Debbie O’Connor was nominated as a Legend of the Nepean by Councillor Greg Davies. If you know a local legend, send us a nomination at nepeannews@aol.com
She moved to London to work part-time (due to Visa restrictions) in Graphic Design and other odd jobs, constantly saving for extensive trips throughout Great Britain and Europe. Debbie went on a trip to Scandanavia in 1997 and met an Aussie traveller David O’Connor, who lived in Penrith. David returned to Australia but Debbie continued to travel and they conducted a long-distance romance, before Debbie finally chose Australia as a destination in 1998. David proposed 10 months later and the couple would return to White River, South Africa for the next 18 months, marrying in the Pott family home - called Ezulwini (Close to Heaven) on 11th September 1999. Debbie emigrated to Australia in 2000 and arrived in Sydney during the
euphoria and splendour of the Sydney 2000 Olympics. The couple moved from the City to Glenmore Park in 2001 and, in 2002, Debbie resigned from her job as a Graphic Designer, registered ‘White River Design’ and also gave birth to son Joel. When starting White River Design, Debbie realised as a foreigner she didn’t know anyone nor did she have any business connections in Australia. Debbie attributes a lot of her business success to the support of the Western Sydney Business Centre, where she received invaluable advice and an introduction to the world of networking, which set her up on her business journey. To help launch her business, Debbie created the Glenmore Park Business
Directory in 2002 and ran it for 8 years, before selling in 2010. In 2005, daughter Jade was born and Debbie authored and published a fun book for children aged 2-6 called Andrew Potato Face, which encourages them to eat a healthy meal. In 2010 Debbie moved her business out of home and into premises. This was a stressful and costly process. However by 2013 she had outgrown that office and started looking for suitable space for her next business venture in Penrith. Frustratingly she ran into constant hurdles and said she was even told ‘she was too forwardthinking for Penrith’. Finally, Debbie found a suitable location in York Road and subsequently opened ‘The Creative Fringe’
In 2014, The Creative Fringe was a Finalist in the “Champions of the West Awards’ and subsequently won. Debbie has been heavily involved in local fund-raising initiatives for charities and has held the “Think Outside the Square” Blanket Challenge for the past 4 years, where people donate knitted 20cm x 20cm squares to make blankets for the homeless and those less fortunate. The first year resulted in enough knitted squares being donated to complete 49 blankets and in 2020, the number rose to complete an astonishing 200 blankets, which are distributed through charities such as WestCare, Penrith Community Kitchen and Platform Youth Services. “The people of Penrith and the Blue Mts have been amazing,” Debbie said. Prior to the interruption from Covid-19, The Creative Fringe also hosted the Great Morning Tea, fundraised for the RSPCA, Pink Up Penrith and First Seeds (which involved people creating items for sale from unwanted denim skirts and raising $1,500 to help support young women in Warwick Farm).
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