JENNI Lannen was born in Melbourne and, in a round–about way, arrived in Yackandandah 26 years ago and says she is working on being a local.

What's your job?

I've recently retired from a 35–year–long career as a secondary school teacher of English and history, most recently at Beechworth Secondary College.

Now I work casually at the Yackandandah Visitor Information Centre (YVIC).

What brought you to this role?

I had a very happy career and knew I would miss the interaction with the range of people who come through a school.

Someone suggested I volunteer at the local Visitors' Information Centre, and it's been the perfect fit for me.

What do you love about your job?

I get to meet loads of happy people – most people are happy when they're on holidays – and to share with them the attractions of my home town and the wider Indigo Shire.

Also, as the VIC shares a premise with the Post Office, I get to catch up with many townsfolk at some point.

What do you do in your community?

Besides volunteering at the YVIC, I am the booking secretary for the local public hall and courthouse.

That certainly helps keep me informed about what's happening around town.

My husband and I also help run the weekly Pub Trivia at the Yackandandah Hotel, which is a bit of a hoot.

What's the most important current community issue for you?

It's not strictly a community issue here only, but I do worry about housing affordability.

I have four kids of my own who can't afford to live where they grew up, and accessing the housing market has become so difficult, both renting and buying.

What would you do to solve, change or improve the situation?

I have absolutely no idea what I can do about the housing situation, except agitate the politicians.

What's the most important current world issue for you?

Health inequities, no doubt about it.

So much of the developing world has little access to fresh water, vaccines or medications, and I think that speaks to the power of capitalism over humanitarianism.

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

I'd like to take Sir Isaac Isaacs by the elbow and show him around the Yackandandah Primary School, where he was the first enrolled student when it became a Common School in 1864.

We'd see the activity and curriculum, and the focus of current pursuits with the children.

I'd also explain how female teachers can keep working even when they are married!

Why would you show him that?

I'd like to show him the school as an example of society's progress and because I think he'd enjoy revisiting the classrooms.

What book are you reading?

I'm currently on my third reading of Bill Bryson's 'Down Under'.

His work is thoroughly entertaining and always gives me a good laugh, even when I know what's coming.