What is a Community?

Artwork by Natalie Powles

At first I thought a community was just a place, an area where you lived.

I was born in Wales. My family emigrated to Australia when I was eleven and we lived in Kurnell. At 23, I married an Italian from the Hills District in Sydney, whose family owned a flower and peach farm at Dural.

It wasn’t until I had my own home and family that I began to realise what it was to belong to a community, that feeling of pride and the rapport that grows from knowing your neighbours and other locals.

We had a hardware store in Glenorie, but my real introduction to the area was through Glenorie preschool, where our first child attended. Until then, living in a semi-rural area meant I rarely saw my neighbours, and only at the local shops. I began helping at the preschool, doing a few letters and flyers. We started working bees to maintain the gardens and fencing. Digging around in the dirt and cooking on the BBQ to feed the helpers brought a feeling of pride and satisfaction. It also made a safer, more enjoyable place for the preschoolers.

We were introduced to a variety of local cultures, including Italians, Maltese, Lebanese, Dutch and Chinese. My family enjoyed the many aromatic and diverse culinary delights, observed their mannerisms and witnessed many different cultural traditions, all of which enriched our lives.

Local farmers grew stone fruit, flowers and vegetables. They ran chicken and quail farms. Many sold their produce on roadside stalls, which added to the attraction of our area. We grew seasonal flowers and sold them at the Sydney flower markets.

Over the years, our business supported many local groups, including the rural fire brigades, scouts, schools and various sporting clubs. This helped give us a sense of purpose, pride and appreciation.

I remained in Glenorie for 40 years and came to know all the rural villages in the area. I made some very dear friends. My children now have a strong sense of place — they know what it means to belong, and to help others.

I recently moved to Ettalong Beach on the Central Coast and am looking forward to enjoying my new life here, supporting the local businesses and making new friends.