Rural Venture Collective
Supported by the Victorian Government, this is a podcast about women living their lives in rural East Gippsland. Connecting business women across the region by telling their stories - their challenges, their achievements, their everyday lives.
This podcast is proudly brought to you by EGMI (East Gippsland Marketing Inc) with funding by the Victorian Government. Episodes are recorded at the James Yeates Studio, Bairnsdale.
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Rural Venture Collective
Michelle Perry's Tale of Community Resilience and Cycling Enterprise
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When Michelle Perry speaks, you can almost feel the breeze from East Gippsland's rugged coast on your face. This episode is a ticket to the close-knit community of Orbost, where Michelle, a local through and through, embodies the spirit of resilience and warmth. Her tales are a tapestry of the town's intimate connections, woven through the shared experiences of working, raising a family, and the communal embrace of the Orbost Community College. She serves as a living testament to the power of place and the strength found in neighborly bonds, painting a vivid landscape of life that's far more than just a postal address.
Welcome to the Rural Venture Collective podcast, the show that celebrates the strength, innovation and resilience of women across East Gippsland. Whether you're a local resident or someone curious about the unique spirit of East Gippsland, this podcast is for you. Together, we'll explore the triumphs, the lessons learned and the dreams that fuel these East Gippsland women. Through this podcast, we'll dive into the heart of East Gippsland and shine a spotlight on the incredible women who are shaping business, creating art, nurturing the land and fostering connections across this vast region. Get ready to be inspired, to learn and to be a part of a collection that celebrates the shared experiences that make East Gippsland more than just a place but a home. So grab a cup of your favourite local brew, find a cosy spot and tune in as we embark on a journey of connection and discovery together. I'd like to acknowledge the Gunai-Kerni people as the traditional owners of the land on which we are gathered and pay my respects to their elders, past, present and future. Welcome back to the Rural Venture Collective, where we bring you stories of local women and Gippsland women. We like to know what people are doing out and about in our beautiful region. Today, we are blessed with the company of a lovely lady who's joining us from the beautiful town of Orbos on what is a spectacular day. So she's driven down that great road to Benzell to record this interview with us today and I'd like to welcome Michelle Perry.
Speaker 1Welcome, michelle. Thank you, liz, it's a pleasure to be here. It's really great to have an opportunity to chat with you. I know that our paths have crossed on a number of occasions and in many different areas You're involved in. Quite frankly, if you're not involved in it, it's not happening. But you're involved in lots of different things. You run your own business, you're raising a family, you're involved in the future planning for Orbos, so it really is great to have a chat with you.
Speaker 2Yes, thank you. I feel like when we have a conversation it deviates from one thing to another, but I do enjoy that aspect. Talking to people. Yeah, absolutely. So tell me about living in Orbost. What's living in Orbost like? Living in Orbost is simply just great. I think that we have a great blend of everything that you kind of want in life. Close to the natural resources. We've got the lovely beach and the rivers and the forest, all just at our doorstep, and I also find that living in Orbost with three young children is just great for them. It's such a supportive community. The teachers are amazing. They've also been in their roles often for a long time. There's a great sporting community as well, something that I found when I moved to Orbost extremely settling and making sure you feel welcome as we settled into a new town. So how long have you lived in Orbost? I've actually lived in Orbos for nearly three years. I moved there from Bairnsdale just as my little son was born, so he's turning three next month.
Speaker 1And what made you decide to make the move from the Big Smoke?
Speaker 2can I say that to Orbos? I do feel like it's the Big Smoke because even coming down here today I feel a little bit overwhelmed with all the traffic lights and the cars and that movement of the busy town. So moving to Orbos was actually a bit of a plan B for us and turned out to be the best decision of our lives or us, and now that we can all call it home.
Speaker 1That's great. So tell me about a typical day in Orbos. Is it a little bit like a country practice which you're probably too young to know that reference, but some of our listeners will know a country practice where you walk down the street and you know everybody in the shops and you know the people you're walking past and you know the nurse who's working down the corner.
