By Alesha Capone
Elena Morandini has lived in Point Cook for 16 years, and runs EXPERTA Accounting & Business Services in the same suburb.
How did you come to live in Point Cook?
We moved from Verona, Italy in 2004. We rented a nice house in Sanctuary Lakes, when there was only 2500 residents. The choice of Point Cook is part of our family history now. My late husband Paul and our son Carlo “pioneered” in Australia three months before we moved with the full family. They travelled for an entire month and visited Sydney, Brisbane, Perth and finally Melbourne…. they kept our wonderful city and Point Cook as the last place to visit. After taking 2500 photos and collecting a huge amount of information, they returned to Italy for me and our little daughter Maddy, who was at the time eight months old. We moved to Point Cook for a special particular reason: there was everything to be built and the opportunity of our children growing up here was looking fantastic.
How has Point Cook changed since then?
The area we moved into was completely flat and a paddock for sheep grazing and birds resting from migration to other countries. Our house was one of the three houses built on our part of the estate. Point Cook has changed a lot in the last seven years in particular. Alamanda estate came along and all the estates on Snyedes Road, adding at least five traffic lights where before there was none, childcare, schools, secondary colleges. Sanctuary Lakes Shopping Centre was a little local shopping place where the carpark was empty pretty much the whole weekend and traffic was nearly unknown. Going to Bunnings would have taken 15 minutes and it became my and late husband’s favourite destination during that time.
How did you come to be in the field of accounting and business services?
Paul and I were in the same field, working for more than 20 years before moving to Australia. He was a tax agent and I was assistant accountant, payrolls and accounting manager in various private companies. We started with the franchise of Jim’s Bookkeeping Point Cook and opened our office at Unit 18, 22-30 Wallace Avenue in 2008. We are currently operating from the same office now after rebranding as EXPERTA Accounting & Business Service. Experta means “expert” plus the final “a” per the Italian adjective referring to a feminine subject. That’s my personal touch on the power of a woman in business with all female staff. I love what I do, and my team is my strength.
Are you involved with any community organisations?
I have involved for 11 wonderful years with Toastmasters International Werribee Club, where I have met the most incredible and fantastic people living in Wyndham. I am also being nearly adopted as Nonna by a young family, with a beautiful sweet girl Eveline, just one year old, as COVID is keeping her grandmother away from Australia. My two grandchildren Scarlet, nearly four, and Maxwell Paul, one month old, are giving me an exceptional new energy and I love to make someone else happy too. When walking my dog I collect rubbish in the parks, old batteries, cans, paper and lots of plastic. I donate clothes, toys, books, furniture and housewares to help families in need.
Do you have a favourite place in Wyndham to eat?
My favourite places to go for a meal are many because I love to have meals in all our great local restaurants and cafes. In particular I love Wyndham Cache for their wonderful handmade gnocchi, and The Views Restaurant for the risotto and the breathtaking view of the Werribee Golf and Werribee River Cliffs. Coffee at the Bean Smuggler is a must for me, breakfast and coffee with views of Alamanda estate lake at Alamanda Café is my favourite on sunny days. Wyndham Harbour Café is my to-do after the walk along the beach and back, as reward for the day. My best photo frames, candles, accessories, birthday gifts and wooden pens are always from Gracie’s Boutique and the fabulous owner Kerrie White. When I need flowers for personal and clients presents I go to Twig and Twine and the amazing Catherine McGrath. For business and personal catering I go to a new start-up business, JESS Catering with superchef Jerestene Saher, specialising in chocolate cakes and chocolate eggs.
Would you like to add anything else?
I love the Point Cook and Wyndham community and I am grateful for so many friends and loving people I met and I am meeting every day. Please keep an eye to each other and ask for help when you feel something is necessary in your life.
