The Dooleys

Previous Occupations
Tom: General Manager of large Funeral Company in Sydney
(70 funeral homes 12,000 funerals p.a, $50m p.a turnover)
Dale: Early Childhood & Maternal Nurse (mothers and new born babies), Nurse Unit manager of Lower North Shore Area of Sydney.

Current Business:
H.W Baggs & Son, Funeral Directors

Location:
East Gippsland, Victoria, with offices in Bairnsdale, Paynesville and Lakes Entrance
We service from Mallacootta to the High country.

Why did you move from Sydney?
Family reasons:
Dale had spent of her childhood in the area as her family had farming interests. Her parents had retired to Paynesville.

Non-retirement
Neither of us want to retire totally. We wanted a business in which we could work together, that would stimulate us, give us financial and time independence for as long as we want.

What are the advantages of living on the Gippsland Lakes?
Probably one of the most physically attractive and diverse areas in Victoria
(if not Australia).

…..And the Lifestyle?
It is very conducive for boating, golf, walking, cycling etc. We like boating, and living in Paynesville allows us easy access to the water. Snow skiers can be on the snow in 2 hours from Paynesville. There is an active social life of 50+’s. While the area is growing there is no congestion and getting around is very easy. Housing is cheaper (although the gap is closing) and so are general living expenses

Do you miss living in the city?
Not as such. We miss family, and friends. We find that we have a very busy lifestyle with work and social commitments. Most ex-city people, including ourselves, still retain family and friends and other contacts in the cities and will go down for functions and events. Many people go down for shows, sporting events, etc. These trips will be combined with shopping and visits to restaurants etc. Being 3 hours from Melbourne, return trips can be made the same day if necessary.

Tell us about your business
We are funeral directors. We bought an existing business and have been the owners for 3.5 years. Whilst we conduct traditional funeral services, we are moving toward “Celebrations of Life” and work with our client families to develop services that reflect the person’s life. The use of technology is becoming more prevalent in our services.

We also offer an After Care programme for our clients. These are facilitated peer support groups. Dale (a qualified counsellor) runs groups in Bairnsdale, Lakes Entrance and Orbost.

Due to the size of East Gippsland we travel large distances to conduct a funeral. From Mallacootta (3 hours to the east) to Melbourne in the west.

Why did you choose the funeral industry?
We chose this business because of my background and understanding of the industry. Dale’s health background was complementary to the industry.

What‘s the best part of your business?
The satisfaction of a job well done, helping a family through a difficult time in their lives and knowing that we have assisted that process.

…And the challenges?
We have the same challenges as all businesses. Also, not being ‘long time locals’, in a business that was operated by the same family for 45 years before us, has been a challenge to be accepted.

What have the Dooley's learnt in their business and new location?
They are a small hands on business and Dale and Tom have had to learn some of the back of house tasks. Tom has trained and developed into a very good Celebrant. Dale’s counselling has been recognised by local health professionals they refer their clients to her. She is also a sought after speaker on grief matters.

One thing they have both learnt is that if you live in a small community you need to be involved. Tom and Dale are both members of a number of clubs, including being active in Red Cross, Rotary, Legacy, hospital fund raising and volunteering when community support is needed.