Friday office job life, Holly completed further training in eyebrow and lash lifts, constantly promoting her work and business through social media, in an effort to promote her brand. In 2020, with Ballarat in the throes of pandemic lockdowns, Holly joined forces with her sister, Maddy, to create the space that is now the home of Studio Canvas. With beauty services heavily restricted during that time, Holly was forced to take a lead role in the design and renovation of the space. Two years in, Maddy and Holly are well known, working both from the shop and remotely to provide hair, beauty and make up services. With drive and determination this young lady is proving that with courage and a willingness to work hard you can achieve anything.

Alex Bryan initially grew up in Horsham, Victoria, completing his schooling and early adult years in the country town. Having moved to Ballarat nearly 5 years ago, Alex came to town originally attempting to break free of a destructive cycle that he had found himself in; through hard work and focus Alex has built his successful PT business and made Ballarat his home.   Growing up in a generation of instant gratification left Alex lost as a young adult when he found himself in a career that did not hold his interest. Looking for an escape, Alex took to partying and recreational drugs. What followed was a trip of ups and downs, filling his life with lies to be able to continue partying as an escape from his mundane reality. Caught in a world of lies and destruction Alex lost his job and found himself destroying his most important relationships. With a mentality of indestructibility Alex kept forging through, refusing to accept the consequences of his behaviour.   Though there was no lightbulb moment that pulled Alex out of this reality, he found himself trapped in the web of his own lies, with dwindling relationships and a trail of destruction in his wake. Needing to break free Alex made a huge decision to move nearly 200km from home to Ballarat to start fresh. Far from the negative influences of home Alex still faced challenges personally and professionally but worked to deal with them in a more realistic approach, setting himself goals and working to make them a reality. With the help of some friends along the way, Alex has been able to build his PT business and continues to grow and develop in his role as a personal trainer and now an NDIS support worker.

John Campbell is the owner and head trainer of Infinite MMA in Howitt St, Ballarat. With a background in multiple martial arts disciplines, John is a highly skilled and knowledgeable trainer who is well respected by everyone he trains for his ability to instil in his students confidence, respect, courage and purpose. John Campbell originally grew up in South Melbourne with his mum and sister. Forced to live in commission housing he was exposed at a young age to street violence and aggression and, after a frightening encounter at knifepoint at just 8 years of age, John began studying tae kwondo for self defence and peace of mind. John’s talent in tae kwondo was recognised at the age of 15 when he competed against and defeated the 3rd ranked fighter in the world in his class, this lead to a scholarship in tae kwondo for a school in Ballarat and so John’s family moved to Ballarat for a new beginning.   John completed school at Ballarat East and Midlands High and, after a chance encounter with Australian Olympic Freestyle Wrestler, Ziggy Kelevitz, began studying wrestling alongside his tae kwondo. In 1997 John was named Ballarat Sportsperson of the year. After finishing school John continued training in martial arts and started working as a telecommunications technician in Ballarat and as a bouncer at 21 Arms. With a long history of martial arts behind him John became well known for his no-nonsense attitude when working on the door, and his reputation lead him to training others in various martial arts in his garage.   Fast forward to today, with multiple personal titles under his belt, John has built his successful MMA business, initially training in self defence and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and working up to MMA style fighting. He has created an environment in which people of all skill levels can train to empower them in all aspects of their journey through life.

The name Travis Price is synonymous with some amazing pieces of artwork that adorn the streets of Ballarat. Now a Ballarat local, Travis originally grew up in Dimboola in regional Victoria. Whilst at school Travis loved drawing and art and wanted to find a way to incorporate them into his working life. After finishing high school he moved to Ballarat to complete a university degree in Graphic Design before moving to Melbourne for work. After finishing uni Travis discovered that finding work in graphic design was not a simple task, despite lots of applications and interviews there was not a lot of steady, consistent work available. Working life became a balance of working to pay the bills but also exploring opportunities that would help to build diversity in his portfolio. The benefit of a varied work history, though not necessarily evident at the time, has proven itself in the long run with a large network and multiple design opportunities that have come about since. After working for nearly 5 years in Melbourne, Travis returned to Ballarat for work and to start a family. Now, with over 20 years experience in the creative industry, Travis has his own business and his work has been featured by some of the most well-known advertising agencies and clothing lines in Australia and Internationally.

Justine Missen is one half of the team from Dream Cave photography. Having originally emigrated with her family from Northern Ireland, Justine grew up in Beaufort, half way between Ballarat and Ararat. Having finished year 8 Justine decided that school was not her ultimate path and so she left early to start work. At the age of 15 she moved to Ararat and began working in the wool sheds as a wool classer. After many years and with a newborn baby at home Justine opted for a career change; from playing around at home with her husband’s hobby equipment she decided to explore photography as a professional career.   After years honing her craft Justine came to wedding photography in 2017 and fell in love with the process. Now she and her husband, Nev, work together providing photography and videography for weddings in Ballarat and the Grampians regions. Justine and her family moved to Ballarat recently to live and work and are slowly settling in to life in their new town.

