Cootamundra Who's Who
Public Profile
Michelle Baxter
welcome to Blessings by Design Art Studio
I'm the owner, founder, and lead teacher of Blessings by Design Art Studio , a creative space where children and families come to explore art, build confidence, and have fun making something they're proud of.
My background is in working with children. I have worked in special education for over 20 years ,and taught art classes for the past 15 years and in the last few years I worked as an Outside School Hours Care Coordinator, leading programs for children from preschool to Year 6. I loved every part of it — building relationships with families, designing engaging activities, and creating an environment where every child felt safe, valued, and excited to be there.
That experience shaped everything I bring to the studio today.
Blessings by Design
I'm not interested in being the biggest art studio — I'm focused on being the best for the families who walk through our door.
That means small class sizes, thoughtful lesson planning, quality materials, and genuine connection.
When you join a class with me, I'll know your child's name, their favourite colour, what they love to draw, and what makes them light up. I'll celebrate their wins and gently encourage them through the tricky bits. Art isn't just about the finished piece — it's about confidence, focus, problem-solving, and joy.
I'd love to welcome your family into our creative community.
Connect through my public pages
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Distinguished and Famous people from Cootamundra
🏏 Sir Donald Bradman
Donald Bradman was born in Cootamundra on 27 August 1908, at the private maternity hospital run by midwife “Granny” Scholz. His family lived at nearby Yeo Yeo before moving to Bowral when he was still a small child. Cootamundra’s connection with the celebrated cricketer is preserved at Bradman’s Birthplace Museum, in the building where his life began. The museum gives a modest domestic setting to the beginnings of a sporting career that would become one of Australia’s most widely remembered.
🏦 Sir Bede Callaghan
Bede Callaghan worked at Cootamundra in 1934 during the early stages of his Commonwealth Bank career. He had started as a Newcastle junior with duties including filling inkwells and changing blotting paper. Later appointments took him to London, international financial institutions and leadership of the Commonwealth Banking Corporation. He also became chancellor of the University of Newcastle and encouraged broader education for bank staff. Cootamundra is a specific early posting, before the prominent national roles. His progress offers a reminder that a future managing director could begin with tasks that left very little scope for financial grandeur.
✈️ Alexander Emslie
Alexander Emslie held an air force posting at Cootamundra before later instructional and operational duties. His first application to become a pilot had failed, but he entered the RAAF through radio training and persisted until accepted for pilot training in 1939. He later commanded a Catalina squadron and received the Distinguished Flying Cross, followed by a further award for service in Malaya. Cootamundra’s connection is a documented professional posting within that progression. The story combines persistence with technical preparation, rather than suggesting that a distinguished flying career arrived fully formed at the first attempt.
