Maree Camillo spent her childhood roaming around Wyndham Vale with her cousins. The 64-year-old florist shares her story with Charlene Macaulay.
What’s your connection to the Wyndham area?
The whole family has been in Werribee for more than 100 years. My great-grandfather, Henry Hopper, was one of Werribee council’s original councillors. My nanna and her sister, married my pop and his brother and they lived on the corner of Duke and Greaves Street. [The family all lived together in houses] down Duke Street and on the other end of Ballan Road – cousins, uncles, aunties – we all grew up there and had the best time.
What are some of your fondest childhood memories?
Living with my cousins, around my cousins. There was no fighting or carrying on, we’re all very family-oriented. It was all paddocks when I was a kid. We could go anywhere we wanted to, we never had to worry about stranger danger – we could leave home in the morning and come home for dinner at night. There was a whole group of us that used to hang around together and we used to roam around the back of Wyndham Vale.
There was a swimming pool at the metro farm and we used to all go down there and swim in Bungie’s hole, it was the best fun.
Tell me about your husband, Romeo.
I’ve been married just over 41 years. He actually got his friend to ask me out for him, because he was very shy. I said yes, and it was love at first sight. I met him when he was 18 and I was 20. He’s still just as beautiful as he was back then. I’ve got two girls, Page and Shea, and three grandchildren.
You work at Station Place florist. How did you get into floristry?
I worked in a printing company for 12 years, mostly in Collingwood, Melbourne and South Yarra, and there were a whole group of us –again, cousins and family – who worked in the same place. I’ve worked with the Station Place Florist for 15 years. My sisters were florists, and when I left the printing company I worked at an Altona florist. I’ve always loved floristry and I’ve always loved flowers. My favourite flower would have to be the orchid.
What are some of your hobbies outside of work?
I like to sew, I like shopping – I’m a mad op-shopper. I was in the garden club for 10 years and I loved that. I love AFL and I love Collingwood. I don’t go to games a lot, but I get to the stage where I feel like I’m going to be ill if they don’t win.