Born in Melbourne and raised on a small farm in Ararat, Jake grew up with a love of all things sport and a yearning to help other people and support them when they most needed it. After completing high school Jake joined the Australian army for his gap year. Although the army provided the opportunity to support and defend people in need, the general lifestyle and culture did not suit Jake and so, after his gap year, he moved to Ballarat to complete a Commerce Degree at Federation Uni.   After university Jake worked first for the City of Ballarat as an accountant before undertaking a role at the CFA in Ararat as District Business Manager, but living in Ballarat and commuting to Ararat soon proved to be too much and so he transferred to FRV. Always looking to grow and learn Jake sought an opportunity to improve his emergency management experience in early 2021 and was given the opportunity to work for an NGO in Gaza. During his time at university Jake completed a trip to the jungle of Costa Rica supporting biologists studying in the mangrove forest and a stint volunteering with Aussie Action Abroad in Nepal, since completing his studies he has enjoyed a variety of international trips, including Work Away, a program that encourages you to live with people and work to cover food and accommodation costs, allowing him to immerse himself in different cultures and regions. So with an understanding of travel and the benefits of exploring different cultures and saying yes to every opportunity Jake felt ready to work and learn in one of the world’s most notoriously uncertain regions.

Ballarat local, Matthew Richardson, grew up in Wendouree with his parents and three sisters, he attended high school at St Patrick’s College. Like so many young students he worked hard during his final years at high school pushing himself to achieve the best in year 12. Having achieved the goal he set for his ENTER he followed the logical path into University studies, initially commencing an undergraduate degree in Osteopathic Medicine. After nearly two years of study Matthew realised that, although his course was theoretically interesting, the practical component was not a good match. At the age of 20, Matthew made the hard decision to leave his University studies behind and return home.   After returning to Ballarat, Matthew decided to enrol in a Bachelor of Commerce at Ballarat University and, having found his niche, completed his undergraduate degree and went on to work at MOR where he completed his Chartered Accountancy qualification. After 10 years with MOR, Matthew took an opportunity to learn and work through NAB bank before a role opened at Cooke and Foley in 2019, where he continues to work as a Senior Accountant.    Whilst navigating his journey through study and work, Matthew found a side interest in singing and playing guitar and, for many Ballarat people, Matthew may be better known for his renditions of timeless classics belted out in parties and venues across Ballarat! 

Alley Dunlop is the Salon Owner and Brow Specialist at In The Raw Beauty in Golden Point, Ballarat.  Alley grew up on the outskirts of Ballarat in Smythes Creek and completed her secondary education at Loreto College. Finishing school Alley knew she had a love of art, painting and drawing. She commenced a Graphic Design course but soon realised that, while she enjoyed design, her true passion lay more in the creative space.   With some encouragement from her friends Alley attended an open day in Melbourne at Elly Lukas and discovered that her true creative flair could be explored in makeup and beauty. After finishing her studies Alley worked briefly at Elysium day spa before honing her skills in brow design at Jasmine Beauty Therapy at Myer.   After three years at Jasmine, Alley took the leap and went out on her own to develop In the Raw Beauty. Despite lockdowns and covid interrupting her first years, Alley’s business has grown from strength-to-strength and even grown to include her friend and business partner, Shannen.

Nick Grylewicz grew up on the Murray River in Albury/Wodonga. As a young man he was a talented basketballer, and completed his university studies in Mechanical Engineering at Monash University via correspondence while playing for the local NBL1 team, the Albury Wodonga Bandits.   Between studying, working and playing basketball Nick met his wife, Paula, and in 2002 they made the move to Ballarat to settle down and start a family. After moving to Ballarat Nick began working for his father-in-law’s company, Roadcon Group, at a time when the business was transitioning from road-based development projects into property development. Today Nick is the Director of Land Development at Integra (formerly Roadcon) and is a leading professional in property development in Ballarat and surrounding districts.   Since moving to Ballarat Nick has immersed himself in the community, playing basketball for the Ballarat Miners before serving two terms on the board of the Ballarat Basketball Association; in 2019 Nick was recognised for his contribution to Ballarat basketball and was granted a life membership with the Ballarat Basketball Association.

Steve Moneghetti  is easily spotted running the streets of the Ballarat district, though his footsteps may be light, he can often be heard chatting comfortably to his running companions, or seen carrying an extra pair of shoes as he runs by. With more than 250,000km under his belt he is a household name in running in Ballarat and Australia.   As a young child Steve was not really a star on the athletics track and it was not until he reached secondary school at St Patrick’s College, that Steve found a passion and talent for cross country and endurance running. In 1986, at the age of 23, Steve qualified to represent Australia at the Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh in the 10,000m race and, while there, was given the opportunity to compete in the marathon. In that year Steve finished 5th in the 10,000m and picked up a bronze medal in his first ever marathon.  Over the next 14 years Steve represented Australia in the men’s marathon at 4 Olympic Games and 3 further Commonwealth Games, picking up medals at each of the Commonwealth events, including a Gold Medal at the Commonwealth Games in Canada in 1994, and securing a top ten finish in three of his Olympic Games appearances. During his career he competed in a multitude of events in Australia and overseas, setting records and winning medals all over the World. He continues to hold the record for the Sydney City to Surf 14km event which he set in 1991 and for the Lake Wendouree Lap of the Lake which he set in 1992. In 2014 Steve was awarded an Order of Australia Medal for significant service to athletics as a marathon runner, administrator and mentor to young athletes.   Now, though his competition days have passed, Steve still runs recreationally, covering nearly 100km per week, and is enjoying exploring more training and coaching opportunities

After 15 years of simultaneous notoriety and anonymity, depending on which side of the law you fell on, Cax was eventually charged with over 200 offences as the central target of Operation ‘Centaur’, a six-month police operation into the Ballarat graffiti subculture.

