When Sydenham resident Vaughan Stott isn’t training to be a CFA firefighter he’s busy raising funds for Movember. He tells Paul Shapiro why he loves Brimbank and what he likes to do when he’s not preparing to fight fires.
What drew you to Brimbank?
My wife and I’d had our first child and we were looking for a good place to raise children. As soon as we discovered Sydenham, I think we both had an instant connection to the community. There were lots of good schools and facilities and the affordability of the area was astounding considering how close we are to the city. We’ve since had another child and everything is going well.
What’s the best part of living in Sydenham?
I’ve lived here eight years now and the part I like most is the community feeling. Sydenham has a large number of young families. My children go to the local school and are involved in local activities. I like walking or riding to school and shopping with the kids.
How do you get involved in the community?
I like to help out as much as I can at my childrens’ school. I’ve done many working bees helping bring in sand from trucks. When I was a volunteer firefighter, I’d make visits with the crew to teach the students about fire safety.
What are your favorite things to do around Brimbank?
We enjoy going to Keilor Village and having barbecues. There’s a good playground at the village, which the kids and I really enjoy. When I’m going out for a bite to eat or a drink, Station Street at Watergardens has a few good options. Grill’d and the Mr Greek burger at Cafe Greco are good.
What made you want to join the CFA?
I joined as a volunteer with the Caroline Springs brigade in 2012. It was a great way to get involved with the local community and make some new friends while also gaining new skills. I’m currently completing the fourth career firefighter recruit course for 2015.
How tough was it to get into the course?
It’s highly competitive. This year there’s over 1400 applicants who were whittled down to 120. They split us into groups of four and each group is in training for three months.
What was the motivation for your Movember campaign?
Very early on, the recruit squad was keen to get involved in Movember as a team. There are some great and not so great ’staches in the group! My personal motivation to get involved with Movember stems from a family member’s successful fight with prostate cancer.
You obviously love living in Sydenham, but are there ways in which the area can be improved?
One thing I know the area definitely needs is an outdoor pool. My family and I love to go swimming, but we have to travel to Moonee Ponds, which is further to go than I’d like. Other than that, I think the area is perfect!
Donate to Vaughan’s Movember campaign at moteam.co/squad-4-2015
