Over the years we’ve chatted to so many wonderful people and we thought it was time to put our staff in the spotlight! Kicking off the My Castlemaine Mail/Midland Express series is our wonderful Castlemaine Mail Editor Lisa Dennis.
Lisa, can you tell us a little bit about your early life?
I grew up in St Albans and moved to Castlemaine when I was 14 years old and went to school at CSC.
When did you first start writing?
I always loved books and always wanted to be a writer. My mum and dad bought me a typewriter when I was in primary school and I used to write little books and I remember meeting John Marsden at primary school. He was so inspiring. At some point, it dawned on me that unless I wrote a best seller I should do something else so I studied humanities at LaTrobe, which I enjoyed, but I still wasn’t on the right path.
What other jobs have you had over the years?
My first ever job was at the Harcourt General Store when I was 17. Then I got a job at Safeway in the seafood department at Bendigo Marketplace. I worked at Castle for two years in packing and slicing. I had applied for a cadetship at the Castlemaine Mail when I was in Year 12 and they told me to wait until I finished school. So I applied again when I was 20. I did the first 18 months of my cadetship in Kyneton and then transferred to Castlemaine. After I’d finished my three-year cadetship I studied remotely at Deakin completing my post-cadetship. It was so long ago that the work was done in hard copy and posted back.
You’re coming up on 26 years at the paper you must have seen a lot of changes during that time?
When I first started were still pasting the pages up and printing from a negative. We still had a darkroom and used film camera’s that we would take to get developed, which was always stressful, waiting to see what would come back. And the papers were still in black and white then! It was rare to have colour pages. The papers today look incredible with colour and the graphic design we have available. It’s pretty special to be a part of history – I’m only a small chapter in a long history. I’ve been the Editor for the past six years and since I started working here I’ve married a local boy and had three babies.
What are the good and bad elements of your job?
It’s a real privilege to tell people’s stories and I’m always amazed at the people that live here.
I hate covering accidents. And it can be challenging to tackle some contentious issues but we always do our best to be balanced and give everyone a voice.
Have you travelled?
I’ve been to the UK, Paris, and Asia. I’ve been to Ireland, which was always somewhere I’d wanted to visit as my ancestors are from there. I’ve seen a lot of Australia too. We’re pretty blessed to have such incredible places to visit in our own country.
What are you reading at the moment?
Inheritance by the late local doctor Kath O’Connor and Telltale by Castlemaine’s Carmel Bird. That’s one of the perks of the job, we get copies of books before they hit the shelves.
What genres of music do you listen to?
I have a wide taste. My mum and dad introduced me to a lot when I was younger and I listen to some of the modern music the kids listen to. Oh, and I love Abba.
Who would your three dream dinner guests be?
Mum and Dad and JK Rowling. I’m a big nerd at heart. And if I write a book one day it would be fantasy so I would love to chat with her about how she builds her characters and how she juggled motherhood and writing.
What philosophy do you live life by?
Believe and achieve – I even have the saying in a frame on my desk at work. When you have two deadlines a week it’s a good adage. I also think you should treat others how you’d like to be treated.
Do you have time for any hobbies?
Netflix and chill. Spending time with my family and reading.
Finally, what do you love most about the place you call home?
The community. On the whole, it is such a welcoming, friendly, and vibrant community.