Have you always wanted to run a café?Ms Helu: I think for about five years we have been talking of wanting our own food business. We’re foodies and brunch lovers, and we like visiting neighbourhood café places.
Mr Helu: What I enjoy most is satisfying the customers. We’ve been to lots of places before which don’t have that welcoming, homely feel. You feel welcome here, no matter what.
Ms Helu: We’ve already got returning customers, who bring their dogs to sit out the front where we have little water bowls. The café, Jock and Mack, is named after our family dogs. They passed away five years ago, and thinking of them brings back lots of lovely memories for us. We wanted a café name that was individual, quirky and meaningful. And dogs and cafes go perfectly together.
And your café is located inside the former post office and news agency building on Old Geelong Road.
Ms Helu: We still have people come and go, ‘Oh, it’s (the post office) not here anymore. We didn’t realise’.
You both have strong ties to the west?
Ms Helu: I was born into Hoppers Crossing, when it didn’t look like it does today. I went to Heathdale Christian College when it only cost something like $300 a year to attend. I then spent half my life in the east, got married and came back here. Our first family home was in Tarneit, we were there for eight years. Now we live in Point Cook.
Mr Helu: I was born in Tonga and came to Australia when I was 12. I’ve always lived in the west. I started in Yarraville, then moved up here to Werribee and Hoppers Crossing.
What do you like most about Wyndham?
Ms Helu: For us, the sporting facilities are very important. Our three sons all play sport. Eagle Stadium is amazing. We also love the walking tracks in Point Cook. There is a lot of diversity here too, it’s great we can go out and get all types of food. We have all different types of festivals here now. In the end, we are raising our children here. We love the train lines, the children take the train to school and it’s really easy for them. The libraries have lots of services – including chess clubs and coding. There are lots of really great services in Wyndham now, for families.
How has the area changed since you were a child?
Ms Helu: Just the explosion of all the homes. Pacific Werribee has massively changed – that’s really good, we feel as though we don’t always have to go to Highpoint!
