Many people cherish the place they call home, and some work tirelessly to improve their community, such as Shahnoor Shah, a dedicated policy advisor and active local advocate. Shahnoor, shares her story with Star Weekly, reflecting on her journey, her deep connection to the area, and her unwavering commitment to positively impacting the lives of her fellow residents.
Tell us a bit about yourself and what you do?
My name is Shahnoor and I work as a policy advisor for the State Government. I enjoy my work because I’m always learning something new and can make an impact on the lives of Victorians. My family migrated to Australia in the ’90s and that opportunity has not been lost on me. I feel like the least I can do is give back to my community, so in my downtime, I volunteer with the Greens and am a local branch member, I also meet up with the lovely Broadmeadows Progress Association once a month (like the BPA’s Facebook page to join us). We often discuss how we can improve community welfare, safety and the environment, but we’re not always heard.
What’s your connection to Hume?
It’s home. I grew up in Roxburgh Park, my family still lives there now. We spent our early teenage years playing, biking and loitering around Lake McIvor Reserve and the cricket nets. I graduated from Sirius College High School in 2012, although it was called Isik College back then. After working in Canberra for a while, I moved back to Melbourne and now live in Broadmeadows.
What do you like about where you live?
I love Broadmeadows’ energy and history. We’re also one of the demographically youngest and most multicultural suburbs in Hume, with the majority of residents being under 34 years old and over half being born overseas. Historically, Broadmeadows is one of Melbourne’s oldest suburbs. The Will Will Rook Cemetery on Camp Road dates back to the 1850s, the Maygar Barracks nearby were used as a training base in World War I . Our Aboriginal history runs even deeper, we live on the unceded lands of the Gunung Willam Balluk clan of the Wurundjeri peoples. Several heritage artefacts have been discovered in our local creeks and parks. The Broadmeadows Museum near the leisure centre is a great place to visit if you’re interested in finding out more.
What, if anything, would you change about where you live?
I want locals to take more pride in living in Broadmeadows. I walk to the library, local shops or train station every day, and every day there is more dumped rubbish and trolleys lining our streets. We have a world class waste management system in Victoria, we also pay hundreds of dollars in rates a year for bin collections. I don’t understand why people still want to throw their rubbish on the streets.
Where is your favourite local place to spend time?
I love the Hume Global Learning Centre: it’s open late, you can bring your laptop and work from there, take part in lots of clubs (my favourite is the monthly plant swap) and the librarians are so helpful. It’s a great place to visit during winter! I also love Broadmeadows Valley Park, it’s so beautiful and running up the 300 odd steps on Valley Park Boulevard is a fun weekend workout.
Tell us something people would be surprised to know about you?
I’m handy with a sewing machine. My grandma bought me a Singer as a graduation present and I take it out on weekends to alter my clothes. In another life, I would have loved to be a fashion designer. I might still. Watch this space.
