Kellie Evans is a woman of many talents and a savvy businessperson. When her family made a tree change to Portland after an impromptu stop from Bathurst, a world of opportunities opened up.
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"We're [Kellie and her husband Rich] are project based people. We have a regional publication, we have our interest here in the annexe, which is the newest thing for us.
"We've created a an art gallery space, a micro market space, a pop up cafe, that just operates in between those hours. We're hoping to grow our co-working space, as well as running our other businesses from from here."
Kellie's contribution to the Annexe in Portland has seen a building be brought into the present, while retaining its rich history.
"I feel very lucky that we've been trusted with the space. It's a space that had been closed for the best part of 25 odd years. We see people that are residents come in and they'll share with us their memories of how they used to play basketball, they used to have netball, they came to a deb ball," she said.
Kellie's ventures have led her into a range of work within the community, including the management of the Foundations site in Portland.
"We kind of fall into things, so that has taken its own path for us. Rich handles all of the reactivation stuff, and I've been able to do the fun stuff. I help coordinate some markets, events and other really great community minded sorts of things,"
"We kind of dipped our toes into certain things and and they snowball really fast into being a whole other thing,"
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Kellie's achievements haven't come without struggle. However, she acknowledges that struggles are a part of life and strategises accordingly.
"I think in general, you have to have a plan. And then that way, when things go off track, you can manage what that challenge was. If you can always go back to the plan, it helps bring you back to that positive place of okay, so that happened, that was not what we had anticipated. How can we keep navigating forward with the learn that we've had over here? A challenge is always a learn"
Mental health is an important issue for Kellie and her family. Kellie believes it is important to acknowledge feelings in order to keep it in check.
"We've certainly had our own experiences around mental health and our family. I think It's very much a sign of the times that we live in that. If you don't, at some point, acknowledge that life is just a little overwhelming, then it will take you by surprise," she said.
Despite the struggles, Kellie has a bubbly, warm personality that makes anybody who comes into her orbit feel comfortable.
Kellie's advice for women in the community is not to seek too much advice.
"Sometimes we need to back our own ideas and back our own feelings on certain situations and outside opinions can be really important. Or they can just make you second guess yourself," she said
"At some point, you've got to take the feedback on and then think, if it applies, and if it doesn't say 'Thanks so much, appreciate your feedback', and then leave it to the side."
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Reidun Berntsen
Reidun is a Journalist and writer who lives in a country town 3 hours from Sydney, Australia. From a young age, Reidun has been in love with words and the infinite possibilities they bring. Stories, features and poems have been a major part of her writing career.
Reidun is a Journalist and writer who lives in a country town 3 hours from Sydney, Australia. From a young age, Reidun has been in love with words and the infinite possibilities they bring. Stories, features and poems have been a major part of her writing career.