Speaker 2Funny enough it is. I think that's what I love about it. I think some people said, oh, that'll get old, but it hasn't yet, and I embrace that. I think it's a really feel-good thing. So I drop the kids off at daycare, kinder and school. So I'm visiting three different places within a half an hour and the people I get to meet and just say good morning to everyone knows everyone by names. And even if you don't, you stop to have a chat. And even the other day we've got as soon as somebody knew we were in the town. You're like you're new here, you're like there you go Going. Oh, this is such a beautiful community. Everyone's so welcoming.
Speaker 2Had a story the other day where some tourists had a car broken down and they just said I can't believe this community. We'd never thought we'd stop in Orvos, but we accidentally did because our car broke down and there was people just bringing us water, making sure we're okay, offering us a car to borrow, and they just said we're going to come back here. This is a beautiful town. So it really is. So my orders goes to the Orbis Community College now, which has been a big transition for everybody, but it's such a great thing just within our community. Some of the older kids have been her babysitter, so they've got such a great connection and they're just all looking out for each other and I've heard some really positive stories coming from that, so just a really great place to be raising the kids.
Speaker 1So you've referred to a community college. Can you explain what makes a school a community college, or is that just what the all-boss school is called?
Speaker 2They put it out to the community in naming the college. So Peter Seal was leading that and he's done a really great job of being inclusive and they came up to the community college to kind of to literally grab on what Orbost schooling is all about.
Cycling Business and Collaboration Opportunities
Speaker 1Yeah Well, that's really great. Okay, so you've dropped someone at preschool playgroup, you've dropped someone at kinder, you've dropped someone at school. Now what does Michelle do?
Speaker 2Most often, if I'm not racing, to be able to start to do a podcast, which I didn't race, so I followed the speed limit. Of course I would go for a bike ride. So for me it's not something I've done all the time. I've actually only started since buying a cycling business. I thought we're going to buy a cycling business, I should get out on a bike and see what it's all about. And since then I haven't stopped riding and it's been my daily routine because connecting to nature and getting out and doing physical activity is really good for me.
Speaker 2There was times where I'd stop. I actually had an injury in hockey nothing to do with hockey my knee gave way out of way and fractured and dislocated my elbow, so I was out for a little while and it's not a good feeling when you can't do things and you can't get out and exercise. So there was a fair bit of time I had off, which I noticed with my mental health and just to get back out on the bike, and even some days when I really don't want to or the weather's not nice, but just to get out there. And the other thing I've noticed which I really love doing is involving other people. So whenever I'm having a chat to somebody, I'll have a normal chat, as we do in Orbvos, just find out what they're up to. And then I might suggest would you like to come on a bike ride?
Speaker 2And I've been riding a bike since I was 12. And I was like, well, that's a great time to start. I hadn't ridden a bike since I bought a business. So we've got this little riding community happening and, yeah, we're just, it's a feel-good thing, it's accountability and yeah, I feel like it changes the way people live their life.
Speaker 1What a great balance. And, of course, the business you're referring to is Snowy River Cycling.
Speaker 2Yes, that's correct. I've only just brought that. A year ago from Liz Mitchell, she had Snowy River Cycling. She's the founder of Snowy River Cycling about 13 years ago and she built a really great business. So I'm taking on her legacy and it's more than I ever thought it was like in the way of empowering me, empowering others and getting out to explore East Gippsland.
Speaker 1So what actually is it? Is it hiring bikes? Is it going on tours? What is Snowy River Cycling?
Speaker 2It's almost anything you want it to be and I want it to be, which is the beauty of having your own business. Predominantly, I provide self-guided tours on the rail trail, on the East Gippsland Rail Trail, which includes packages and option for bike hire, but including all the accommodation and transferring their lineage so they have the best experience on that rail trail as possible and also just a piece of mind that they've got somebody local and nearby if anything happens. So I do have a lot of people travelling from outside our region to come partake in that, and also, yeah, wilderness ones. We've got a wilderness bike ride going around the Snowy River eventually next week, which is quite remote and very hard work Lots of mountains to climb but some amazing views, and I've given a detailed pack to these guys. They're heading off, but I know that nothing's gonna prepare them for what they're gonna feel out there, because it's actually breathtaking in both ways, exhausting, and the views are just absolutely amazing and life changing.
