Amelia Holloway-Brown, the ‘Sign Fairy’ bringing joy in lockdown

Meet 16-year-old Amelia Holloway-Brown who’s business “Sign Fairy” is bringing joy to the Central Coast during lockdown.

School never really “clicked” for Amelia Holloway-Brown so if she wanted to quit in Year 11 she had to have a job or be enrolled in TAFE.

The 16-year-old from Woongarrah did one better, she bought her own business.

Amelia said she noticed an advertisement pop up in her Facebook feed for an unusual franchise opportunity but didn’t take much notice of it.

One of the signs Amelia Holloway-Brown set up to celebrate an 18th birthday. Picture: supplied.

“I was planning to leave school because school and I never really clicked, ever,” she said.

But she knew her parents’ rule was she had to have a job or be enrolled in a TAFE course so she revisited the idea of a franchise.

“I said to Mum if I spend all of my savings on this business can we buy it?” she said.

The business was the Central Coast licence for Sign Fairy Au, a company established by two former Qantas hostesses in Perth after COVID hit last year and grounded the airline industry.

Amelia said she and her Mum, Belinda Spackman-Brown, contacted the founders and before long bought the franchise in May.

Amelia Holloway-Brown with her mum Belinda Spackman-Brown at their Woongarrah home which has become their business Sign Fairy AU. Picture: Sue Graham

The day after she signed the deal Amelia walked into her Year 11 class and began collecting her things.

“The teacher told me to sit down and I was late,” she said.

“I said sorry, I don’t go here anymore. They were all shocked.”

Despite being “terrible at business studies” Amelia believed she was “kind of born into it” given both her parents run small businesses.

Just as the name suggests, Sign Fairy Au organises large surprise signs, which they whisk in and set up on people’s front lawns under the cover of darkness so they are there when the birthday boy or girl wakes up.

Amelia said they have done all sorts of celebrations, from birthdays to anniversaries and company announcements.

“My favourite so far is a man’s 30th birthday which had a hashtag FU Covid,” she said.

Amelia’s Mum, Ms Spackman-Brown said they had been inundated with requests since the latest Covid lockdown hit with people looking for a special way to signify a milestone when they couldn’t do it in person.

Amelia has started her own business aged just 16. Picture: Sue Graham

She said the good thing was it’s totally contactless with them setting up the corflute signs before dawn and then usually going back at night to collect them.

“Because Amelia

“It’s definitely been a good job for our souls, knowing you can still bring a little joy to people’s lives in lockdown,” she said.