Burra is a cut above the rest for Kimmy Rose

Kim Rose didn’t mean to make Korumburra her home but fell in love with the town anyway.

They don’t come any more down to earth than the wonderful Kim Rose, owner of KD’s Barber Shop in the arcade near Alex Scott Real Estate.

Having moved here eight years ago to be closer to her mum and dad, Kimmy has done it all in recent years: a marriage, the arrival of her first grandson and a brilliant business built from scratch.

Here, Kimmy shares her story about choosing a life in her beautiful adopted home town.

Q: So I'm here with Kimmy Davey, or is it Kimmy Rose now?
A: Kimmy Rose now. Kimmy Rose.

Q: Kimmy, you've been in Korumburra for some time now?
A: It'll be about eight years, nine years now.

Q: What brought you to Korumburra?
A: I moved from Perth, wanted to come back to mum and dad. Moved in with mum and dad, and I was only supposed to stay about four months, but loved it.
I thought “I'll stay here”, and so I stayed put. Then I was working for someone in Leongatha, then I met someone and got married, and now I've got my own business in Korumburra.

Q: Did you expect that when you first got here?
A: No, no, no, no, no. No, I didn't expect that.
I wasn't looking for it, and neither was he (Kim’s husband Steve). And I didn't think I'd be here forever. I thought I'd end up moving to Queensland. That was my reason for coming back here for just, say, six months. But yeah, I wouldn't leave here for anything now. Love it.

Q: What do you love about Korumburra?
A: I love the community. I love the people that live here. It's great that you get a smile when you walk down the street or a wave. It's very friendly. Everybody helps everybody, and it's just a great community.

Q: What do you think are some of the challenges of living in a small town like this?
A: That's a hard one. I find especially when you've got a business something like mine, you need to be open when you're supposed to be open. But people are very friendly.

Having a business, when you do clients here, you end up being friends with them.
It's not just a client. And they come in, they talk to you, and they've got someone to talk to. So it's good that you can listen and let them vent. 

Sometimes you can help them by saying something nice or just letting them know that you're there for them in the community. Because a lot of people are alone out there. So that's what I find makes me happy - if I can help people.

Q: Where does that desire to help people come from? Does that come down through your family?
A: I think I'm a bit of a softie in that respect. I think it's just my personality.
My mum's very loving, caring. Would do anything for anyone. So would my dad.
And I've always felt that if I could help someone, I will. But I am very soft in that respect. Sometimes probably too soft. But then at the same time, if you can help someone, why wouldn't you?

Q: Do you find sometimes with all the giving that you miss out yourself?
A: Oh yeah, definitely. A lot of times I take it home with me and it's very emotional. But I'm lucky I've got a great husband who supports me and is always there for me. That's one lucky thing.

Q: Now in your family there's a lot of children. What number are you?
A: I'm one of nine. I'm the second youngest. We all live in different areas.

Q: Being the second youngest of nine children - what was that like growing up?
A: Loved it. It was great. We were always busy. We were never home weekends.
Mum and Dad, we always went away in the caravan. Then also my dad and my brothers were into speedway racing, so we were never home weekends. We were always busy. And I used to say to Mum, how did you deal with taking all us kids to people's homes or friends' places? She always used to say, we were so well behaved. Never had an issue.

Q: What's your take on how families these days are dealing with things? There seems to be more broken families now.
A: It's sad. I think people don't try hard enough anymore. I think finance has a big thing about it. There's a lot more mental illness out there, a lot of domestic violence. It's a lot of stress on people nowadays. Whereas it never used to be years ago. The way Australia is now, like Victoria, a lot of people I'm finding are moving to Queensland or WA just to get out of Victoria. Because the way the state is at the moment with taxes and just everything it's a lot harder.

Q: Do you think as a business owner, those taxes can be relentless?
A: Relentless. And you just keep waiting for the next one and the next one to see what's going to happen. And you hear it every day from clients, how hard it's to live now. I've got clients that are living on noodles. I say to them, there's places you can go for help. I've even given free haircuts when I know that they're struggling. It's just something that if you can help someone, you do it.

Q: Now you also, if you don't mind me asking you and Steve spend a lot of time with your grandchild - what's that like?
A: Look, I do have my grandchild full time. That's hard.

Q: That's related to your daughter being unwell?
A: My daughter's not well, no. But look, for my husband to take on a three-year-old - well, back then he (Jeremiah) was one - shows what sort of a person he is.
And I would never, ever have my grandson given to anybody else. He's my blood. He's my everything. And yeah, it is hard work. It's tiring, especially when you have a business. But you just do it. You just keep going and just take day by day.

Q: Is it true that the love of a grandchild is stronger than that of your own children?
A: No, I think it's different love. I don't believe it's stronger.
I think we have more time for our grandkids. When we're younger, like I had a business where my daughter was little and I didn't have as much time that I could spend with her, where now I'm not working full time. Having my grandson, I do have time with him, but he does go to daycare and so I get a Tuesday off to myself. That makes it a bit easier. But I don't think it's you love them more. I think it's more the fact it's a different love that you have, that you have more time for them and more patience.

Q: To be able to do that - manage your business, care for your grandchild - where do you draw your strength from?
A: I think as I've got older, you've got to be stronger. With my daughter not being well, I think that's got me through a lot of it. I just look at my grandson and think, well, he didn’t ask where he is, but it is what it is. Steve and I give him the best life we can. That's all we can do.
You know, some grandparents can't do it. So I'm lucky that we can do it. He's a beautiful boy. He has his issues with his tantrums and that, but all kids do. 

Q: Can you see yourself ever moving out of Korumburra?
A: Probably in about 15 years, if I'm still around. But I think more we’ll travel rather than move out of Korumburra, because we have other kids here. I definitely want to be around my family. So I’m staying.