New tourism representative

You haven’t received an official ‘welcome to the region’ until you’ve visited the Narrabri Region Visitor Information Centre and received a welcoming smile from Rindy Maladeni, the new tourism representative for the Narrabri Shire Council.

Along with her move from Sri Lanka to Australia, Rindy’s own journey and passion for growing regional exposure has her ready to show off the region and the best of what Narrabri Shire has to offer.

“I have always wanted to do something to grow tourism in nature-based country locations, and do something that can initiate what I’ve learned,” said Rindy.

Moving from Sri Lanka to Brisbane with her husband five years ago to study her masters in tourism at Southern Cross University, her first placement in Mackay exposed her to regional work, for which she quickly developed a passion.

Rindy’s journey into tourism started when making the conscious decision to move seven hours away from her coastal hometown Negombo to study a bachelors in tourism.

The significant decision to leave her parents’ home as a young woman was possible because Sabaragamuwa University of Sri Lanka in the picturesque town of Belihul Oya was the only university at the time to offer the bachelor’s degree.

“As an Asian girl, leaving home at a young age is a very difficult and daunting challenge, but it was the best decision I ever made,” she said.

“It taught me to be stronger, more resilient, and more independent and I was able to take control of my life and do it on my terms.”

Upon her arrival at Belihul Oya, Rindy quickly realised that while she was only seven hours from home, the landscapes and many rich cultures were entirely different from where she had grown up.

“Moving away to university opened up my whole world,” said Rindy.

“I couldn’t believe how beautiful Sabaragamuwa university was, surrounded by waterfalls, rivers, and mountains.

“When I came here to Narrabri, I was reminded of Belihul Oya, because of the same riverine environment, with Mt Kaputar and the lakes,” she said.

“I had the pleasure of living among various cultures for four years, and I got to explore many hidden attractions and appreciate the beauty of country life in my homeland.”

When she received a job offer to run Junee Motor Inn, Rindy and her husband started pursuing their permanent residency, for which they received sponsorship from the NSW government, prompting a relocation from Queensland.

“When I was here in Narrabri half a year ago doing relief work for one of the motels, I was impressed with what I saw.

“So when I got back to Junee, I did some research, and a few months later I found that Narrabri Shire Council had a tourism position advertised, so I applied and luckily got the job,” she said.

“This is a career path I have always wanted to pursue after spending most of my time in the accommodation sector of tourism.”

Now that she is here and her training completed, she is ready to hit the ground running and start the tourism initiatives she has been dreaming up.

“As a tourism representative, I’m passionate about backing more sustainable practices and developing initiatives for promoting the region and growing our visitation and activities.

“I am also passionate about showcasing the rich regional arts, cultures, history, and local heritage.”

Though she was trained to work in five-star hotels in a bustling tourism sector in Sri Lanka and experienced the Brisbane city life, she loves the laid back regional lifestyle that comes with country living.

“Regional life is amazing,” she said.

“I find it too crowded in the city, and you can find everything out here. It’s all very accessible.

“Living out of the city, I think we get exposed to more of how the world and the land works, and we are more in touch with our communities.”

Narrabri has ticked all the boxes for Rindy, her husband and two-year-old son, but she has run into a few challenges with settling into a regional town.

“We struggled to find a rental and childcare has been an ongoing battle, but the community, culture, and my work team have all been amazing.

“People are so welcoming and encouraging, and they always have a smile for you.”

While she loves Sri Lanka and thinks of it as home that she will one day retire, she hopes that the broad opportunities that Australia and travel have brought her life will make for an even brighter future for her son.

“The Australian culture is very broadminded, and I would like my son to be raised in this country, with all the opportunities to be whatever he wants to be,” she said.

“The decision to move away from home and to another country made me realise that the world is full of adventure and endless possibilities.

“In life you can’t always follow a set plan, sometimes it can be more enjoyable to simply let it take you where it may.”