Speaker 1Like you just won't forget those and so are you talking is this a day ride or a weekend ride?
Speaker 2This is a five days, so nearly almost around two k's. Wow, in one day it's only 45 k's, but it's a significant climb.
Speaker 1And so well, so are they. Are we trying to experience bike riders, or can anybody do this?
Speaker 2For this particular ride, experience is necessary. We have some experienced riders that have ridden for 50 years, but they might just want a little bit more confidence, so they're opting to use an e-bike next week. And it's a very exciting moment for me because if we can make this work, it's something that we can open up for future tours and give people more opportunities, particularly up those hills where it's extremely hard work. But then also in the business, I have the Great East Rail Trail ride that balances the wilderness ride where it's a bit more experienced ride. The Great East Rail Trail ride is for anybody and any ability because it's fully supported. So we have a sag wagon, we have support riders that are all friendly and supportive and we've got meals and accommodation provided, and it's on the East Gippsland Rail Trail, so it's flat and, yeah, easy going.
Speaker 1So what sort of? Firstly, you had me at e-bike, but secondly, what sort of accommodation do you have on these treks?
Speaker 2So the Wilderness Adventure around the Stomrie River Loop is housed accommodation. So we're staying at the Buckin Motel for the first night and Vietland to be at Corinda Park for the second. So got those facilities in place, because after a day's ride, I don't know what you're like, but I really want to shower and a bed to sleep in. So, whilst you could camp, I would like to provide a better experience that they actually have a bed to sleep in and a hot shower, and it cooks me up when do provide a catering that's top notch.
Speaker 1Yeah, that's, that's really great. So and you're talking about some great local businesses there as well, with the bucking hotel and corinda park, great accommodation yeah, we have.
Speaker 2Uh, I love collaborating. Um, wherever possible, I would love to collaborate with other people. So that's what my passion is and that's why I like doing business, and I think working in business, particularly by myself at times, reaching out and collaborating with other people, fulfills me and motivates me to do well.
Speaker 1Yeah and look, egmi are all about collaboration. We support collaboration. We try to show people ways that they can collaborate within business, because working in a silo doesn't help anybody.
Speaker 2That's it, and sometimes it takes me to get out there. So going for rides is really great for my well-being but also for my business, because it gives me that space to be creative and to think oh, I never thought about that. So you know, I ride around New Mirella, I duck in to see Flat Bicky, have my coffee there, and those guys have been supporting me on my Greatest Railroad Trail ride for two years now. So it's just getting out and about and seeing who's there and if I like it, I think other people are going to like it. And the other thing is just coming up with all these ideas of who I can collaborate with and then actually putting it into a tour and getting on with it. Collaborate with and then actually putting it into a tour and getting on with it and sometimes that's a bit of confidence challenges you, especially if I believe if I like it, someone else like it. Like what if they don't like it? But you know I'm working on that.
Speaker 1I think in my experience is that there are only so many different types of people in the world. We all think that we're unique and one of a kind, but actually we're not we all. If so, if there are things out there that we're unique and one of a kind, but actually we're not we all, if so, if there are things out there that we like, there's a whole gamut of people who would enjoy the same thing.
Speaker 2Yes, that's what I'm hoping for. I also am happy to tailor my tours to different audiences, but predominantly I'm passionate about it. I'll put that through into my business.
Speaker 1Well, that's great. I mean, your passion is tangible and I can see your mind whirring with all these ideas. So you've been for your bike ride. Now is it time to pick up the kids.
Speaker 2Yeah, it feels like it some days, but no, and something I'm learning at the moment is enjoying the journey. So I've always got things to do and I've always been quite overwhelmed and stressed about things, particularly through building up businesses. But I've done a lot of work with a local person, rachel from Hypnotherapy. She's really great at unlocking my mindset and flipping it around. So I've got the tools now to go. I've got time for a bike ride.
Speaker 2A bike ride is important. It's starting my day and that probably comes back to getting the kids ready for school. It's a hectic time with three kids under six, but just going well, as soon as they're to school, that journey's done. So, not trying to fast forward that and to enjoy that time as much as possible Enjoy the bike ride, switching off and then, yeah, coming back about 10 o'clock and going okay, now I'm going to start my workday, which I do break it down, and I put three things on a list for the day, because I've got a very, very long list, but I can only, you know, in that short amount of time I can achieve three things and they're the most important things. And then you think over that. I have to just be like, wow, I actually got more done.
