Inspiration

Profile on Paekākāriki artist Alan Wehipeihana

It’s no secret jobs in academia are hard to come by. Linda knows this well. “I completed my PhD in the arts a few years ago in Sydney,” Linda tells us. “There weren’t many options for lecturers and researchers in the major cities.” But then a role came up – Head of Course for the Bachelor of Theatre at a university at Mackay. Linda jumped at the opportunity, and life became better for it. She works closely with the students in the theatre space, running classes and putting on productions. “We do a full production each term and bring in a guest director,” Linda says. “The other part of the role is doing research – that I’m really fascinated by – in applied theatre and applied arts.” Because Linda is based in a regional university, she has been able to secure more grants towards her research. Like most people working in the arts, Linda is very social and loves to go out. Naturally, she was unsure whether Mackay would be able to compare to the culture of a major city. But she was pleasantly surprised. “There’s a lot of interesting art all around Mackay,” she explains. “There are great pubs, and they all do a really good steak. I also discovered fabulous niche restaurants.” So the food and art is great, but what about the people? “I found here people are much friendlier than in the city,” she says. “Everyone smiles, everyone says hello, and even at the supermarket, the cashier will have a chat.” In between her academic work, and spending time in town, Linda enjoys relaxing in her Queenslander home by the pool – a property that would have been a luxury in Sydney. On the weekend, she takes her Border Collie out for a drive to the surrounding areas. “You can be at the rainforest in 45 minutes or go up the road and be in a national park,” she explains. “You can be on the beach and feed the wallabies at sunrise. It’s remarkable.” Linda’s move has created so many “mores” in her day-to-day, such as more space, more creative freedom in her job, and more time to relax. Has Linda’s story inspired you to consider a better life in regional Australia? You can search for towns, jobs, schools and other resources on the Move To More website. Find your more today!

Produced through support from the Ministry for Womens Suffrage125 Community Projects Fund. Tutere Gallery in collaboration with Mai Kapiti.