HUMANS OF MURWILLUMBAH | PART FOUR
cHELLE WALLACE
“Raised in Geelong Victoria I grew up in a freshly culled suburb that lacked the soft edges I craved. The developers overlooked a thin strip of forest by the railway line near my house and I would ride my dragster bike there often and just hang out under trees and imagine I was Laura Ingles. It’s no wonder I found my way to this little piece of old world paradise, where I have lived with my lovely partner Dave for over 15 years, raising our two now adult children.
I started my working life at 15 as a hairdresser and didn’t get to be as creative as I hoped…even though it was the eighties so clearly I was hard to please. Interested to see if my brain had more potential than defined by school, I nervously went to uni at 21. Once I found my feet, each year improved on the previous, and I completed studies in psychology and teaching. After a brief stint as a high school teacher Dave and I left for a year of travel in Sth America and Europe. We decided to have babies upon return and I knew I would never manage parenting and teaching so I eventually returned to education as a Counsellor and still do this work part time now.
Creativity has always called. I harassed mum silly to do dance or singing classes but living 20 mins out of town I got a flat no from her. She was like follow your dreams when you get a car and licence. So I did…I got dance classes and singing lessons but my commitment and confidence was sketchy, until I met Dave who played guitar and we started performing together. I learnt keyboard which allowed me to write my own songs. I loved doing this in my bedroom, but it felt stressful doing it for an audience. Still after five years of performing at events and markets I had gathered enough confidence to throw my hand at another much loved pastime photography. Something I had adored since I was a kid and would dress up my younger neighbours for photo shoots.
I had my first group show in 2016. There was plenty to improve on and probably my daring outran my ability. It still often does and I’m so grateful I tend to start things before a proper analysis might deem me qualified enough to do so. I think having little confidence as a youngster, I had a lot to catch up on and so these last twenty years I have been doing exactly that. Every creative who puts their work on show has to overcome self doubt. I think this diminishes the more you do it, but it doesn’t go away altogether. I never let it get in the way though. I love that I have a little studio at M|Arts called Bunny and Fig with a dear friend where I can share and sell my photography. We love each other’s creations and we are kind and encouraging of each other. It brings me so much joy to see our art bring a space to life. All my work is very personal and I love knowing it connects with others and that over the years it has found its way into many homes. Images that hold a story evoke so much conversation and shared memories. That makes me smile a lot.”
What brought you to Murwillumbah and what do you love most about living in town or in the surrounding areas? My partner Dave grew up in Murwillumbah. When we met in 1997 there was the one and only amazing Austral, so if we visited Dave’s parents we would head to Byron or Kingscliff for some variety. After living in Brisbane together and pining to be closer to nature we made our way further south and by the time we had two children we decided to settle in Burringbar, and then Murwillumbah for the past 15 years. I love that Dave’s dad worked at the Sugar Mill for over twenty five years and was a union man who made a difference to workers rights, and that his mum, and many from her era still represent the original fabric of this town. I love its old character; that it’s a little bit daggy and a little bit cool, the delicious multicultural food, independent shops, art, so many good people and a strong sense of community. I love that my kids grew up under the same mountain that watched over their Dad and that the Austral served them both after school milk shakes some thirty or so years apart.
What inspired you to start your business in Murwillumbah? I had a suppressed creative fire that had been urging me in that direction for many years. I expressed this initially through music but had always loved photography. Wollumbin and North Coast landscapes were my first subjects and Bowerbird was one of the first shops to take my art and still stocks it now. When TAFE started a six year long restructure and my job there felt insecure I got more serious about earning a part income from photography. I never intended to have a shop. I had planned a Christmas pop up at M|Arts in 2021 and I asked Lisa from Funky Bunny to join me. We are such a great team and we loved the experience and so two weeks turned into what will be three years this coming December.
Can you share a story about a time when the Murwillumbah community came together to support one another? We have had two major floods in the last seven years and each time the generosity in our community has been mind blowing. It is not easy for a community, and especially those impacted to bounce back from the wreckage of flood… the loss and the long, back breaking effort to recreate a liveable home or a lost livelihood, and the psychological toll continues long after the mud has gone. Community in our town brought much strength and hope during and after both these catastrophic events.
What are some spots in town that you would recommend to visitors? Of course I am going to say M|Arts and the wonderful artist studio’s, along with the great food- Kat Harvey Cheese, Livi and the cafe-bar with its decadent period lounges. The Tweed Regional Art Gallery and the Museum are a must, and I reckon a ride at our pool’s super cool waterslide will bring glee to anyone’s day.
How do you envision the future of Murwillumbah? After Covid and the last flood and more recently economic hardship I think many of us retreated inward to rest and recover. I would love for Murwillumbah to draw us out again daily into open, green spaces. I fantasise about a coffee and food van by The River at Budd Park… Knox park could work too… with bean bags and umbrellas scattered about where we can take our kids and our dogs and meet friends or lounge on our own with a book. Maybe with an outdoor cinema on occasion too. I am hoping our Regent Theatre comes back to life; that the Banana Festival is reinstated; that TAFE (where I still work) becomes a centre for excellence in the arts. I’m hoping the Austral once again offers its treats in after school hours, and that we keep building on the artistic and cultural energy that has blossomed in our town, with the gorgeous Kinship Festival, The Art Trail, The Citadel, and the recent Museum Street Party. Keen to know how we get an invite to a Sikh temple celebration. Sometimes I walk past it and a flush of vibrant colours arrest my imagination. So much to grow and be proud of in Murwillumbah. Not such a hidden secret anymore.
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