Local Chick… Colleena Presnell from Waverley

By James Hutton on March 2, 2020 in People

Local author and all-round legend Colleena, Beau Geehole.

Local chick Colleena Presnell lives with her hubby Max in Waverley. She shares her local favourites with The Beast…

How long have you lived here? It’s been 38 years now.

Why do you live here? I love the access to the beaches, both Bronte and Bondi. It’s a five-minute walk to Charing Cross for great coffee shops, a few really good restaurants, the Robin Hood and the Charo. And it’s a ten-minute walk to Bondi Junction and the train is seven minutes to the CBD.

What’s your favourite beach? I love Bondi for an early morning swim, and it’s beautiful to swim in the evening as the sun goes down in summer. It’s great to walk along the boulevard and breathe the fresh air in winter.

What’s your favourite eatery? We like the Uyen and Bronte Bistro in Waverley, but there is nothing quite like La Piadina in Bondi on a Sunday afternoon.

Where do you like to have a drink? Either in our garden or the Charing Cross Hotel. I’m quite partial to a Scarborough Chardonnay or a Robert Black Shiraz, and Max likes the beer on tap.

Best thing about the Eastern Suburbs? Golf clubs, tennis clubs, movie theatres, beaches, green gardens and the security of two great local hospitals.

Worst thing about the Eastern Suburbs? The traffic can be incredible, especially when it’s school time. We are surrounded by six schools!

Do you have a favourite sporting team? Yes, I’m mad about the Swans and I love footy season. Max has always been a Rabbitohs supporter.

What music are you into at the moment? Anything Jazz, blues or rock ‘n’ roll. I like Ella Fitzgerald, Satchmo, Kenny Rogers, Elvis, Beccy Cole and Melody Gardot. I like local country and western singer Paul Costa, and when Teddy Tahu Rhodes sings ‘Some Enchanted Evening’ – OMG!

Who is your favourite person? My favourite person is my husband, Max Presnell. He’s good fun, talented and my inspiration.

What do you get up to on the weekends? We’ve been having our little grandchildren over most weekends but sometimes I go to the races. On Saturday nights Max and I eat and play music over candlelight with a good bottle of pinot noir. On Sunday it’s church for me, then Bondi, Piadina, Harris Farm and home to relax. Sometimes we see a movie, but generally we leave that until Monday.

What do you do for work? For the past fifteen years I have been writing a book titled Lash Me Fair, which is an historical novel based on an amazing man, Henry Passmore, and his arrival in Fremantle in 1865. Before that I was a trainer in business communication.

What’s your favourite thing about work? My pick would be writing, making up characters and bringing them to life in a story, although I really enjoyed training people in business and seeing their communication skills improve interactions within a company.

Do you have a favourite quote? I have two favourites. “I have no yesterdays, time took them away, I may not have tomorrow but I have today,” and, “Don’t think about it, just do it.”

Any other words of wisdom for readers of The Beast? Buy my book, Lash me fair, it’s a great yarn. You can grab a copy at www.colleenapresnell.com.