How long have you lived/worked in Eden?
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I came to Eden over 30 years ago as a 19-year-old, bought a caravan and moved my little home into the Garden of Eden Caravan Park, where the (now retired) owners Geoff and Diane Swane looked after me like a second mum & dad. For five years I worked with good people at the forestry office, but then a little clothes shop came up for sale in the main street called Simply Irresistible which I liked so much I bought it! The locals have supported me there for 26 years now. Somewhere in those years I also became a photographer and my adventure as a partner in DoubleTake Photographics began. At the moment we're being kept busy with real estate photography for agents both within and outside of the Bega Valley.
What do you like most about your job?
Simplys: The people.
DoubleTake: All the beautiful places and amazing events the camera takes you! One minute you're standing beneath a blanket of stars in the wilderness at 2am capturing the Milky Way, the next you're videoing a fairy-tale wedding in Sydney. We'd never have been in the lucky position to have conducted Greedy Smith's last interview without a camera.
What do you like least about your job?
Simplys: Hangers!
DoubleTake: Hours upon hours spent at the computer editing.
What's your favourite place in Eden and/or the Bega Valley?
My favourite place in Eden is anywhere I can see Balawan (Mt Imlay). My favourite place in the Bega Valley, is Eden.
If you won $1miillion what would you do first?
Faint.
What is one thing you cannot live without?
Thing? My cameras! Well I suppose I'd live but I'd be a lot less happy.
What are three words that describe Eden best?
Working Mans' Town.
What do you think Eden needs the most as a community?
As a community Eden has the heart and resilience of a township made up of generations of working families, whose blood sweat & tears the town was built upon. I've seen community morale sadly drop over the last couple of decades with the crippling of Eden's major industries, with many families having to move away for work. In recent years prior to the 2020 fires and Covid19, optimism had been rebuilding with the growth of employment through tourism. Apart from jobs, the community needs to feel heard and cared about by powers that be.
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