WHO AM I?

The long version

But how did I become The House Detective? Well it was a long and winding road, let me tell you!!

When I was in high school, all I ever wanted to be was a Forensic Scientist. The investigation and detective aspect of this career in particular really interested me. So off I went to study a Bachelor of Science at university in Brisbane, in preparation to undertake post-graduate studies in forensics. Somewhere along the line, I realised I would actually have to join the police to do exactly what I wanted, which didn’t appeal to me at all. I finished my degree then did honours so I had a better chance of getting a job. However, after spending many years working in tedious chemistry lab positions that a monkey could do, I began to yearn for work that I enjoyed and was passionate about.

Throughout my scientist years, I had always been interested in heritage and history and had volunteered at various museums and with the National Trust and Royal Historical Society of QLD. When I decided I wanted to pursue it as a full time career, I did a Graduate Diploma of Local, Family and Applied History through the University of New England at Armidale (this degree is still available by the way!). Although it was a history based degree, you could select subjects in many areas to specialise in. I chose heritage conservation, archaeology and architectural history subjects. Since I like eating and still needed to pay the bills, I kept working full time whilst I studied part-time, so I had some money coming in.

Once I had that qualification, I harassed various people in the industry and eventually got an unpaid work experience placement with the Environmental Protection Agency, which was the Queensland Government department that managed heritage places at the time (now the Department of Environment and Science). Then I kept in touch with them and eventually got a temporary position, which then led to a permanent position. After working there for 3 years and gaining a great understanding of the legislation and processes involved, I decided it was time to move on.

In 2010, I started at Queensland Rail as their Heritage Strategist. This was a massive job, managing over 500 heritage places, tunnels, bridges etc. One of my proudest achievements was overseeing the commencement of conservation and restoration work on the old Roma Street Station building- one of Queensland’s most significant railway heritage buildings, which had been left abandoned and unloved for over 30 years. However, eventually I decided it was time to move away from the bureaucracy and paperwork of heritage management and go back to my passions and interests which had got me interested in this area in the first place! My long-suppressed detective aspirations could be contained no longer!!!

I resigned and established my own consulting business, under the banner of “The House Detective". It truly was the right decision - working for myself and doing what I love is the best! I can't wait to go to work everyday and my boss is awesome! ;)