Amanda Brocklebank, A very talented mum

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Resident of Kingsville

I live in Kingsville with my husband Pat Panetta and our three great kids. Originally from Leongatha, Pat and I met doing breakfast radio in Warragul. Listeners across Gippsland and the Latrobe Valley woke up to “Pat && Amanda for Breakfast” from around 1999 – 2001. The audience had no idea we were dating, one day we just announced we were engaged!

I’m a radio presenter and do live commercials on 3AW 693 from businesses and events across Melbourne. Pat and I have a regular Wednesday segment with Denis Walter on 3AW called “Love and Marriage”. It’s a lighthearted look into our relationship. We talk about what we’re arguing about or something funny that’s happened and let talkback callers join the conversation.

I’m also a voice artist for radio and tv commercials and corporate videos. I can’t count the times I’ve said “Sale on now!”. I voice a lot of retail commercials, sometimes in different accents or character voices, from sophisticated to a typical Mum.

Before the footy season started this year, I did an hour of radio with Mike Brady on his Saturday night program “Mike till Midnight” on 3AW. He has wonderful listeners who are great at sharing stories and experiences.

When we first moved to Melbourne, we settled down in Pat’s paternal Nonna’s little flat along Somerville Road. I’d always liked Yarraville; it seemed to be “a cool little place”. Pat wasn’t so sure, he grew up here in the West as he knew Yarraville before it was this trendy hub. These days he’ll often say to me “Moving here is the best decision we made.”

Pat began working at 3AW, I was freelancing doing voiceovers and writing tv scripts and caring for our two little ones. We built our home in Edgar Street in 2008 and had our third child soon after.

My three kids all go to a great children’s acting school called Greentree. They also have Brave Studios, offering adult acting courses. Because the kids enjoyed it, I thought I’d have a go too. That Brave workshop motivated me to get an agent and start auditioning. I’ve had a few parts in commercials, but blink and you’ll miss me! Acting is much more difficult than radio. You don’t have to worry about how you look for radio!

I’m now represented by Bella Management, a company that is in the forefront of the changing face of fashion. I was asked to join as a voice artist, but I’m also in their classic model division for older men and women. Mature looks, grey hair, plus-size, natural beauty – it’s all very in vogue at the moment. Middle-aged women still love fashion. We’re rediscovering ourselves after raising kids, enjoying careers and we don’t want 16-year-olds advertising clothes for us. Modelling for Bella has been exciting and great fun.

I’ve recently started a Facebook page called ‘Forever Forty’. It’s a term I really like. Forty and beyond is an age where women know who they are, they’re losing their self-consciousness and don’t care so much about what other people think. It’s a page about fashion; I post content when I have something I think women may find useful or inspiring and to remind them to have a ‘Forever Forty’ attitude. I love sharing stories about mature women rocking the fashion world.

Pat and I recently launched Neapolitan Media. We help businesses with concepts, branding, copywriting, advertising, promotions, events, all things creative!

We love living here in Yarraville. I’m a country girl so I’m used to knowing everybody. In Yarraville, I walk into Coles and bump into so many people I know. It’s gone from “Yarraville? Where’s that?” to “Oh! Yarraville! I want to live there!” It’s so handy to the city and we’ve made so many friends within the school and the local community. Pat and I love sitting in the pop-up park while the kids watch a movie at the Sun Theatre. We are so lucky to live here.

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