Esther Lauaki
Steve Fletcher has lived in Werribee for more than 50 years. The long-time local tells Esther Lauaki about his connection to the area .
What’s your connection to Wyndham?
Long time Werribee resident.
How long have you lived in the area?
Pretty much a life-long resident. We moved to Werribee aSt North around 1965 when I was two years old and then moved to Windermere off Ballan Rd. Years later it became Wyndham Vale and we were one of the only houses out there at the time. My father only just moved out of the area less than 12 month ago.
What are you passionate about?
I’m passionate about this community.
You’ve been very involved in the level crossing removal projects in other parts of Melbourne. Tell us briefly what you do.
Working as an electrician on the jobs, I’ve been working on 33 of the level crossing removals.
What are your thoughts on the removal of Wyndham’s three level crossings?
As a local, I only recently became aware of the designs for the Werribee Street, Cherry Street and Old Geelong Road level crossing removal when I received a flyer in the mail.
I don’t think that these designs will help the traffic across Wyndham. If anything they will make traffic worse.
What other hats do you wear in the Wyndham community?
I’m a member of the Werribee Districts Football Club. I also support the Werribee VFL and my kids play basketball with the Werribee Devils.
What’s the quirkiest thing about you?
There’s a lot of skeletons in the closet. My cricket mates at Seabrook call me Caspa because I disappear when I’ve had a few to drink. I’ll just “exit stage left” without a word.
What do you love about Wyndham?
My family. Alison, my wife and our children Jack and Caitlin. We’ve lived here for many years and our children are growing up here now. If you’ve been out here for so long you have so many connections to people here. We love our local sports and the friendships that we’ve made over the years. Werribee is a great place.
What would you like to see improved?
The development has taken over the infrastructure. I just don’t want to see it become a sprawling mass of confusion. It’s an old town and the infrastructure doesn’t cope with the explosion of development that’s happened.
You’ve got to take time and let [Wyndham] breathe. A bit more foresight…and make decisions that will be better long term. It’s easy for council to approve permits and open up subdivisions but then say they have no say in what happens with the roads.