Speaker 1So that's actually a well-recognized strategy and a great strategy. Talk us through a little bit about how you choose those three things and how you limit yourself to those three things.
Speaker 2Well, I do love a bit of pen and paper, because as soon as I write it down it becomes quite aware that that's potentially not in my mind seems overwhelmingly important. And then if I put it on a piece of paper I can see that that can wait. And if I didn't do that little mindfulness, journaling and setting my day up on a piece of paper, that thought could stay with me all day and actually derail me and my productivity. So if I'm feeling a little bit overwhelmed I'll back to that practice. But with the work I've done I can clearly see what is most important to me on that day and what's the best use of my time great, great strategy.
Speaker 1You're implementing this strategy in this fabulous town, this this um collective community, who's welcoming and collaborative, and it sounds like life is really a joy. But one of your other hats is being involved in preparing Orbost for the future and setting Orbost up for the future. So Orbost is a timber transition town, which, of course, is an expression that gets bandied around, but it's a town that's been heavily impacted by the ending of the timber industry.
Speaker 2Yes, so I was the project assistant for a bit over a year which gave me a good insight into what the project was about and how to move it forward.
Speaker 1So you're involved in helping Orbost be sustainable into the future, obviously by running your own business, snowy River Cycles, but you're also involved in other ways, aren't you? Supporting other businesses?
Speaker 2the past and I'll continue to in the future, particularly in the visitor economy, because I think it has extreme strengths within our region, with our natural assets being the beaches, the forest and the river, and then wrapping that around with the knowledge and the authenticity that comes out of our community. So we're currently working on what that might look like and how we can bring all that together, and for me, as a business owner and a person of the community, I am extremely invested into it because this is the future for my kids and for my business. I've got a great product and a great vision, but if we don't bring people to our town and let people know about that, we're here, unfortunately, it becomes like I might have to go get a second job and then you lose the focus on what you love, and I see that happen to a lot of people around me. So it's about just getting us into a stage where we can all invest into what we love doing and then we just do it well and doing it together.
Life and Challenges in Orbost
Speaker 1Yeah, great life advice in any aspect, isn't it? So? Personal business Tell me about the demographic in Orbost. Are there a lot of young families like yourself?
Speaker 2Orbost has an aging population but I've seen a shift.
Speaker 2So when we moved back, just after COVID, when we moved back to Orbost, we could see a lot of other families doing the same. So potentially one of the partners had gone to school there, they'd moved away and then they'd come back with their family and their kids and it's a really positive thing because they're bringing in a wealth of knowledge and outside experiences and also they're really appreciative of what Orvos offers families and themselves. You know, ducking down to the beach, just you know, a five-minute walk after work, and it just it's a great way of life. So there was the highest number of four-year-old kinder kids last year that they've ever had. Now we don't know about the consistency of this, it's probably quite down this year but it just shows that there are kids coming back and families coming back and so if we just keep going with that momentum and being optimistic, that Orbost does have a future, I think, because if you believe, then it will happen, and if we sit and say we can't make anything of it, then of course that's not going to happen.
Speaker 1So you talk about the facilities that are in Orbost for kids. So, and you know, obviously you're talking about the beach and the river and the you know, fabulous sunshine.
Speaker 2But the other thing I love about Orbost is the facilities, so even the nature of the streets. My daughter learned to ride her bike riding to Kindah because it's quiet and the paths are nice and they run all around the streets so they get lots of practice in without the burdens of cars coming all the time. They also have the. The skate park's always quiet. The swimming pool's a beautiful outdoor swimming pool in summer. It's a 50-metre length and it's a really lovely space to come and sit after school and watch them play.
Speaker 2We also have great sporting teams. As I said, we've got the footy, the netball and I've been involved in the hockey, which is a great community, and we've just moved the hockey last year onto the cricket field. They've been welcoming to share that with us. Every other club in East Gippsland have synthetic fields, so moving to the cricket meant that we have a similar playing field. It is grass, which we all love because it's how it always has been, but the quality of it is actually really great and it's been a good collaboration with the cricket club, so just really fun and easygoing.
