Pauline Anderson is a lifelong Wyndham resident. She shared a bit of her story with Jaidyn Kennedy
Tell us a bit about yourself
I am married with four children and five grandchildren. I qualified as a primary school teacher, but spent the majority of my working life in adult education. I worked for the Werribee Community Centre, (known by many as The Cottage) acting as manager for the 15 years before I retired. After retiring I remained involved acting as chairperson for the board of management. I have been awarded a life membership for my work. I am part of a local genealogy community, run through the library. We have a caravan and love travelling around our wonderful country.
What is your connection to the Wyndham community?
I was born in Werribee. It was a little country town back then, about 8000 people. I grew up here, attending St Andrews Primary school and Mount St Josephs in Altona. My mother also grew up in Werribee and my father taught at Werribee Primary school for a while. They were both very involved in the local community and I have followed in their footsteps. Since retiring I have joined the Hoppers Crossing Ladies Probus Club, holding several committee positions including being president twice. Having lived here most of my life I have friends here and my children and grandchildren are nearby.
What do you like about where you live?
Despite the growth of the area, in some ways it still feels like a country town. I really like all the choices of restaurants. I love the Werribee River. It is beautiful and changes in different areas. We love to walk along the paths beside it. I also like the easy access to the beach and the country.
What is something people might be surprised to know about you?
I love to cook. When I was working full time and bringing up four children I didn’t have a lot of time for it, but now I can go back to it and experiment with different recipes.
Explain your love for the Probus club
Probus is a great way to meet new people and make new friends. Many of our members have moved to Wyndham in recent years and it gives them a chance to meet people they would not otherwise meet. Our club members are very friendly, and the lunches and outings are a great social outlet.
Where are your favourite places to spend time in Wyndham?
The walking tracks along the Werribee River and the lakes in Manor Lakes. I like the variety of international Werribee restaurants in Watton Street, as well as Garden Feast and the Racecourse Hotel. Werribee Mansion and the zoo are frequently visited places.
If there is anything you could change about your area, what would it be?
Perhaps we could slow the growth a bit to allow time for the infrastructure to catch up. We desperately need the new bridge over the river to connect Manor Lakes with Tarneit. It would ease a lot of the issues we have with Ballan Road traffic congestion.
