Sunbury Combined Probus Club secretary and longtime resident Carmel Wiegerink absolutely adores being a part of her local community. Carmel tells Elsie Lange how she and her husband live by the saying “Don’t wait for things to happen, make them happen”.
Tell us a bit about you and what you do?
I’m married, I grew up in the Ballarat area on potato farms. I did my nursing training in Ballarat, then came and did work in Melbourne in 1976. That’s where I met my now-husband. We lived in Vermont, but interest rates went skyrocketing. We sold our place in Vermont and bought our place here [in Sunbury] in 1981 and we’ve been in the same home since then.
We had six children, three girls and three boys. They’re all married, all have good jobs, and we have 12 grandchildren.
What’s your connection to Sunbury?
When we came to Sunbury, I had a couple of neighbours who had children, who came and welcomed me. I joined a mothers and child group and I’m friends with a lot of those women to this day. Then we got involved in community groups, we are community orientated and I think that comes from our parents.
What do you like about where you live?
It’s got great walking tracks, it was close to the primary school our children and now our grandchildren go to. A lot of them come here in the morning, and then they go off to school. It was close to the secondary school, the bus stop, the church we attend and the community gardens. We just like it here.
What, if anything, would you change about where you live?
It’s probably another crossing over the rail line. There’s only one at the moment, because they’re working on the rail crossing. I think they should have put another, even if it was a temporary crossing, in McDougall Road, especially for emergency services and people who live on the other side. Sunbury’s a bit congested at the moment.
It would be good too, if there were more community activities for young people to participate in. There is the sport, but if they’re not into sport… it would be lovely if there was something else for them.
Where is your favourite local place to spend time?
At home, with my family, listening to them chatter. My husband and I helped to set up a community garden, it’s called Jill Gibbs Neighbourhood Garden in Sunbury. It’s doing what we set it out to do: it’s building community.
We’re involved with church activities and I love having coffee with some friends. I’m the secretary of the probus club, one of the combined clubs of Sunbury, and my husband is the president. We like to be involved in the community.
Tell us something people would be surprised to know about you.
I went back to work at the age of 47. I went through a refresher course and still had children at school, but the eldest had finished… It took a lot of courage, but I’m glad I did it. I then worked for another 13 years.