Speaker 1That's really good because I imagine the impact that hockey has on the ground is different to the impact that cricket has on the ground.
Speaker 2Yeah, they were pretty pleased at the end of the season, so they had absolutely no concerns for it and welcomed us back this year. Yeah, that's great, that's really great.
Speaker 1So tell me, do you see a future for the Perry family in Orbost ongoing? This doesn't sound to me like it's a short-term stay?
Speaker 2Yeah, absolutely. The Perry family is definitely embedded into Orbost and I think they'll continue that way. If anybody comes to Orbost, I'm sure they would run into one of us one way or another.
Speaker 1Yeah, so it sounds quite idyllic this life in Orbost, but I'm sure there's challenges. Michelle, can you talk about some of the challenges that you come across?
Speaker 2Yes, I think that it's unrealistic to believe that I've got no challenges. Um, I have a lot of challenges in my life. I think that running a business has always got that. You've got to be always on the ball with your mindset because it can flip quite quickly to a negative where you feel guilty about, you know, not cleaning the house or not spending enough time with the kids, and you know I think that anybody I talk to does resonate with those kind of feelings, and it's just about how we can then flip that into positive mindsets.
Speaker 1It can be a challenge. Particularly many women are the main carers for the children and they're balancing a job or a career building a business, and that does come with it. Well, it comes with guilt, doesn't it? Let's be honest.
Speaker 2It really does, and it's hard to fight that, and I think it's a little bit of accepting the reality that we can't do it all and not feeling guilty when we have to outlaw things. So, for me, one of my things that I think that making sure that you're enjoying what you're doing, so having those boundaries between work and kids, making sure that you're enjoying what you're doing, so having those boundaries between work and kids, making sure that we're spending time when the kids are there with the kids, but also when I have work time, I'm spending time at work, and it's a really hard thing to keep on top of because often when we're working our own business, the emails come through when we're with the kids and it's like, oh, if I just do this, then it's done. But I know the impact and it's like, oh, if I just do this, then it's done, but I know the impact that that's having on them. So just being disciplined in that way but also going that it can wait and that's what I learned over summer is that I went away and I didn't know I wasn't going to have my reception. I took my laptop and there was no reception, and so I had three days where I just focused on the kids at a holiday park and then I came back and there was like no emails. I think, uh, I'm not sure how to feel about.
Speaker 2But um, the last, yeah, well, went on and being that it's, you know, a Christmas period, it wasn't the end of the world, that um, people probably expect um was going to be away. But, yeah, I was expecting to get back to the show, being like crazy and uh, yeah, nothing. So I actually did it again the next weekend and, um, yeah, it's a really good lesson for me to just switch off and things can wait. And then also I'm learning on outsourcing. So if something's not enjoyable for me and I can't possibly make it enjoyable for me, I will get somebody else to do it.
Speaker 2So something like my baths. I just don't have the capacity to learn that. So I obviously get an accountant to do that. And I've also recently getting a cleaner to come in on support night just to help me feel positive, because if I feel down or guilty, like I haven't put the kids clothes away or I haven't done this, it just will eat into my productivity time. So when I'm to be working, I'll just be thinking about it the whole time and I'm just not somebody that enjoys doing it. So now if a cleaner comes in, then I'm actually enjoying putting my kids' clothes away, because that's the only thing I've got to do, because the other things I've done haven't piled up on top of each other.
Speaker 1Look at you, go. It sounds to me like you have it not sorted out, because nobody ever really has it sorted out, do they? But you're really on the journey of being self-aware and being aware of what's going on around you and I love that. You can be honest and kind to yourself and be mindful that you need to be kind to yourself, that everybody needs to be kind to themselves, and it's a tough gig.
Speaker 2It is tough and me even saying this, I don't know where I'm going to get the money to pay the cleaner. But I think that if I'm optimistic and I feel good, I'll then go and be productive in my work and be able to make more sales. So it's a bit of a lesson. You've sometimes got to take a risk to do what you love.