But chaos is always the precursor to evolution. And for graffiti artists especially, a necessary evil. The years of perceived destruction, that ended in an intensive corrections order, inspired a new era of constructive artistry that has Cax on a new path to infamy.

In the last 5 years, Cax has taken what he learnt on the streets and put it to use in galleries, workshops and events across the country.

In between drawing the largest ever opening attendance at Ballarat’s Red Brick Gallery, painting live murals at the iconic Falls Festival and producing work as part of a national campaign for Telstra, Cax spends significant time mentoring young artists and at risk youth in both Ballarat and Melbourne.

His immense transformation has been documented in a short film by Michelle Dunn which featured on ABC Open, and his work has featured in Inside Street Art and Street Art: Australia, two books chronicling Australia’s most influential street artists.

He’s even produced pieces for the Greens political party and had a mural of hip hop supergroup, Wu Tang Clan, go viral after the group itself shared it via social media.

With unbridled passion and an immense dedication to his craft, Cax will be making tidal waves throughout the Australian art community for years to come.

For many people in Ballarat Howard Clark is instantly recognisable as the leader of one of the most successful school football programs in the state. As the head coach of the St Patrick’s College 1st XVIII team, Howard coached the boys to 14 Ballarat Associated School Sports premiership wins, including a run of 12 back-to-back premierships from 2007-2018, as well as 7 Herald Sun Shield flags, including an unprecedented 6 back-to-back victories between 2005 and 2010. In 2018 Howard was awarded the Allan Jeans Lifetime Achievement Award from AFL Victoria for his outstanding contribution to football. Having since retired as head coach, Howard continues to be a huge part of the football program at St Pats as the Director of Football.  But Howard’s journey to success has been a long and difficult one. In 1983, at just 17 years of age, Howard was a young man on the precipice of a hard-earned VFL career with Melbourne Football Club when he was diagnosed with a malignant tumour on his spine. What followed was a harrowing year of treatment including 42 rounds of radiotherapy to his spine that ultimately put an end to his personal football journey. But Howard was not going to let his hardship stop him from moving forward. After attending teaching college in Ballarat and commencing his career at St Francis Xavier Primary School in 1987 a further health setback, including a life threatening hospital acquired infection, would force Howard to remain in hospital for 11 and a half weeks in 1989. Through it all, Howard’s resilience seemingly has known no bounds, coming through the other side and back into teaching after yet another marathon year of treatment. In 1995 Howard was given the opportunity to transfer to St Patrick’s College to teach and, after initially coaching year 10 football in 2001, he was given his rightful place as head coach of the 1st XVIII team in 2002 and has never looked back.   With a passion for football, his school, and the boys that he teaches, Howard Clark has positively affected the lives of everybody who has had the good fortune to know him; his unwavering ability to find the blessings in every hardship he has faced is quite remarkable and the legacy he has created at St Pats will be celebrated for many years to come.

Tess Griffin has had many roles in her short life; she is a wife, mum, dancer, teacher, business manager and, most recently, a podcaster. Tess grew up in Ballarat with her mum and two siblings, at a young age her father took his own life, leaving her mum to take on the responsibility of raising her young family single handedly.   After finishing high school at Barkly St, Tess went straight into full time work, often maintaining multiple jobs to be able to continue to work and teach in her dance school with her partner/husband, Sam. After working in retail and business for several years Tess took on the role of manager at Griffin Burger before settling down to start her family. Now, the mum of two, is working from home, raising her family and is enjoying her new adventure, podcasting.   Through her podcast, the Inner View, Tess is providing a platform for people to have some of the hard conversations about life in general, looking at everything from mental health and work to relationships and life as a mum.

Sometimes beauty can emerge from our darkest places. For Cam Lynch the creation and development of his shops, When Polly Met Murphy, have been the lifeline that brought him out of his darkest days. Can was born and grew up in Bayswater, at the foothills of the Dandenong Ranges. At the age of 19 he completed an apprenticeship in horticulture through a landscape construction company and, after 5 years, took the leap to start his own business “Cameron Lynch Horticulture” in Melbourne. In 2018 Cam and his family decided to move to Ballarat, after closing down his Melbourne horticulture business in search of a lifestyle change. After buying and renovating a house in central Ballarat, Cam went to University to study Building Surveying and took a job with Langdon as a Building Supervisor. With a wife, two young children and a good job, life seemed to be on track. Unfortunately lots of change and pressure took a toll on Cam’s mental health and he descended into the darkness that, for some, is hard to break free from. With the help of Ballarat and Geelong based mental health rehabilitation services Cam was able to effectively manage his mental health journey and put into process a plan to move forward. After sharing a stall at the Ballarat Begonia Festival, Cam took the leap to open his indoor plant business ‘When Polly Met Murphy’ in its current space in Doveton Street and, after less than a year in Ballarat, opened a second shop in Daylesford. With a name dedicated to his two young children and a mantra of intention to bring calm, decrease stress and anxiety in our homes, Cam’s shop is a well loved feature in Ballarat and has successfully navigated through the multiple lockdowns of coronavirus to again open its doors to the public.

