Over seventeen years ago we decided that we were sick of living in the “rat race” and wanted to raise our two daughters in the country.

We moved to Marysville after we bought the Crossways Motel, which was very run down in those days. Even though it was quite hard work renovating and trying to rebuild a business with two small children, we just loved being part of the community. Our daughters loved kindergarten and primary school, and we as parents really enjoyed being able to be so involved in this part of their life – another joy of living in a small town.

Sometime around 2001 we sold the Crossways and moved to Granton, just outside of Marysville, and ran a holiday house rental service for the next few years while I studied to become a massage therapist. We moved back into Marysville in about 2007. There I started my massage business in earnest, offering a mobile massage service in Marysville and the surrounding area.

At the time of the fires I was also working at the Cumberland and Villa Day Spa, having now also gained my qualifications in beauty treatments. So no longer having a place of work for both my husband and I, and also losing our home, we moved to nearby Alexandra while we rebuilt. This also meant the girls could be close to their secondary college. In that time, I worked at the Day Spa at Stonelea Country Estate.

We moved back to our beloved Marysville in early December 2012, where I now not only offer treatments in a room specially created in our new home, but I am also doing mobile treatments again.

I love what I do and derive a great deal of pleasure seeing my clients leave my care more relaxed than when they arrived – this is what my business is about: feeling good without having spent a fortune! It’s about soothing away life’s stresses with a relaxing massage and allowing them to feel restored and gain a sense of wellbeing. You can have hot stone therapy; or even pamper yourself with a variety of body treatments: rejuvenating mud wraps, revitalizing body polishes and spa manicures/pedicures.

It is so good being back and maybe having to spend those years away from Marysville (although my husband was here every day rebuilding) has made us appreciate even more, just how lovely it is here – in all four seasons. The beautiful Autumn colours; the wonderful array of flowers in Spring; the deep greens in Winter, especially after it has rained, and the best part of Summer is that after a hot day, the nights cool down comfortably!

One of my favourite pastimes is going for a walk each morning in the fresh air, with no noisy, dirty traffic and being able to greet other locals out and about as they start there day.

The next best thing is to have a coffee at one of the cafes with friends and family. For visitors, a holiday in Marysville is just so relaxing – it’s a real break from the hustle and bustle of modern life. There is plenty to do here. There’s Stephenson’s Falls, Bruno’s Gardens, quite a few different shops to browse through, bushwalks, golf, fishing or even just to sit outside a café and watch the world go by. I would certainly recommend moving to Marysville to live – it is a great place to raise children or a wonderful peaceful place to retire.

The area’s true strength is its people. Community spirit was very important for us to get through the hard times – being able to understand when one of us would forget something, or not do something right or was just having a bad day! And to support the businesses that carried on after the fires, whether it be in marquees or shipping containers, and to celebrate them moving back into their rebuilt premises or into new ones. It is wonderful to see Marysville with a positive air about it again, not just with all the new shops being built, but the surrounding countryside is now beautiful once again. I also feel the conference centre will make a huge difference to the town economically, not only by providing employment but also by bringing more people to the area. I think Marysville future can only get brighter.

Marysville – Wish You Were Here

For more information: http://www.marysvillemassage.com/