Indigo Interview: Passionate about community

MALLORY Watson grew up in Mudgegonga where her parents still live. After travelling around Australia with her husband Tim, the couple moved back to the North East and have lived in Stanley for almost two years. What do you do workwise? I manage and clean a holiday rental in Bright and the little cottage we have on our property as well. Recently, I also took on the role of assistant coordinator at the Stanley Post Office. What brought you to your role/career? After the birth of my daughter, I was fortunate enough to take on managing a property in Bright, and eventually, our cottage as well. As for the assistant coordinator role, I had been volunteering at the post office for over a year when the previous coordinator was leaving, and I was asked if I’d be interested in stepping into the position. What do you love about your work? I love that I can be with both my children while still working. At the post office, it’s allowed me to connect with some wonderful people that I might not have met otherwise. I also love that the post office serves as a community hub for Stanley, and I’m grateful to be a part of that. What do you do in the community? I started as a volunteer at the Stanley Post Office, and I’m also on the Stanley Collective committee. Most recently, with the help of other community members, we’ve started a community playgroup in Stanley. I love face-to-face interactions. Being part of a small community and getting involved has been incredibly rewarding to me. The support here is amazing, especially with the playgroup. When I asked for toy donations, the response was incredible. Is there an important community issue that you think needs addressing? Honestly, there are so many issues that need attention, but for me, domestic violence is a key concern. Someone very close to me has experienced emotional abuse, and it’s made me realise how crucial it is to educate both our children and society on what healthy behaviour looks like and what it doesn’t. What would you do to solve change, improve that situation? I don’t have all the answers; my husband and I are focused on teaching our children from a young age what is acceptable behaviour. We are trying to teach the importance of respecting and caring for each other, regardless of gender and age. What do you see as one of the important current world issues? Overconsumption is a major issue. We need to pause and reflect on the impact we're having on our environment and surroundings. It's time to live a bit more simply and consciously, focusing on reducing our individual footprints. 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 have to say Issey Miyake (1934-2022) who was a Japanese and French fashion designer and one of my favourite designers. Honestly, I’d probably just have a drink on our deck at home and soak up everything he’d have to say. What book are you reading? I'm currently reading ‘Women Living Deliciously’ by illustrator, author and ‘influencer’ Florence Given. It's all about women embracing and learning to love their own lives, no matter what societal expectations are.

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