Tammy Behrendorff

……..wow, how does one put down in a couple of pages a lifetime’s learning and experiences. Balance – sounds more like normal and I don’t think I have ever led the ‘normal’ life.

As a child growing up in Hervey Bay, I don’t think I could have had a better place in which to grow up. My parents owned and operated the Hervey Bay Picture Theatre and Taxi Service. I recall a story that, as a 4-year-old, I was called to duty one day when everyone else was busy and answered the telephone – my first job! In 1970, the Hervey Bay Drive-In and Licensed Restaurant was opened and of course, I was able to help out, setting tables and greeting patrons on special occasions – a highlight for me was when the Webb Brothers (you know the ones – started Gympie Music Muster) sang Running Bear ‘specially for me’.

The extended family (grandparents, aunts, cousins) all had a role to play in the children’s care and the family businesses. All fine and hardworking people – I am sure it is them who started the role of instilling ethics and morals into my life. My father – the Business Man, my mother – the hard working Builder, Mimi – my grandmother – everything to everyone, Nana, cousin Carole and Aunty June – babysitters galore, cousin David ‘Sturgess’- projectionist at the theatre and drive-in. I am sure it is thanks to these people and many others along the way that I can say helped me be who I am. Some are no longer on the earth helping me but I think somehow, someway, they are still around in spirit making sure that I ‘try to get it right’.

My father died when I was 9 – a sister born, mother re-marries and so I guess this was the learning that life changes. The family remained in a variety of businesses; however, there was still always time for other activities – one was camping and 4WDriving. So, there was balance – even back then. At the end of 1980, my family moved to Maryborough where I attended Year 11 at Maryborough High School.

This wasn’t one of my better years for school grades and so at the end of Year 11, I decided work was what I wanted to do and I secured my first job with Clive Franks Insurance Services. I worked as the office assistant for a year – this opportunity provided me with sound work ethics and skills and I then moved on to office assistant at the Maryborough RSL.

In 1982 I met a guy – I thought we would settle down; however, not one for planning in those early days – things didn’t work out quite as I thought and I found myself pregnant and on my own. In early 1983, I moved back to Hervey Bay to live with my grandmother ‘Mimi’. I found myself an office job with the MV Islander and my son Daniel was born on 6 November 1983. I moved out on my own when Daniel was 2 years old and did a course with H and R Block – I guess that was the second start to my career. Daniel started school at Torquay State Primary.

I married Don in 1992 and moved to a dairy and cattle farm at Gundiah (15 km south of Tiaro). Not one to sit still, I had a number of part-time jobs on the go at the same time, not to mention milking cows and managing beef cattle and I eventually fit some external study in there somewhere. My daughter Tarlya was born on 13 January 1994. I still worked part-time for H and R Block, but the travelling got too much so after almost 10 years I resigned. One of my jobs was with A.E. Hartley and Associates installing accounting systems for organisations and training their staff. This led to more nance support work with some of the organisations and in 1995, I started as Finance Officer for Fraser Coast – TESS in Maryborough.

I separated from my husband in 1996 – not necessarily one of the easier roads I’ve been on but that would be another story. I’d grown to love the country and quiet life so I only moved as far as Tiaro and in May 1998, I purchased my own place on 12 acres -‘Dantalee’. Daniel joined the Army, the start of his truck driving career and so it was just Tarlya and me at home. Tarlya started Year 1 at Tiaro State School and in Year 4 commenced at St. Mary’s Primary in Maryborough. We bought ourselves a horse, Diamantina the Haflinger (an Austrian breed of horse).

Since then I have expanded my property to 100 acres and I now manage and operate – with a little (whoops! a lot) of help from my friends – ‘Dantalee Haflinger’ Horse Stud. We currently have 13 ha es and run 10 head of cattle. In 2005, I took my first trip overseas to Europe including France, Switzerland, Italy and Austria where we attended the World Haflinger Show. Each year, we head off to the Brisbane ‘Ekka’ for 10 days and manage the Haflinger Display stand in the Horse Breeds pavilion.

You should visit us at the Ekka – it’s great fun!! I left Fraser Coast – TESS in September 2005 and took a position as Finance/Business Manager for Integrated Family and Youth Service Inc., an organisation that operates between Brisbane North and Mackay, providing services to young people and families. The hours are long but I love the job. I now have a wonderful team of staff both in Tiaro and on the coast.

1st August 2006, saw the arrival of my granddaughter ‘Kaysha Rose’, I know – I’m not old enough but others didn’t think the same. I’ve had full-time care of Kaysha Rose since October 2006. So, I’m now one of those thousands of grandparents out there raising their grandchildren, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. It certainly makes life interesting with working full-time, a teenage daughter and the horses – thank goodness my office is in Tiaro.

Over the years I have been a member of school P&Cs, local rural re brigades and other local groups, lling executive roles. I’m currently a member of the Glenwood Lions Club and I still try to fit in my share of community work. Tarlya started high school in 2007 at St. Mary’s College and with the support of our lion’s club, we are starting a vaulting club – ‘gymnastics on a horse’ – and we even do demonstrations around the traps. Looking back, one thing I can say is that my life is never dull and certainly not normal.

Is it balanced? Well, there is a lot of variety so maybe now that equals balance. Whatever it is I wouldn’t have it any other way. People say things like “You are amazing”, “How do you do it?” – well, “You just do what you gotta do – Don’t you – Wouldn’t you?” I can tell you though – it sure helps to have wonderful friends and family around – I couldn’t do it without them……….”