Nat Ord was born in Sydney and has lived in Chiltern for more than 20 years.

What do you do workwise?

In short, I’m a multidisciplinary artist. The longer version is that I’m a commercial photographer, videographer, spoon carver and I run a store in Chiltern.

What led you to your role/career?

My career is really driven by three things: a lifelong love of nature, a deep curiosity about places and the stories of the people who inhabit them, and a fascination with how things work. For me, whether I’m looking at an ecosystem, a local community, or a raw material, I’m always trying to understand how the pieces connect and how to tell that story.

What do you love about your work?

What keeps me inspired is that my work never stands still. I love that I’m constantly learning, whether it’s identifying a new species in the bush or figuring out the mechanics of a raw material. There’s a beautiful rhythm to working with your hands, but what really grounds it for me is the human element. Meeting people, listening to their stories, and uncovering what makes a specific place tick – that’s the part that makes the work feel truly alive.

What do you do in the community?

I’m involved in the Chiltern Tourism & Development Inc.

Is there an important community issue that you think needs addressing?

A major concern for Chiltern is that our local businesses are struggling because we simply do not see the same tourism footprint as the rest of the Indigo Shire.

This is a massive missed opportunity, because Chiltern has quietly become an incredible artist town. Our main street shops heavily feature local art, fine crafts, and unique handmade goods that you won't find anywhere else.

What would you do to solve change or improve that situation?

We have a massive opportunity sitting right on our doorstep. The Hume Highway runs just a few hundred metres from our main street, with 11,000 vehicles passing by every single day. If we can encourage those travellers to turn off the highway and stretch their legs in Chiltern, everyone wins. Getting people to pull over doesn't just inject vital tourism dollars directly into our local shops and cafes, it is also a crucial for road safety.

What do you see as one of the most important current world issues?

I believe one of the biggest global issues right now is the fragmentation of community and the rise of social isolation. As the world fast-tracks into digital spaces and rapid change, we are losing the physical places and traditional threads that naturally bring people together. When communities fracture, we lose the ability to listen to different perspectives, share generational skills, and truly understand each other's stories. A world that moves too fast to value the human element becomes polarised. We urgently need to focus on rebuilding local resilience, fostering deep curiosity about the people around us, and protecting the quiet, authentic spaces where genuine connection happens.

If the person you would most like to meet came to Indigo Shire (past or present), or was already here, who would that be, what would you show them, and why?

I’d like to meet my partner’s dad. He died when she was a teenager. I’d take him to Magenta Mine where they used to have family picnics.

What book are you reading?

‘Green Wood Carving: How to Make Beautiful Objects from Unseasoned Wood’ by author Harald Lamon Davidson.