General News
19 December, 2025
Doco move a lasting change
A move to Maryborough was the beginning of a new life for Claire Galang who starred on the SBS series 'Meet the Neighbours'.
A three month trial of life in Maryborough became three years and counting for Claire Galang from the SBS series Meet the Neighbours.
Country life wasn’t for everyone who moved to Maryborough for the three part documentary series — but it was for Ms Galang’s family.
Both Ms Galang and her husband Renee were born overseas and met in the Philippines.
Ms Galang arrived in Australia in 2016 while her husband has lived here for more than 30 years.
Their move to town from Melbourne’s outer suburbs became the foundation of a life she said they love.
Ms Galang said they now own their own home, have made friends and found work locally.
But this wasn’t always a guarantee, which Ms Galang realised, as she worried about how her son Huxley would fit in.
Three years on, however, she said he would rather stay in Maryborough than go back to Melbourne to visit family.
“I was worried for nothing,” she said.
Ms Galang is also entering a new chapter in her career at Havilah, which was her first full-time job, as she begins a part-time commercial cookery apprenticeship.
It’s an unexpected passion she discovered at work while training to be a carer.
“I can’t really explain it because I don’t do much cooking at home but in here that’s where I learn,” she said.
“I find it really interesting.”
Her hope is to one day cook full time for the elderly residents.
Meet the Neighbours asked if people of diverse cultural back-grounds were the answer to the decline of country towns.
While that question remains, Ms Galang encouraged others to explore the possibilities of country life.
“Wherever you go just mingle with the people, make friends, make your life happy,” she said.