Rose Filippin can tell a good yarn. The long-time Werribee South resident has been running her business, Rose‘s Knitting Centre, since 1979. The mother-of-four, who also has eight grandchildren, speaks with Alesha Capone.
Tell me about your connection to Wyndham.
I’m proud of Werribee. I was born and bred here and I went to St Andrew’s Catholic Primary School.
My parents came here from Italy in the ’20s, and so did my husband’s parents.
I worked at O’Toole’s supermarket in Werribee, where Ballan House is now. I worked for Jack O’Toole for seven years, until I got married. When I started at the supermarket in 1965, I knew all of the customers by their first name.
What do you like most about Werribee?
Werribee’s a beautiful town, it is a town where there is a lot going for it – including craft-wise and culturally-wise. We embrace all cultures and we are very diverse.
Werribee is a place I really love, I really try to give back to the community. It’s got charisma, and facilities – Pacific Werribee has really come along. I love the streetscape in Werribee, there is a beautiful streetscape there. It’s got wonderful cafes, it’s become a cafe culture. I like to shop locally as Werribee has a lot to offer.
Where is your favourite place in Wyndham?
My home-base, where I like having my family around the table. My favourite pastime is having my family around the table here, my grandchildren, daughters and sons-in-law, having a chat and a laugh.
And where do you like eating in Wyndham?
I have recently gone to The Views at the Werribee Park Golf Course. It’s my favourite place to have a meal.
What would you like to see change in the local area?
I’d like to see more knitting and crochet groups in Werribee. There is a lot of demand for knitting groups in Werribee. I love wool with a passion, it has always been my passion since my sister Lyn introduced me to it when I was 11.