Leon Wilson happily admits that he isn’t a big talker, unless you happen to get him started on a subject that he is passionate about! Leon, the director and online manager of Revolution Print, is passionate about his family, his craft, and his business.   Having grown up in Ballarat, Leon left high school without any true focus on what he wanted to do as a career. Having planned to take a gap year straight out of school, Leon worked in hospitality for 6 months to save some money before starting a traineeship as a technician in photocopier and printer sales and repairs at Online System Repairs. Through his work, Leon had the opportunity to connect with a lot of people around Ballarat and learnt some important lessons about small business.   Through his sales role at Online System Repairs Leon connected with and moved into a role in IT at Ballarat District Nursing to assist with the upgrade and distribution of their new database and operating platform. He travelled all around Victoria to roll the system out to various district nursing services, but the loneliness of life spent on the road, travelling and working, took a toll on his mental and physical health and forced him to change direction.   After a period of time off work to recover Leon re-entered the workforce at Kingprint, helping to build the online platform before he took the leap to buy into the business and since then has helped it to evolve and grow to keep up with the demands of an ever changing technological environment. After further acquisition and rebranding to become Revolution Print, Leon’s business has gone from strength to strength and continues to grow. Though his time and focus is often put into his work, Leon knows the importance of balance, so always makes time for his young family and his own health and well-being.

Andrew Kuiler is the Founder and CEO of the successful Shanghai-based, specialised food and beverage brand consultancy, The Silk Initiative. Long before that though, Andrew was a young Ballarat boy, growing up wild in Sebastopol, creating havoc at Sebas Tech. In 1992 when the opportunity to complete a year long exchange program was presented, 16 year old Andrew made the journey to Berlin in Germany and from there his fascination for culture and languages blossomed, leading him to continue studies of German language in VCE and then a degree in Mandarin and Business at Ballarat University.   Through the following years Andrew’s work and study lead him through many international settings, including China, Germany and the US. After a short stint in Ballarat at McCains Foods Andrew returned to China in 2000 first working for other companies in the consumer insights agency space, before he decided to give things a go and create his own business in Shanghai and from there, The Silk Initiative was born.   In 2020, with the World first being touched by COVID, Andrew returned to Ballarat to be closer to his family. Though stepping away from the head office, Andrew still works consistently, networking and overseeing the day-to-day activity of the business through conference calls and Zoom meetings. Working across multiple time zones with global clients can present its challenges but allows Andrew to continue his business whilst looking for further opportunities that may be possible in Australia and internationally. Despite the devastation that COVID has rendered on many international businesses, Andrew’s humble, sustainable business approach has meant that The Silk Initiative has been able to forge ahead and even continue to grow in this Global pandemic.

Rhys Jeffrey is one half of the founding team of Higher Society Eatery, one of Ballarat’s newest and trendiest cafes in Sturt Street.   Born in Moe, Rhys lived in Melbourne for most of his young life. Having left school early, Rhys began his working life in retail management and hospitality, before creating his own landscaping business. 11 years ago Rhys came to Ballarat for a house party where he met his partner Lachlain Ramsay, and, seeing the comparatively relaxed lifestyle Ballarat had to offer over Melbourne, moved up one month later. After discovering that the sun does not shine nearly enough in Ballarat for landscaping to be an enjoyable endeavour, Rhys began working in real estate with Remax. After a short stint in real estate he returned to hospitality and retail, before venturing back to Melbourne with Lachie. After a short period of time home sickness drew the boys back to Ballarat and Rhys joined the team at Hocking Stuart Real Estate for 3 years before he and Lachie decided to take on the challenge of running their own cafe and Higher Society Eatery was born.   First opening its doors in 2019, Higher Society has become a well known and much loved staple in Ballarat, achieving the aim to create something new in a nice environment where people didn’t have to go broke to enjoy breakfast! Through the ever-changing environment created by the pandemic in 2020, Higher Society have kept their doors open, providing the people of Ballarat with beautiful coffee and fantastic food.

It is a well known fact that necessity is the mother of invention, and it would seem that this is a premise that Kate Davis embodies very well. This talented woman has lived all of her life in Ballarat but has been amazingly successful in finding opportunities and making the most of them.   From a young age, through working at UFS dispensary, she was given an opportunity to take on a management role in their affiliate gift shop ‘Cherub Cards and Gifts’. This store allowed her to develop her retail knowledge and build networks with other local retailers helping to discover her love of event management and coordination through shared charitable event endeavours. Whilst on maternity leave from UFS Kate completed an Event Management course in Sydney and realised that her time in retail was done.  Fast forward through years of development including the challenge of coordinating Ballarat’s first Beer Festival, Event Management at Avoca Turf Club, Spring Fest, the Board of Visit Ballarat, and even the development and coordination of the short lived dating platform Let’s Woo, to today, where Kate is now well known for the development of Eat, Drink, West and Plate Up Ballarat, an event that allows local Ballarat businesses to showcase their talents in food production and creativity.   In everything she is involved in Kate commits, wholeheartedly, digging deep to learn all she can about her subject to ensure the best foundation to develop success upon! Her drive and determination are second to none and are obvious in every event she puts her name to.

