How long have you been in Mount Beauty? I’m originally from Melbourne and in 2010 I applied to do my first snow season at Falls Creek. I would spend my summers in Melbourne and then my winters at Falls Creek. I did this from 2010-2018 when I got sick of moving back and forth a decided to live at Falls Creek year-round. I made the move down the hill in 2022 and continued to make the daily commute up and down the hill. Recently I’ve changed careers and work in the local Community Bank Mount Beauty, so my commute has gone from 40 minutes four down to four minutes. What do you like about the area? The obvious answer is the backdrop of the snowcapped mountains in winter and the trees in autumn. The pace is nice. You can stop and have a chat to people in the street and at their place of work. People here seem to have the time for you. Being a tourist town it’s good when it's busy as people are drawn here for the holiday periods but then it's great knowing that we’ve got the place to ourselves for most of the year. Would you like to see any additions or changes? I think the town itself has had a few rough years. From bushfires, into Covid, then the landslide at Bogong and now two years of rolling winter seasons wrapping up early has all had a flow-on affect that we haven’t been able to showcase how great the valley is. I would just love to see the town get a steady go and have businesses thrive across the board. I’ve recently spoken to a local who has the passion of, one day, putting together a Frisbee Golf Course in Mount Beauty which would be a great addition to the area. We’d be able to show off the mountains nearby while also getting families and friends outside in the fresh air. What do you do for work, your hobbies and interests? After working 15 seasons up at Falls Creek I’ve recently switched careers and currently work as the Community Engagement Advisor for Community Bank Mount Beauty & District. Coming from Melbourne I’m very much into my AFL and try to watch as many games during the winter as I can despite being a tragic Essendon supporter. I very much enjoy my music. I’m lucky enough to have been to maybe 50 concerts or so and music sounds and feels better when its live. In my free time I enjoy watching movies and playing video games. Where would you take visiting friends to showcase the area? Any friends that I have visit the area I try to take them out for a round of golf at the Mount Beauty Golf Course. With the backdrop of the mountains, and the kangaroos on the course, it’s truly a remarkable sight to step back and take it all in. Some of the beautiful scenery and surroundings we have I know my friends drive at least an hour back home for something that is on our backyard.
