Genevieve Jackson is a library programs outreach support officer in Wyndham and runs programs such as Rhyme Time, as well as Craft and Conversations. She spoke with Jaidyn Kennedy about her connection to Wyndham.
Can you tell us a little bit about yourself and what you do?
I am a visual artist, I love to paint really bright and colourful nature scenes and I am a mum to a four-year-old who runs rings around me. My husband and I met while working at a zoo, and we are both really passionate about nature, education and the arts. I have always loved forming connections and community and I have a passion for lifelong learning, so a lot of my career has been working in roles that tie in those elements.
What is your connection to Wyndham?
Although I grew up in Camden in southwest Sydney, it’s actually not dissimilar to Wyndham, including aspects like the agricultural land and the dry sclerophyll bushland found in both. Wyndham feels very much like home in that respect. I also run regular book borrowing sessions and library outreach where our team drive around in a brightly coloured library van bringing a bit of the library to as many people as we can, reaching pockets of the community that do not have easy access to public transport or library branches. Our goal is bridging the gap in the service, spruiking the awesome offering of public libraries and giving everyone equitable opportunities to access these services.
What are some of your favourite spaces to spend time in Wyndham?
Wyndham has beautiful parks, wetlands and beaches and some great public art. I particularly love the Hunter building mural by Tommy Day, also known as, Jirri Jirri. It’s a big colourful depiction of Bunjil the indigenous creator deity, you can’t miss it, it’s huge!
I am blessed to be able to work in some of my favourite locations around Wyndham, and on a sunny morning, one of the best places to be is by the Werribee South beach; singing, dancing and reading with a bunch of little kids. There is an interesting juxtaposition of landscapes that I love in Wyndham- there is the beach and salt marshes, the farmland, the endemic patches of bush and the hustle bustle of the multicultural metropolis. Driving from Werribee South beach inland on Diggers Road, you get a very cool snapshot of a little piece of the world that is exceptionally diverse and dynamic.
What is something people might be surprised to know about you?
I used to own over 30 reptiles. My husband and I used to keep and breed Australian native geckos and other lizards. If you can imagine a cute little animal that looks like an anime cartoon character, that’s basically a smooth knob-tailed gecko. With huge unblinking eyes and a very colourful body they are such sweet little dudes. These days our Aussie shepherd and my daughter are enough entertainment and less upkeep.