Dustyn Rodgers is well known to many people in Ballarat as a personal trainer and co-owner of the new gym in Latrobe St, The Playground, but it has been a long journey for this local Ballarat boy, who grew up raising and showing chickens from the family farm at Magpie.   As a boy Dustyn grew up on the farm helping to care for and raise the animals, riding motorbikes in local motocross competitions and playing outdoor tennis. At 16 he left school to start a trade apprenticeship as a joiner.  When Dustyn was 18 a new gym opened in Magpie and it was there that Dustyn’s passion for weight training and fitness really ignited. As a favour to a friend he completed his Cert 3/Cert 4 in personal training in 2012 and became a part time PT whilst still working as a joiner. Dustyn’s role as a PT has allowed him to work in various gyms across Ballarat including Anytime Fitness, Ben’s Army and most recently D2E.   Having built a solid client base Dustyn was able to step back from work as a joiner and focus on working as a PT full time. Five years later Dustyn took the leap with business partners Troy Jones, Harley Tempest and Josh Driscoll, branching out to create their own gym, The Playground. Though it hasn’t been an easy journey, Dustyn has pushed through the mental battle of wanting to quit, to follow his passion of helping others on their own personal health and fitness journey.

t’s hard to imagine that doing something as simple as attending Stereosonic has the capacity to change your life, but for Matt Djordjevic, at just 19 years of age, that is exactly what happened. The Ballarat boy who left school at 16 to undertake a building apprenticeship was just minding his own business when opportunity presented itself in the form of the ‘Best looking guy at Stereo’ contest. Taking home the victory set Matt off on an extraordinary journey in which the boy who had rarely even travelled outside his home state, was suddenly jet setting around the World enjoying the life of a male model.   What ensued was a whirlwind of travels between shoots in Australia, the US and across Europe to develop his portfolio, before Matt set his sights on New York and was picked up by Ford Models. For four years Matt lived and worked in New York, modelling for some big labels like Abercrombie & Fitch and Ralph Lauren, before the global pandemic and time for a career shift brought Matt home to Ballarat.   Now, back in Ballarat, Matt has continued to work as a model, represented by Sydney based company FiveTwenty Model Management but has also found some new direction having returned to study to pursue his interest in finance.

If you have taken the opportunity to dine at some of Ballarat’s newest restaurants and bars, like Lola, Renard and Ragazzone, you may have been privy to Genevieve Wallis’ amazing interior design work.  Genevieve, originally born in Ballarat, spent the majority of her early childhood living in Adelaide, before returning to Ballarat to complete her secondary education. After completing a degree in public relations in Geelong she made the move to work in PR in Melbourne representing some big name international clients in their work in Australia. After a short time working in PR, with a growing family and the need for more space and flexibility, Genevieve and her family returned to Ballarat to start fresh.  Whilst juggling the demands of raising a young family, Genevieve completed her studies in interior design in Melbourne and a short time later got her first big break when she was offered the opportunity to work with Gorgi Coghlan and Kathryn Mills in the interior design of Lola. Since then Genevieve has grown her business, exploring more hospitality based designs in Renard and Ragazzone as well as working alongside individuals and Ballarat builders in residential design. With her creative designs and finger on the style pulse Genevieve is an up and coming designer who works to help every client achieve their style vision.

Originally from Ararat, Hamish Hamilton is the owner of King Kong Tattoo Co in Main Rd Ballarat. Hamish began tattooing in 2012 in his home town, he opened his own shop in Ararat with the intention of bringing back the traditional style of tattoos. A change in life and a need to grow his business bigger prompted Hamish to make the move to Ballarat 3 years ago. Soon after he arrived Hamish opened a shop with his friend Riley Day, but after a short time Riley left Ballarat for Geelong, Hamish kept the shop in Ballarat and honed his style to incorporate his love of Americana and traditional, old school tattoos with fellow tattooists, Jackson Flower and Elliott Hill and cosmetic tattooist Zoe Nankivell.  The move to Ballarat has been a successful one, allowing Hamish to meet and collaborate with local businesses in a supportive community. His business model is a simple one, doing the work he loves when he wants to, whilst maintaining balance and time for his partner and daughter.

