Paris Brooke, Co-founder & CEO of Wilderness Collective
Moving to the coastal town of Mallacoota with her family in 2019, Wilderness Collective CEO and Co-Founder, Paris Brooke, never expected to lay-down lasting roots in the community, let alone be one of five women dedicated to transforming the town’s local economy.
“As a family we were looking for a different experience,” Paris says. “We always loved Mallacoota and thought we would go there for a [school] term, but it absolutely turned our lives upside down. “
Just months after Paris and her family moved to the far eastern town of regional Victoria, Mallacoota was faced by the Black Summer bushfires of 2019-2020, devastating homes, community services, livelihoods and natural habitats alike.
“We had friends assuming we would get up and go, but it actually made us more resolute to be here, and to be even more part of the community than we were before,” Paris says.
“There was a need for volunteers to do various jobs. Two of the co-founders of the Wilderness Collective were part of the subcommittee for economic business recovery.
Mallacoota had lost a key employer, and small businesses couldn’t find appropriate, affordable spaces to operate from. We kept talking from there, and we are now still going strong with a clear vision and plan of what’s needed for the long term economic rejuvenation of the town.”
Paris joined four local women spanning three generations to establish what is now known as the Wilderness Collective, a locally-led charitable organisation committed to the sustainability and community growth of Mallacoota.
“We got grants underway, found ourselves a temporary space to work from, and now 2.5 years later are looking at purchasing a main street building for our community’s lasting benefit. Our co-founders are all volunteers, and either run their own businesses or work locally. Importantly, we all have a deep connection to this town.”
The Australian Business Volunteers (ABV) has supported Paris and the Wilderness Collective as a community-led initiative driving sustainable economic development for the region. “When I first came across ABV, I thought ‘fantastic, this is exactly what we need’.”
“They’ve supported us with everything from financial projections, social media strategy, grant writing, and excitedly, an avenue to engage expert business volunteers for skills development. It’s provided us with the breadth and diversity that we’ve needed.”
With the support of many organisations, including the Australian Business Volunteers, the Collective now has a coworking innovation hub to foster local entrepreneurship and enterprise programs designed to reskill the local workforce.
“We offer a social enterprise school program for young people to learn what it takes to run a business, with the profits going back to a charity of choice,” Paris adds.
“We have seen too many young people and young families leave because they don’t have the diversity of work opportunities to choose from. We’re looking to change this by providing small businesses with the space to test, change and make something new.
“It’s been the hardest thing I have ever done and the best thing.”
Drawing on the support of committed women driving the organisation forward, Paris says the key to her energy and impact has been surrounding herself with like-minded women.
“At a time of trauma for the town, our peer support network and empathy is what enabled us to know what our community is going through and meet them where they are at.
“For our community-led work, we don’t apply a cookie-cutter approach but listen deeply and respond to the great nuances that exist.”
For other women working to trailblaze and have the community impact that she is having, Paris says that starting is the best way forward.
“There isn’t the luxury of time. It’s important to not overthink something but to be mindful of your instincts and move forward on those and just start.”
Find out more about the Wilderness Collective and how you can get involved: https://wildernesscollective.org.au/
