What’s your connection to the local community?
I lived in Hoppers Crossing for 28 years and now live in Point Cook. I’m Wyndham’s mayor and volunteer at the diabetes support group as a facilitator at Kelly Park Community Centre in Werribee on a monthly basis. I’m also president of the Werribee Environmental Community Park committee and we established one of the first community gardens in Wyndham. We grow fresh vegetables with the help of other volunteers, including people from AMES [Adult Multicultural Education Services], South West Medicare, Iranian refugees and many more.
Wyndham mayor Bob Fairclough has lived in the area for almost 30 years.
Where’s your favourite retreat spot?
Alamanda Café in Alamanda estate, Point Cook. I like to go there with my family because it’s in a sustainable area on a lake where we can admire the wildlife.
What’s your favourite eatery?
I like to visit Chatterbox Cafe on Watton Street for a fantastic breakfast of scrambled eggs, bacon and mushrooms.
Lunch at Waterstone Café on the lake in Point Cook is also a favourite. It’s great to sit and have a lamb salad with family and friends while watching the birds, ducks and swans.
With such a diverse range of people living in Wyndham we benefit from a wider range of restaurants to eat at, including Filipino and Vietnamese.
What would you change in your neighbourhood?
I’d like to see more connections – footpaths – along Werribee River and Skeleton Creek. To see the Bayview Trail connected to Federation Trail, especially for cyclists.
It would also be good to see more people visiting the Werribee Open Range Zoo and mansion and Werribee South’s lovely beach.
What would you not change?
All the hard-working volunteers, including emergency services and people in the sports, environmental, cultural and arts areas.
Your most embarrassing moment?
I was attending a photo event with a previous mayor and we parked on the nature strip. After the photos we went back to the car and went to drive off, but it was stuck in the mud.
I tried to move the car and ended up getting my suit covered in mud and the council had to tow the car away.