Rochelle Kirkham grew up in Melbourne and first came to the Ballarat district as a university student to work at the Daylesford Advocate while she was studying Journalism at RMIT. After finishing uni she commenced an internship at the Ballarat Courier; now, three and a half years later, Rochelle and her partner have stayed, to make Ballarat their home.   Since commencing her role at the Courier,  Rochelle has undertaken many different reporting roles, initially writing general interest pieces and now also working as a local Court Reporter. Through her work Rochelle has been able to learn more about Ballarat and its local people, enjoying the opportunity to immerse herself in the local community and helping to educate the people of Ballarat on important issues, such as the realities of Ballarat’s homeless population and different community organisations designed to support them.   Though a fairly new member of the local community Rochelle has taken the opportunity to get involved, she regularly rehearses and performs as a flautist with the Ballarat Memorial Concert Band and in 2021, Rochelle competed in and won Ballarat’s “Dancing with our Stars” competition.

Jennifer Ganske was born and raised in a little town called Abbotsford outside Vancouver in Canada. As a young adult she travelled to Australia for University where she completed first her Bachelor of Arts through ECU and then a graduate certificate in Media and Marketing at QUT.  She has worked in the United Kingdom and America, and was living with her partner, Simon, and their young son in New York before the opportunity to return to Australia presented in the form of Simon’s family farm just outside of Beaufort.   During her years overseas Jennifer experienced some of the best and worst of mainstream media, including the highs and lows of reality television which saw her living in a nightmarish reality style renovation, and even travelling with Australia’s favourite pranksters, Hamish and Andy, during their gap year adventures.  Since her return to Australia Jennifer has worked in a variety of marketing and tourism roles, first in the Pyrenees region and then in Ballarat through both the Ballarat City Council and Sovereign Hill. Most recently Jennifer has taken on the role of National Head of Tourism and Arts with NBN. In her latest role Jennifer has had the opportunity to learn about all the new and upcoming advances in technology and communication. Challenged by the emerging global pandemic just days after commencing her new role she has seen first hand how effective telecommunication can be in maintain connection, but recognises too the loneliness that can come from maintaining connections at a distance.

Madeleine Witham is instantly recognised around town as the baker behind the award winning Little Cupcake Ballarat shop in Eureka Street. Having ventured to Ballarat in 2014 with her husband and family, with a view to creating a cupcake shop at the front of her house, Madeleine’s vision definitely became a reality and her self-taught, creative cupcake designs have become legendary throughout the town!   Before donning the chef’s hat and releasing her creative flair, Madeleine lived a varied life, far removed from the world of icing sugar and piping bags. After finishing school Madeleine enlisted in the Australian Army to pursue her talents in music through the Army Band Corp. During her ten years of service she attended University and became a secondary school music teacher, before marrying and starting her family in Sydney with her husband, Mark.   Madeleine and Mark have two daughters, Chelsea and Ella. When Ella was nine months old she was diagnosed with Cornelia de Lange Syndrome, a diagnosis that would change Madeleine’s life and career focus. Whilst spending the majority of her time as a Mum and carer for her daughters, Madeleine joined The Royal Blind Society (now Vision Australia) to work as a Music Braillest, learning literary and musical Braille to allow her to continue working with her love of music and teaching.   After both girls were finished in school in Sydney, Madeleine and Mark moved with Ella to Ballarat to be closer to family and to explore their cupcake dream!

Todd Sporton was born and raised in Ballarat. He lived with his mum and sister in Alfredton before moving around the corner to Insignia where he built his first home. Todd completed his secondary education at Ballarat High School and was planning to undertake a building apprenticeship straight out of school before he realised his true passion lay in sport and personal training so, in the last week of year 12, he changed his plans and opted for further education at Ballarat Uni.   Since completing his studies in personal training Todd has worked as a PT, first at On Track fitness, before he, and business partner Jarrod Graco took the leap and opened their own gym and PT business Fitness Avenue, next to the Arch of Victory 9 years ago. Todd is the East Point Football Netball strength and conditioning coach along with match day senior runner.  In 2021 Todd faces a new and exciting challenge as he and his fiancée Gemma prepare for the birth of their first child due later this year and, of course, make plans for their wedding!

Liam Downes’ life in hospitality and in the kitchen began long before he became the well known executive chef of Moon and Mountain, Ballarat. Growing up in Greendale with his family, Liam spent many nights doing his homework in the kitchen of his parents’ business, the Greendale Hotel, and was often called upon to help his mum with meal prep.   In 2002, after finishing high school and deferring his PE teaching place at Ballarat Uni, he ventured to Ballarat to work as a kitchen hand at Craig’s Royal Hotel before commencing his apprenticeship as a chef. Like many chefs his resume is varied, completing his apprenticeship at Dino’s in Ballarat before moving out to the, then, newly developed Novotel at Creswick to work as a Chef de Partie and eventually Sous Chef under Glen Crump. From Creswick, Liam moved to Melbourne, working for eight months at Restaurant No35 in the Sofitel, before life called him back to Ballarat.    When Liam returned to Ballarat he worked at Mercure Hotel and The George before coming full circle back to Craig’s Royal Hotel where the opportunity of a lifetime presented itself in the form of a shared business venture with Teddy Powlett, as executive chef and part owner of Moon and Mountain. The business has taken Ballarat by storm, and even in the face of a pandemic, the pair have built multiple successful restaurants, with many more to come. Liam is now the Executive Chef at Moon and Mountain, Winner Winner, Ragazzone and the new Renard, overseeing the menus and food prep at all the restaurants. Despite the crazy hours that are synonymous with being a chef, outside of work Liam is a husband and a dad, ever trying to find the balance between work and life.

