Renee Howell is an Aboriginal health liaison officer and musician living in Ocean Grove and working around Geelong. She talks with Jena Carr about what makes the area a wonderful place to live and grow.
What is your connection to Geelong?
I was born and raised here in Wadawurrung Country. I grew up in Anglesea, Torquay then Grovedale with my amazing family. I am very much connected to my mother’s traditional homeland of Arrernte country in Alice Springs, but Geelong has always been home.
I am a community member at Wathaurong Aboriginal Co-operative and have had the honour of working in community support roles over the years, supporting families and children. In my current role as Aboriginal health liaison officer at a local hospital, I have the pleasure of connecting with mobs from all over daily.
What do you like about where you live?
I have lived in Ocean Grove for four years with my wonderful partner Cam and three amazing kids, Zac, Connor and Madi. We love being close to the water. We are lucky to have the beach just down the road and the river, where we often go with the extended family.
The community in Oakdene estate where we live always looks out for one another, and all our lovely neighbours are always happy to lend a helping hand where needed.
What, if anything, would you change about where you live?
I love our seaside town and natural environments and hope that further developments ease. Ocean Grove is growing dramatically, and would hope to keep its small country beach town feel.
Where is your favourite place to spend time?
My favourite place to spend time is on our boat fishing. We often go out from Clifton Springs and let the kids jump off the boat in the shallows and go snorkelling. The other place I love to be is out bush camping with our biggest mob of a family (17 grandchildren for mum and dad).
What is something people may not know about you?
When I am not working and running around for kid’s sports, I love being creative with resin art and wood burning. I started “Resinating Burns” during lockdown a few years ago and have created and sold a number of art pieces.
My inspirations come from landscapes and the colours they thrive with, Aboriginal symbols and images telling a story. I have recently started doing texture art as well.
I love to sing. I have sung since I was about 12 years old, taking lessons and gaining confidence to eventually sing at functions such as weddings and bars, not to mention the odd Karaoke bar.
I also perform in an amazing band called the Loud N Deadly. We are an acoustic and full band group with some local first nation musicians playing a variety of original songs and covers and have performed at events such as White Night Geelong, half-time entertainment for Geelong Indigenous round at Kardinia Park, Surround Sounds and 2 Worlds Music Festival.
What do you like about your work?
I have been in my Aboriginal health liaison officer role for seven years now and love it. I connect with the community from near and far and support them through their healthcare journey as an inpatient and outpatient.
It can be tough when supporting the community you consider family through their terrible health challenges and supporting families with grief and loss.
I have also been lucky to witness so many beautiful community babies coming into this world, which is a true blessing in my job.
My job is very rewarding, to say the least.
