Uralla girl Jess Chandler never imagined celebrating Mother’s Day this year, as her first baby was not due until May 2012. However, her daughter Jasmine arrived much earlier than expected! Jess shares her amazing journey …       How long have you lived in this region? Nearly 26 years; all my life. The premature birth of your daughter necessitated  your transfer from Armidale... [Read more]

Milly and Ariane Mazzei are a very special mother and daughter team who share a love for horse riding. Read why FOCUS would like to award ‘Local Mother Of The Year’ to this fabulous mum.        How old is Milly and what are her disabilities? Milly is 9 years old and in Year 4 at St Mary’s Catholic Primary School in Armidale. In 2007, while in preschool, she was diagnosed with... [Read more]

The ADMS 2012 production of The Hatpin takes you on a moving journey of great friendship borne out of tragedy.          Directed by George Torbay with musical direction by Bruce Menzies, The Hatpin is based on the true story of Amber Murray, a young single-mother living in Sydney in 1892, who advertised for someone to care for her baby to save his life and became embroiled in one... [Read more]

Lynda Lynch has joined the FOCUS team because she shares our passion for the New England region. She is excited to bring our readers great community stories and to help local business with their marketing.        How long have you lived in Armidale? In December 2000, I moved to Armidale with my husband, Matt, as he gained a promotion within the NSW Police Force. It was a good change from... [Read more]

St John’s Junior School was recently ranked as the top primary school in the region. We speak with Dimity Fenwicke about the school’s expansion of its Transition Program.         First of all Dimity, what exactly is Transition? Transition is a program we offer at St John’s for students who are four years old. The program is designed to allow the natural progression of informal... [Read more]

A word from Australian sports presenter Stephanie Brantz, the 2012 Business Awards special guest speaker.            Where did you grow up, and how do you know our Chamber’s CEO, Liz Egan? I was born in Brisbane, and met Liz when we were five years old and starting school together in Year One at St Peter’s Lutheran College in Indooroopilly. Liz and I went through 12 years... [Read more]

Graham East is the CEO of EdAlive and ZooWhiz. This is a story about a teacher who is making a huge difference, by supplying educational software across the country.       What is your teaching history? I guess teaching is in my blood. My parents were both high school science teachers. I started my 12 years as a primary school teacher in Toowoomba in 1976, then moved to Mornington Island,... [Read more]

YOUNG leaders from across Australia and India will converge on Armidale next month for the 2012 Junior Round Square Conference being organised by The Armidale School and New England Girls’ School. Heather Fisher, NEGS Round Square co-ordinator, talks about the exciting program. First of all Heather, what is the Round Square organisation? Round Square is a global organisation of around 100 schools,... [Read more]

When did you first get behind the lens? My passion for photography began as a 10-year-old, when I started documenting school excursions and family life with a basic Kodak ‘film’ camera in primary school.     I learned how to process black and white film and paper in a high school photography class and was instantly drawn to the magic of watching an image appear on photographic paper... [Read more]

We catch up with local accountant Grahame Sharpe, to find out why his firm is sponsoring AUSTRALIAN YEAR OF THE FARMER         What is your position, and how long have you been with Smith Sharpe & Abbott?  I am one of three partners, and I have been with the firm since it commenced in 2002. Who is organising the Australian Year of the Farmer, and what is its purpose? The AYOF... [Read more]

“When you’re left with nothing, you try and hold on to everything.”           With a tale that will linger with you for a lifetime, the Armidale Drama & Musical Society presents The Hatpin, a compelling new Australian musical of great friendship borne out of tragedy. It is a dramatic thriller that deals with notions of motherhood and companionship under extraordinary... [Read more]

Linda Agnew is Lecturer in Biomedical Sciences at UNE. Although she is legally blind, Linda dedicates her spare time to helping the less fortunate. She shares how she and her local church group are assisting to improve Vanuatu’s education and healthcare systems.   What do you love most about your career? I love the variety of being both a scientist and an academic. I am passionate about science,... [Read more]

Lachie Onslow of Fleet Helicopters in Armidale has been a pilot for 21 years. His skills have grown from helping his family’s aerial super spreading business in regional Australia to racing jets in Reno, Nevada, USA.     Have you grown up around aircraft? Yes, I have always been around aircraft from my first memory. My father had a small aeroplane called a Thorpe T111, and I would annoy... [Read more]

Uralla born Duncan Elks has recently been crowned Australia’s current leading ABCRA champion bull rider …         How long have you lived in this region? Describe your childhood … I have lived in this region all my life. I grew up in Uralla and went to school at Uralla Central. My Dad has a trucking transport business, and I spent a lot time travelling with him... [Read more]

Harold Ritch, well known in Armidale for his advocacy for people in need, has taken on a new role with The Ascent Group – to develop the organisation’s many commercial ventures involving people with disabilities.     Tell us about your new role at The Ascent Group? The Ascent Group (TAG) CEO Kevin Mead asked me to take on the role as Business Development Manager late last year. I see... [Read more]

