Lifestyle: Shauna Willis - Woman for all Seasons

With an impressive history of co-stars such as Doopa Dog and Zac “the puppet in a bucket” it is easy to see why Shauna Willis describes three decades with GWN7 as an “awesome adventure”.

The 49-year-old has dabbled in nearly everything during her 30 years with the media group, but most would recognise her now as the charming and down-to-earth weather presenter.

In fact, Shauna is so well known as GWN7’s weather guru that she constantly has to remind people she reports on climate conditions, she does not control them.

“I was down in Albany for a holiday and I came out of the IGA and it was a shocking day,” Shauna laughs.

“This nice old boy was standing out the front as I was walking past and he half yelled out ‘Shauna, your weather’s bloody rubbish’.

“Can I just put it on the record here, I’m not in charge of the weather.”

While it was not something she set her sights on, Shauna said she had grown accustomed to being recognised.

“It’s lovely, people are really nice,” she said.

“I haven’t had anyone hassle me too much about my weather reporting.”

Shauna describes her varying roles at GWN7 as a “constant stumbling surprise” after starting out as a receptionist in her hometown of Albany.

She said moving between script writing, commercial production, producer and presenter for children’s program The Saturday Club to news reporting had kept her working life “exciting and fresh”.

“GWN has given me such a wonderful different array of opportunities, so it’s been really exciting,” she said.

“I’ve gone from Albany my hometown, up to complete opposite of monsoon in Broome and then before that Karratha and back down here to Bunbury.”

Shauna remembers her first news interview with French explorer Jacques Cousteau’s son, Jean-Michel, when research vessel RV Calypso sailed into Broome.

“I remember stepping onto this funny little boat thing with shaking hand and holding this bit of paper with my questions for news – it was very exciting,” she said.

She notes her time as a script writer and commercial producer in the State’s north, travelling between Broome, Kununurra and Fitzroy Crossing as a career highlight.

Another highlight is a man Shauna describes as a “good bloke” in former weather man Chris Mills.

“I think he’ll forever be known as GWN’s weather man but I have an enormous amount of respect for him,” she said.

“He was probably one of the people that really made me understand the nature of television is just presenting yourself and just be a nice, genuine person.”

Her biggest challenge has been “like any mum out there”, juggling life as a working mum to three children, but she praises the support of her family and GWN.

Shauna says she is “very lucky” to have always had the complete backing from her husband of 19 years, Stan – a former South West Slammer and Carey Park footballer.

And according to Shauna, Stan is the cook of the family, whether it’s whipping up a “to die for” chicken parmigiana or the “meanest” mushroom arancini balls.

With 30 years under her belt, Shauna has no plans to slow down anytime soon.

“I’ll go with the flow, but yes, possibly I could be a 70-year-old weather girl, wouldn’t that be interesting,” she laughs. It’s been an awesome adventure and long may it continue.”