Troy Driscoll is a relatively new member of the Ballarat Community but his story is one that many people can relate to. Having grown up on a farm, Troy developed a good understanding of farming and agriculture from a young age.   At the age of 20 Troy moved to Maryborough where he began a career at Crameri’s and moving to Pioneer Seeds as an Area Sales Manager before he took the leap to start his own business, Driscoll Seed, now Driscoll Ag. Despite some challenges and setbacks along the way, Troy has grown his business and branched out to develop further partnerships, including the development of Driscoll Douglas East Real Estate in St Arnaud, to provide a whole range of agricultural services to the Greater Western region of Victoria.   Along with his successful business ventures and raising his young family Troy has always been an active member of his local community, in particular the local football club in Maryborough. In 2019 Troy moved temporarily to Ballarat where he met his partner, Michelle. Now, in 2021, with a new baby on the way, Troy is making Ballarat his permanent home.

John Harris, the wine maker and chief glass polisher at Mitchell Harris wines, was born in Hamilton but grew up in Waubra from the age of four and attended high school at Ballarat and Clarendon College.   After finishing high school John set his sights on the big city, heading to Melbourne University to undertake an Immunology degree. From early on in his days at University, John developed an interest in wine tasting and making. John took the opportunity during his studies to travel to North Eastern Victoria to work at Brown Brothers winery where his passion for wine making only grew and led him to a degree in Wine Science. Over the years he worked at Mt Avoca Winery and Domaine Chandon in the Yarra Valley honing his craft, before returning to Ballarat with his growing family in 2007 and taking the leap with his business partners: Craig, Alicia and Shannyn, to develop their own product and open Mitchell Harris Wines in 2011.   Though wine making isn’t without its risks and, at times, its failings, John and all of the team have developed wines, and a business, that have made Mitchell Harris a household name in Ballarat.

Boozier than Oktoberfest, more drive than a Volkswagen and with more sausage than a bratwurst convention, Hans is Germany’s proudest export. An international superstar, sex symbol, accordionist and Berlin boy-wonder, Hans has been thrilling audiences around the globe with his own fabulous brand of critically acclaimed cabaret for over a decade, performing for everyone from Prime Ministers to Princesses. Hans’ side-splitting shows have taken him all around Australia and across Europe and the UK and in 2018 he has hit the United States- appearing on NBC’s top rating TV show America’s Got Talent. His most recent productions, Viva Hans Vegas (2016), Mein Camp (2017) and If You Don’t Love Me...Leave! (2018) have all been praised by audiences and critics alike, being named Best Cabaret at the Ed Fringe by UK’s The Sun newspaper, and winning Best Cabaret awards at both the Adelaide and Perth Fringes. Hans was also named “Pick Of The Fringe” at the Adelaide Fringe awards in 2018. Later in 2018 he will return to London and the Edinburgh Fringe and will also appear at Budapest’s famous Sziget Festival with Like A German. 

For Tickets to Han's upcoming show head to https://hansofficial.com

Liana Skewes; actor, director, photographer, writer, singer, the list goes on! With a foot in so many camps, this born-and-raised Ballarat girl has a lot of great stories to tell. Through her blog, Finding Femme, centred on enjoying the finer things of Ballarat, Liana shares her wonderful tips on some of the best places to see and eat in Ballarat. Her development of the Tweed Ride for Heritage Week allows her to share her love of Ballarat and history in a fun and creative way!  During 2020, Liana turned her hand to something a bit different and became the co-creator and director of an award winning, international podcast, Pride and Prejudice. With a naturally creative and dynamic personality, Liana has lots of wonderful, exciting endeavours to share with Ballarat and the World and is sure to be seen and heard for many years to come!

Kristy Sellars grew up in Warrnambool until the age of 16, leaving home she moved to Melbourne to follow her passion for dance, completing her diploma of performing arts before taking a huge leap in moving to Hollywood at the age of 18 to dance and learn on the international stage. Kristy spent a year of her life working in the United States before returning to Australia having discovered a new found passion for pole dancing.   After returning to Australia Kristy began teaching pole dancing, initially in her home town of Warnambool, before moving to Ballarat and setting up Physipole studio. Her business has gone from strength to strength having grown into an interstate franchise with 17 franchisees in Victoria, NSW, Queensland and SA. In 2019 Kristy, having given birth to her third baby only 6 months earlier, competed in and won Australia’s Got Talent Season 9 showing off her skills in both pole dancing and choreography. Kristy is a wonderful example of the power of recognising your goals and working towards them, her tenacious spirit gives her the drive and determination to achieve everything she truly sets her mind to.

If you were standing in line for your donut at the 1816 Bakehouse when you spotted this man, you’d be forgiven for thinking you were in the presence of British Royalty. Chances are the man you have spotted is a slightly different royal though, none other than the Toastie King himself, Tim Bone.   Tim grew up in Nhill but, like many others, made Ballarat his home after starting Uni at Ballarat University. After Uni, Tim took on the role of running the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden program at Yuille Park Community College, before the opportunity to compete on Australia’s MasterChef presented in 2019. Out of 8000 hopefuls Australia-wide Tim did an amazing job, finishing in the top 4 of Season 11.  Since returning to Ballarat Tim has followed his passion in food further, creating the well recognised Tim’s Toasties stand at local markets and, word has it, 2021 may be the year when Ballarat gets its first toastie shop! In the podcast Tim shares a little bit about himself, his passion for food and the things he does that make him happy.

