Local Faces: Kelly Burchard

I've only lived in Sandgate for a few months, and I find people are really friendly here. It's a happy environment.

And everything's pretty close ' you discover all these new little places. I love going walking along the waterfront, especially now they have the off-leash dog area, because [my dog] Casper loves that.

I work as a disability support worker; I've done that for about 16 years. It was first introduced to me through my family, because my Dad worked with people with disabilities in Toowoomba. I got to meet a lot of people, and just always had a soft heart for them. And they teach you so many things; they teach you to be grateful for little things. It's just work I've enjoyed, and even more now that I have one private client. We go to art classes, on holidays, to the pool. [To do this job well] I think you've just got to want the best for them ' look at their abilities, not their disabilities.

I was born in Goulburn, NSW, near Canberra. When I was about 15, I moved to Toowoomba with my family, and had my two kids Danny (now 26) and Melinda (now 32). I moved from Toowoomba to the Brisbane area about 11 or 12 years ago.

I've always enjoyed being creative, and I've always loved plants. I had my own garden business, Garden Glamour, for a while. Then I started playing around with pots, and with decoupage, using paper napkins. That took off, and I started selling them at markets as well as online a lot through COVID. Now I sell them through a retail store.

I think I just enjoy making things look beautiful ' plants do that. They make me happy. It makes a big difference when you come home and you see all this colour. It can change a boring place into a little oasis.

I love this area ' I've never lived anywhere where I feel so happy, or that I really belong. And I really feel that about here. It's got a beautiful feeling about it, and I'm very grateful to be here.