You grew up in South Africa in Johannesburg and Zimbabwe (known as Southern Rhodesia), when did you move to Australia?
I left Africa when I was 22. It was hard to get employment in Johannesburg unless you were bi-lingual (which I wasn’t). It was 1972 and I came to Australia on a working holiday. I made a friend on the ship (Rose) and we travelled to Brisbane where I worked as a secretary then travelled further north where we met the man who would become Rose’s husband. We travelled to Normanton and hitch-hiked to the Mt Isa Rodeo, sitting in the back on the ute with no seat belts, dust flying everywhere. What an exciting thing! It was difficult getting to Tennant Creek, there were no buses, no trains. We approached a road train driver who took us to Alice Springs. It was a phenomenal trip. We couldn’t get out of central Australia because of the floods. We met two others, a Queensland couple stuck in Coober Pedy and we drove to Adelaide. Rose and I came to Melbourne where I worked as a secretary.
I went back to South Africa because my father was ill and came back to Australia in 1977. I started doing yoga for my nervous system and became a teacher. I opened a yoga studio in 1984 and trained as a masseur and as a Maya Therapist.
You are a very talented artist. How did that progress for you?
I’ve always been a bit of a sketcher, although I never trained at school. One day my partner Chris Moule and I went on a jaunt to Olinda to an art gallery displaying Gerard Mutsaers. Chris and I organised lessons with him and I ended up studying with Gerard for 10 years.
How did you and Chris meet?
Chris was divorced when we met. I was a girl who had grave difficulties with relationships. We both attended the Ken Miller Institute which runs courses for people who are divorced or widowed. One of my clients recommended I go. It was a very good course. Chris and I knew each other for two years before we went out. He was always late to our dates and by the time he’d turn up I’d be gone.
The idea of Ken Miller was to develop common interests because often what went wrong in your marriage was you had fallen in love with someone you don’t share interests with. Chris and I had photography and bush walking in common.
What are you reading at the moment?
Nothing since COVID, just a few art books.
What genre of music do you enjoy?
I prefer classical – not highbrow classical. To be honest, when I’m here on my own I love silence. I do enjoy the 60s, 70s, 80s and country and western.
Have you got any other interests?
I love going out painting and photography.
What philosophy do you live life by?
Honesty will get you everywhere. Always question the truth about everything in life. Nothing happens without you being able to learn something.
What do you love most about the place you call home?
Us living here was absolutely fated. We had come to look at the place and thought wow. We rang the agent and they said sorry it’s sold. I asked if they could call me if it went back on the market but they didn’t. We saw the property had been relisted and here we are.