When Julieanne Ratz and her husband relocated from Canberra to Kiama, they didn’t expect to arrive the day before the COVID lockdown.

Nor did they imagine how deeply they would embed themselves in the community they now call home.

“We did our research,” Julieanne says. “We rented for three months, went to local meetings, talked to people at the library and the police station, even visited the Information Centre.

Everywhere we went, people were welcoming. It wasn’t the stereotype we had heard.”

Despite all their careful planning, arriving just as the pandemic hit made it difficult to build connections straight away.

Julieanne had been looking for meaningful volunteer opportunities and had tried Vinnies, but it didn’t quite tick the box. That changed at the Kiama Volunteer Expo.

“I went just to explore, but it completely changed everything,” she says. “I chatted to people from all sorts of groups, and two things stood out.

I joined U3A, and I found my way to the Visitor Information Centre. That was my turning point.”

Julieanne brought with her decades of experience in travel, tourism and events management, including senior roles in the Department of Treasury organising major international meetings.

She found the perfect fit at the Visitor Information Centre.

“I walked in, met Lauren and the team, and they welcomed me like an old friend,” she says. “Now, I get to use my skills, meet people from all over the world, and feel part of something.”

Julieanne and her husband also walk regularly with others, which has provided connection, conversation and community from early on.

“There’s something about walking and talking that just helps everything fall into place.”

Her husband Andrew has also stepped up, volunteering with South Coast and Country Community Transport.

But beyond the logistics of volunteering and local life, there is something deeper that motivates them both.

“We came here with the intention of giving back,” she says. “Kiama has had its share of hardship, especially among young people. Community connection cannot solve everything, but it can save lives.”

Julieanne sees every shift at the Visitor Centre as an opportunity to offer warmth and welcome. “Sometimes it’s a map. Sometimes it’s a chat. Sometimes it’s just helping people feel seen.”

Her story is a powerful reminder that volunteering is not just about giving. It is about finding your people, your purpose, and sometimes, your place in the world.

And it all started at the Kiama Volunteer Expo, which is on again next week.