OUR CITY OUR FUTURE - Kathy Payne

LIKE many others who leave Warwick as a young adult to seek adventure, Kathy Payne was convinced it was for good.

"At the time I didn't ever imagine returning," Mrs Payne said.

"My husband John and I left town so he could take up an Air Force posting.

"But we've been back for 20 years now and I love Warwick more and more.

"We are lucky to have such a wonderful and supportive community."

Mrs Payne said she moved to Warwick in the early 1980's with her family.

"Dad (Barry Rowling) was a postmaster so we moved around a lot," she said.

"We lived in Chinchilla, Inglewood, Clifton, Tamworth and then settled in Warwick.

"I met John sometime in the mid 1980s at a rural youth event and we started going out.

Mrs Payne said they had enjoyed great experiences during John's 12 years in the air force.

"We travelled a lot and had a heap of fun," she said.

"But when that was all done, we decided to return to Warwick and have a country adventure.

"I knew it would be a great place to raise a young family."

While away, Mrs Payne also found time to complete a Bachelor of Social Welfare and a Bachelor of Social Work, and became a mental health social worker.

"When we returned to Warwick, John got a job with Queensland Health and I was the Warwick State High School chaplain for a few years," she said.

"I also spent a great deal of time being a mother, which I absolutely loved.

"I have two gorgeous girls, Kirstin and Sheridan, and son Aaron, a vibrant, healthy 19-year-old man."We're off to Melbourne this week to watch Aaron compete as part of the Queensland team at the Australia National Para Table Tennis Championships."

About 10 years ago, Mr Payne started a private practice as a dental prosthetist and today the couple share professional suites at 54 Guy St.

Mrs Payne has recently refreshed her business to become Southern Downs Wellbeing Support Service and also spends time working at headspace.

"A person's well-being is the centre of what I do," she said.

"Through professional supervision, counselling, mediation, perinatal support for young mums and advocacy."

Mrs Payne said she was excited about the future of health services in Warwick.

"The National Disability Insurance Scheme rolled out here on January 1 and I'm really encouraged by what that means for people with disabilities in our region," she said.

"And also for the wider community, it won't just be the people with disabilities who will win, it will be the whole community as we become more inclusive."

"People with disabilities will be able to access services that would enable them to 'live an ordinary life'.

"They'll be able to participate within the community more easily," she said.

"I can see there are going to be so many advantages, especially for those who have a passion for assisting others - this sector is going to become huge, bigger than the mining boom.

"This means enormous opportunities of work in this industry in the region and means a very optimistic future."

Mrs Payne said Warwick was a wonderfully supportive community.

"We rally together and help those in need out," she said.

"I may do it professionally, but I'm also grateful that I have the opportunity to get to do this as a part of a community as well.