Chris Radford is the man behind the RAD Centre, in Ballarat. While growing up in Horsham, Victoria, Chris was a star volleyball player who had the opportunity to play at a State level. After finishing high school Chris followed his interest in sport to Ballarat Uni to complete an undergraduate Strength and Conditioning degree.  Whilst completing an honours degree at uni, Chris worked in strength and conditioning with the North Ballarat Rebels under 16 football squad and the North Ballarat Roosters VFL side before the opportunity to work with AFL team, The Western Bulldogs, arose. In 2015, after many long days spent commuting back and forth on the Western Freeway, Chris took the leap to develop his own strength and conditioning based fitness centre, The Rad Centre, now recognised as a top athletic training facility for the Western Victorian region.   On the podcast Chris shares a lot about his journey working in the strength and conditioning field, and what he has learnt along the way. Chris also shares some details of his personal journey into fatherhood and the joy of his new role as Dad to daughter, Elsie.

Sam Griffin, the self-professed Strongest Man in Ballarat, is perhaps better known to most Ballarat people for his delicious burgers and tacos! Sam is a Ballarat boy who, though he left town at a young age to experience life at the circus, quickly settled back down in Ballarat and opened a dance studio with his now wife, Tess. With some business savvy under his belt he pulled the whole Griffin family team together to create one of Ballarat’s most recognisable burger chains, Griffin Burger. Once a tiny shop front on Sturt Street, Griffin burger has grown to bigger and better things with two stores now in the Ballarat region.   Always keen for a challenge, Sam took on the ultimate when he opened Ballarat’s first taco restaurant, Dr Fill, just one week before the pandemic shut down Victoria! Now that the state is open again, Sam can often be found behind the bar at Dr Fill, creating fantastic cocktails to pair with your taco!   Sam is a young, family man, who is proving that hard work, determination and a good sense of humour can go a long way in life and he’ll happily fight anyone who chooses to disagree!

Successful food photographer and author, Bianca Slade, started her journey in all things food with a simple desire to make tasty, wholesome treats for her family and friends. What followed was the development of her blog, ‘Wholefood Simply’, and, with a little help along the way, the production of her first recipe book. Since then Bianca has been involved in multiple food based projects, including development of recipes for Woolworths, association with My Kitchen Rules and a Harper Collins book publication, all while being a stay at home mum to her three young children.   Though the path to success has not always been an easy one, Bianca has developed a fantastic Wholefood Simply support base on social media who have been with her through the highs and the lows. This young lady from Penshurst, Victoria has made Ballarat her home and is proving every day that with kindness and courage great things can definitely be achieved!

@Wholefoodsimply

Jules grew up in the North Eastern Melbourne suburb of Eltham, but her connection to Ballarat runs far deeper than before she moved here in 2009. From age 8, she graced the famed Her Majesty’s Theatre stage for many years in the Royal South Street competitions for Calisthenics.   With a love of entertaining, she channelled her creativity into radio and up and moved to Taree, to cut her teeth on-air. After a year on the mid-north coast of NSW, she scored the job of a lifetime, as the breakfast co-host on Power FM, Ballarat. It’s here that she has spent the last 12 years gracing the airwaves, but also embedding herself in the Ballarat community.   Normally, she’ll be running laps of the lake, taking part in a charity events, or even enjoying the hospitality of one of the many fantastic restaurants in Ballarat. But at the moment, she’s taking a brief break, to tackle her biggest role yet, being a new mum to baby Ruby.

Dylan Lesock - Some people may recognise Dylan as one of the dancers from Ballarat’s first Dancing with Our Stars competition in 2019, but his connection to Ballarat is a long and varied one starting back in his junior school days at St Patrick’s primary school. After moving away for high school Dylan returned to Ballarat to start a uni degree at Federation Uni. From there he took on a role as Manager at Snap Fitness before taking the leap to start his own cleaning business, Clarke Clean, and then joining the team at The Underground to help educate people on  the benefits of strength and conditioning training. Dylan’s strong work ethic, drive and determination have helped him to build his successful businesses but his story is far from a simple one.

Rick came to Ballarat in 1987 to work for the commonwealth employment service (CES). Became the face of the ces, doing all their media, including Job Shop on BTV6 - a weekly employment program. Open a restaurant called Conders in the mid 90s. Worked at the Ballarat Council in economic development including as the City's first retail Manager. Started with the newly elected Catherine King at the end of 2001. Stayed 4 years. Moved to canberra to work for a shadow minister, ministers and back benchers. Worked for Peter Garrett. Came back to Ballarat to retire on 2015. Worked for Jaala Pulford, Sharon Knight and finally Michaela Settle. Voluntary work with the Shower Bus and with Sex Work Law Reform coalition. Carer and safe sex educator during the AIDS crisis.