Paula Wilkinson of Angela’s Hair and Beauty named Burnett’s best hairdresser

‘Each client brings a little bit of character to the salon’: The life-changing opportunity to take the reins of one of the town’s most iconic salons took this stylist by surprise. Now, she’s taken out the title of the region’s best.

The idea of one day becoming a hairdresser had only briefly crossed the mind of Gayndah’s Paula Wilkinson when she was faced with the life-changing opportunity to take the reins of one of the town’s most iconic salons.

Ms Wilkinson had worked at a Gayndah Pharmacy for 13 years and was “nervously” harnessing her early hairdressing skills on her close friend Nikki Guyatt-Linsket, when her mother and stepfather decided to invest in Angela’s.

“They asked, ‘If we bought the salon, would you manage it?’” she said.

“I immediately rang Nikki and asked her if she’d be interested in being my senior hairdresser and putting me through my apprenticeship.

“So that's what we did and since then I’ve bought the salon back from my parents.”

Paula Wilkinson, apprentice Tahlia Lette and Nikki Guyatt-Linsket (left to right). Photo/supplied

Now the popular stylist and owner of Angela’s Hair and Beauty has this week voted by readers as the region’s best hairdresser for 2022.

Ms Wilkinson, who took over the salon in 2006, said running a business as a mother of two was often tough but she was grateful she could pursue her passion.

“After I first left school I went to see another hairdresser in town to ask if I could get a job there, but she didn’t typically take on apprentices,” she said.

“I did work there for a little while on a volunteer basis, hoping that maybe she would change her mind, but that didn’t happen and I started working at the pharmacy.

“(The purchase of the salon) was very unexpected at the time, especially with a toddler and another child in school, but I’m so grateful.”

Ms Wilkson said she was “humbled” and “overwhelmed” to receive the title of the region’s best hairdresser and wished to thank everyone who voted for her.