Wheatbelt Local is a volunteer run online community. Our contributors come from all over the Wheatbelt and volunteer their time and skills to provide content for the blog. We are always welcoming new contributors to the blog, and there are many contributors who contribute just one or two posts, but here are most of our regular contributors…
Sophie Telfer
Founder/Editorial Coordinator
Sophie lives in Darkan, in the Shire of West Arthur, and is passionate about the Wheatbelt region that she is lucky enough to call home! At the start of 2014, she had the idea of starting an online community to inspire, assist and connect local Wheatbelt residents. From that one little idea, she has been the driving force behind the growth of the Wheatbelt Local blog and online community. Sophie is currently studying and enjoys blogging, travelling, exploring, volunteering, sewing, reading, writing and cooking. In 2013, Sophie received the West Arthur Young Citizen of the Year award and in 2014, attend the Wheatbelt Y20 Youth Summit. In July 2015, she volunteered as a camp counsellor at Camp Kulin and hopes to continue to do so in the future. Her current dream is to travel Australia in a vintage caravan!
As the editorial coordinator, Sophie runs the Wheatbelt Local social media accounts, replies to emails and enquiries, collaborates with contributors and writes and organises blog posts. If you’ve ever sent us an email, had one of your photos reposted on our Instagram or chatted with us on Facebook, it was most likely Sophie who behind it!
Kate Soufalis
Contributor (Beverley)
Kate Sofoulis has been writing for most of her life and hopes to publish her first manuscript in the near future. After careers as a door to door salesperson, cleaner, data entry operator, student, receptionist, aged care worker and special needs education assistant, Kate’s life took an unexpected turn in May 2006.
After an unsatisfactory marriage and a disastrous love affair, Kate met Michael. There was an instant attraction. Five months later, in October 2009, Michael and Kate embarked on their first Goldfields trip together. Michael was curious to observe Kate’s reaction to sleeping in swags, no toilet facilities (except for the padded toilet seat and the entrenching tool), no showers (except for bucket baths) and very limited contact with any other people. Kate was keen to spend time alone with this quiet, intriguing man and discover more about him.
The trip was a roaring success and coincided with Kate starting to write again in a serious and sustained manner. She kept journals of all their trips, their first year in Beverley and commenced writing a blog named – naturally – “Heavenly Beverley”.
Their marriage and purchasing a hundred-year-old building in Beverley have added further inspiration for her writing. After consulting closely with an editor, Kate now hopes to present her work to a publisher.
Wheatbelt Public Health Unit
Health Contributor
The Wheatbelt Public Health Unit (WPHU) is based in Northam but provides regional support to all of the Wheatbelt districts. Our team is made up of Disease Control Nurses, an Aboriginal Health Coordinator, the Senior Health Promotion Team, Administration and, of course Management- to keep us in line.
We work with the community and other health care professionals to improve the health of Wheatbelt people and keep everyone in tip top shape! WPHU will contribute monthly articles written by the Senior Health Promotion team on a range of different health issues including healthy eating, physical activity, mental health, smoking, alcohol and injury prevention!
Caroline Telfer
Web Support/Photographer
Caroline Telfer is a Darkan-based professional photographer. She runs her own photography studio whilst caring for her large family and actively engaging in her local community. She feels blessed to live in such a beautiful place. As our web support guru, Caro is the one who fixes any website problems (like if the website is down) in a very timely fashion and without tearing out too much of her hair.
Sheree Lowe/Robyn McCarthy
Contributors (Merredin)