The 16th Principal of New England Girls’ School, Peter Hodge, officially took the reins of one of Australia’s oldest girls’ boarding schools in January. We speak with the educator about his career and ambitions for the school.                                                               You’ve worked for the Queensland Department of Education, in Papua New... [Read more]

With the new Cleanaway Armidale waste collection contract having recently commenced, we sat down with Cleanaway Branch Manager for North Western NSW, Stuart Carsley (pictured right), to learn a little bit more about him, the business and what the new contract means for local resident. In 2011, the Armidale and Guyra Councils awarded Cleanaway the contract to provide general waste collection services... [Read more]

We catch up with Stuart McCullough from Australian Wool Innovation Limited (AWI). He describes the close relationship between AWI and The Australian Wool Fashion Awards’ Director Liz Foster and how together, they are changing direction in 2012.   Tell us about your employer, Australian Wool Innovation (AWI) … Australian Wool Innovation (AWI) is a not-for-profit company which invests in... [Read more]

Jason Andrews is the Principal of New England Veterinary Centres. He shares his excitement about the relocation of the Armidale Clinic and also gives us some helpful advice on pet ownership.     How long have you owned NE Vet Centres? Six years now; time has really flown! In which order did you open your three vet clinics? We acquired the Armidale and Guyra clinics together in 2006. As well... [Read more]

Hoskins Centre Manager, Emma Buzo, tells us about the dynamic season of touring and local shows to be staged this year; while TAS student, Tom Henderson, talks about his title role in the upcoming production of Joseph and his Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat.   Emma, how did the plan for a season of diverse productions and events come about? I came to Armidale, having been a theatre producer, actor,... [Read more]

Last year Opera in the Paddock celebrated its first ten years with celebrations and fireworks. This month, the concert enters its second decade with a line up of talented performers and an exciting program for music lovers from the local region and across the eastern seaboard. Each year popular events like Inverell’s Opera in the Paddock face the test of reinventing themselves, while preserving the... [Read more]

Phoebe Briggs, who will conduct Inverell’s Opera in the Paddock concert on March 24, is not exactly a country girl, but does live on three acres 25 km north east of Melbourne. She says she is looking forward to the Paddock experience, the beauty of the setting and working with “a lovely group of singers and musicians”. When Opera Australia approached Phoebe Briggs to be guest conductor at this... [Read more]

Some of the greatest Legends Of League are about to hit Armidale. The international Legends of League match will be played in Armidale on 17 March at the Armidale sportsground. In a first of it’s kind for NSW this is a major event for Armidale, the event is to raise money for the Armidale Hospital. The players will arrive on Thursday morning and do school coaching clinics as well as a visit to the... [Read more]

“Don’t be so reckless” are words most familiar to the die hard fans of the eighties popular band, Australian Crawl (our editor being one of them). Here’s what James Reyne had to say to Sue Dee when she asked him why he’s coming Armidale on March 17.   What have been the highlights of your career since you left Australian Crawl? Actually, Leaving Australian Crawl to go solo was the biggest... [Read more]

Barry Hackett is a familiar face in the Armidale Mall, having owned the Sandwich Shop for 6 years. He recently went on an overseas trip and drops us a line to share the highs and lows of his adventure.     Tell us about your family … Denise and I were married in 1974 and have three sons (Gareth, Rhys and Liam). Rhys and his partner, Melissa, live and work locally, and Liam lives and... [Read more]

Those who know Anthony Kelly, the Arrow Catcher, would describe him as a very high achiever. With 29 world records behind him (and 3 still pending), Anthony is a proud Armidalian and ambassador for our region.     How is your New England Martial Arts Centre (NEMAC) going? Excellent! We now have over 200 students training 5 days a week and 6 government accredited coaches instructing. I must... [Read more]

Armidale resident, George Torbay, became a household name in 2008 after appearing as host judge on Australia’s reality music show, Battle Of the Choirs. He drops us a line to tell us about his latest project, The Hatpin.     How long have you lived in Armidale? I grew up in Armidale. After I finished school, I left to take up a scholarship at the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston,... [Read more]

As a Year 10 student, Alexandra Hawthorne of O’Connor Catholic College ventured over to Nepal. In this interview she explains how her trip has deepened her appreciation for the Australian education system and the love of her family.     How did you first become interested in the children of Nepal? I first heard of Forgetmenot Children’s Home in Nepal through a family friend who was involved... [Read more]

Renaissance of a New England Village.             The universal law of attraction is a strange and wonderful thing, and the little village of Kentucky is a great example of this. Twenty years ago, it was a cluster of cottages and houses on small acreages, a village store and a primary school with a dwindling number of students. Many of the vacant timber cottages were falling... [Read more]

Register Now for Encore in Armidale. The Exercise Program Provides Best Results for Recovery Post Breast Cancer Surgery         Register now for the new term of the 2012 YWCA NSW Encore Program, an innovative and inspiring approach to recovery from breast cancer surgery. It’s a proven exercise program offered free in Armidale by YWCA NSW. The YWCA Encore Program is a gentle exercise... [Read more]