WHAT’S UP, SALLY?

The UPco team is made up of all sorts of characters, and every one of them has a story. Here’s Sally’s.

What’s your name, and your role at UPco?

Sally O’Sullivan. I’m a Senior Planner, born and raised in Ireland. I joined UPco after moving to Australia in 2022.

How have you found the transition to Melbourne from Dublin? What are the biggest differences?

People always laugh at me for saying this, but the weather is so much better. I know Melbourne has a reputation for its moody weather, but these things are all relative! The lifestyle here is really all about the outdoors, which I love. Even just sitting outside to have a coffee, going for walks… I don’t take those things for granted. I’m still getting used to them being a normal part of life!

Has anything surprised you about Australia?

Well, the marketing for Australia that I saw always seemed to feature lots of kangaroos, red soil, that kind of thing. In Ireland, people think of it as being this vast, rural place. It may sound funny, but when I landed in Melbourne, I was slightly surprised to realise it’s a major city! Not a kangaroo in sight!

That said, Australian cities are certainly very different to those back home, and I’m always reminded of this at work. Compared to a city like Dublin, which is covered with heritage and difficult to develop upwards, Melbourne presents lots of opportunities. I guess there’s more space to play with and things are a bit more spaced out, so you have more scope to blend new architecture with old.

Getting to know a new city is always fun. How do you spend your time off duty?

I’ve got a little dog, Woody. He’s a toy cavoodle. Basically, I’m obsessed with him – my life pretty much revolves around him! We’re often down at a dog park taking walks. Melbourne is a fantastically dog-friendly place to live. My partner and I also love taking Woody to the dog beaches in Brighton, letting him off leash and seeing him frolic!

What’s your favourite place in Melbourne (so far, anyway!)?

I’d say Albert Park. When I first arrived here, I lived right beside it. I still remember the first time I walked in, being stunned by the backdrop of the city over the lake. It’s just beautiful. And the fact that events like the Formula One take place there; it’s quite wild. The first year we lived here, we had to go and see what all the fuss was about. Living so close, it would’ve been almost sinful not to go! And it was fantastic, a real festival feel. I need to go again.

I know you’re an outdoorsy type, but do you get tempted by the couch and TV?

Yes! My boyfriend and I are obsessed with pretty much all crime documentaries, and we’re suckers for the British detective series you get on the BBC. And funnily enough, we also love The Great British Bake-off! I started watching it with my mum when it first began, so now I must watch it every year – it’s tradition.

So, is ‘Bake-Off’ the reality TV show you’d cast yourself on (if you had to pick one)?

Definitely. If I had to go on anything like Love Island, I would die. But baking, I think I can do. I make pretty decent brownies, and Mars Bar rice crispy squares (I think you call them rice bubbles here).

What’s one thing that’s high on your bucket list?

Travel more in general. Living in Dublin, I have travelled Europe pretty well – but a key driver for moving here was to travel through more of this part of the world, especially Southeast Asia. My passport has room for plenty more stamps.

Finally, if you weren’t a planner, what would you be?

I would definitely work with animals in some capacity. I just love them. Every time I arrive in a new city, I’ll go to whatever zoo or animal sanctuary I can find. Australia’s animals are bizarre and somewhat terrifying! When I first arrived, I couldn’t walk past a bush without giving it a wide berth. But I think I’m adjusting. That said, I still haven’t seen a huntsman spider and am in no hurry to do so!