Speaker 1I agree, and I think it brings us back to that collaborative word that we used earlier. So collaboration, so you're actually now employing somebody else in the community to set themselves up in business and to ensure that their lifestyle can be maintained by employing a cleaner. So actually it's all part of the circle.
Speaker 2That's a really positive spin on it and I'll remember that for the rest of today.
Speaker 1Michelle, I think that we're going to leave it there. It's just been a joy to see Orbos through your eyes, to hear the life that you're creating with the kids and the really well-rounded, well-balanced life that you've got going on. I wish you every success with Snowy River Cycles. I'll look forward to getting out there on an e-bike. An e-bike just to be clear, and I think I guess it's true what my mum said, that you can't play hockey because you'll get injured, even though you're on the sideline.
Speaker 2Well, I was. Yeah, I wasn't near the field of play Like I was.
Speaker 1Yes, running around. I think my mum would have sat around to be in a hockey injury anyway, yeah. So, michelle, I'm hearing this um great work you're doing in your positive mindset and I really am inspired by it. Quite honestly, I rang you um about a month ago, maybe six weeks ago, and said, hey, I'd love to have you on the podcast, and uh, what was your response then?
Speaker 2I was like, yeah, no, I'm not ready yet, but thanks so much.
Speaker 2And I think I went away with that and, yeah, just sat with it and I thought actually what I did was I did a bit of mind mapping for my business just to clear my head, and one of the things that came up was to inspire others and I thought what better time to do it than now, when I'm amongst it all? Yeah, so I'm doing all these things, like listening to the podcast, trying to do meditation, but it's always like one step forward, two steps back, and I thought maybe I'll just put myself out there because maybe I'll be an inspiration to somebody that's in the similar situation, because when I have made it as such, perhaps I might remember all the hard parts and how hard it was and what I had to do to get to that place and also being mindful that what is success and measuring that against what is successful and how do I know when I've got there. And so just being a little bit more mindful of perhaps being successful is just being happy in what I'm doing. Today I was very nervous to come and I was driving to Bairnsdale actually last Thursday and I thought, hey, this time next week I'm going to be driving to a podcast. I think I'm just going to cancel it. I thought no one will know. She's the only one that's going to know. No harm done, I can just cancel. Then I thought no one will know. She's the only one that's going to know. No harm done, I can just cancel. And then I thought, oh, that's exactly the thought my mind wants me to have.
Speaker 2I just switched that around and I'm listening to a book at the moment called Feel Good Productivity, and just switching around and saying this is going to be fun. These nerves I'm feeling are actually excitement and driving down. Today I was listening to the book again just to refresh. Feeling are actually excitement and driving down. Today I was listening to the book again just to refresh and I thought I'm smiling because if I say this is fun, I'm laughing at how good I'm feeling coming in here and I'm still nervous. But I'm like I love talking to Liz. This is going to be fun. And I'm just laughing at myself because that is something I would not have said a week ago. But it just changed my whole mood and just knew that. Why am I doing it? It's because that's something I wanted to do. So just going what is my why? Why am I doing this? Why am I putting myself through all these nerves? But actually it's what I wanted to do.
Rural Venture Collective Podcast Farewell
Speaker 1So, just remembering that I've made these choices to come here today and, yeah, I'm excited to be here and I can guarantee you the things that we've talked about today and the things that you have spoken of will resonate with people. They'll resonate with our listeners. People will really understand and I'm sure just talking about it today is helping people, and that's what the Rural Venture Collective podcast is all about. We want to connect with women. We want to talk with other women who are just living their best lives in their skits land and say, yeah, that's how I feel, or maybe I could try that. Or yeah, I've been there, it gets better, it's great. Yeah, absolutely.
Speaker 2Yeah, thank you for the opportunity.
Speaker 1You're very welcome, Michelle. It really has been a delight and I know that our listeners are going to be better off for hearing your podcast. We'll see you on the cycling tracks. Well, that's us for today. Thanks for joining us on the Rural Venture Collective. Remember to like and subscribe so you'll be updated when our next podcast lands. Most importantly, stay connected and get out there and enjoy our beautiful East Gippsland Bye. This podcast is brought to you by East Gippsland Marketing. Thank you.
