Meet The Locals: Emma Smith: Business Owner And Passionate Surf Coast Local

Local resident, Emma Smith, shares what she loves about raising her family and running her hairdressing business on the Surf Coast.

Hi Emma, thank you for taking some time out of your busy day running Anglesea Hair Studio. Did you always want to be a hairdresser?

Ha ha! No, not really. My great grandmother got me into this job. She was a regular client at a local salon in Anglesea and one day when she was getting her weekly blow wave, she said to the owner “My great-granddaughter would love this job”. She was right.

I started my apprenticeship not long after then started my own salon. That was twelve years and many haircuts ago.

What do you love about hairdressing after all these years?

I love everything about it. Talking with people is a big part of the job and I enjoy it a lot. I enjoy the process of transforming the way someone looks, altering the shape of their face by changing their haircut and the colour of their hair. Applying colour is particularly gratifying, but I like a challenge and getting it right leaves everyone feeling fantastic.

About a year ago I moved my business from the main street of Anglesea to the understory of my parents’ house, the home I grew up in. We renovated downstairs to create a two-chair salon and a waiting area surrounded by a beautiful garden. I wish I’d moved there years ago as everyone loves the setting.

I really like being able to manage my own time. My husband is a firefighter with the Fire Rescue Victoria Service, and we juggle our hours so that we can spend time together as a family.

I love hairdressing, but being a mum is my number one priority.

What was it like growing up in the area?

The Surf Coast is a great place to grow up. I grew up in Anglesea and went to the local primary and secondary schools. I have a multitude of cousins, aunties and uncles who are involved in the community all over the Surf Coast.

We have the beach, so much national park surrounding the town and there are lots of playgrounds as well as the river and open places to explore.

We moved to nearby Armstrong Creek, between Geelong and Torquay. There are lots of families and it’s an easy drive to the coast for work with little traffic. I can’t imagine living anywhere else.

How have things changed over the years?

The most recent changes have been people from Melbourne moving permanently to the area and converting holiday houses into their main residence. The lockdowns in Victoria and particularly Melbourne has meant a number of people now reverse the commute for work from the coast back to the city.

Overall, this has been a positive change. There are new people in town, and lots of new faces at local sport clubs and at the salon.

I’m a keen netball player – I met my husband through the Bellarine Football and Netball League club in Anglesea – and there has been an influx of new netballers into our club. They are very welcome and it’s fun having new people to meet and get to know.

Yet, in many ways, Anglesea is very similar to when I was growing up. You can still ride your bike everywhere. Being bound by national parks and the sea, there isn’t a lot of room to build new houses. It still feels a lot like it did when I was growing up here, which is really lovely.

What are some of your favourite local places to visit?

Anglesea is so pretty and easy to explore. We love the bush, there are gorgeous walking tracks all through the region.

Further afield, Point Roadknight Beach is one of our favourite spots for sure. It’s beautiful and a safe place to swim.

Thank you, Emma, we’ll see you at Anglesea Hair Studio soon!

For more information about family-friendly activities around Anglesea see our article on Surf Coast Hidden Gems.