Berwick has its own pageant royalty in nine year old Ella Haylock, back on home soil after representing Australia in the Royal International Miss Pageant in Orlando.
Ella competed against around 350 girls from 14 different countries as the 2019 Royal International Miss Australia Pacific Sweetheart, and returned with multiple wins including the Royal International Miss (RIM) Appearance Award, 2019 RIM Regal Excellence, 2019 RIM Casual wear 4th Runner Up, 2019 Royal International Top 15 Finalist, 2019 RIM International Finalist, 2019 RIM Royal Top Model 2nd Runner up and 2019 RIM Purple Passion 1st Runner up.
Ella’s mum Chantelle Hateley says her daughter has matured as a person over the course of the pageant, developing skills in areas like public speaking and interviewing.
“She made so many friends globally and was so confident, she couldn’t stop smiling. She’s a completely different child.”
While most people have pre-conceived notions of pageantry, influenced by the likes of Miss Congeniality and Toddlers and Tiaras, Ella turns them on their head.
She advocates for her favourite charities, Cranbourne-based Backpacks 4 Vic Kids and the Royal Children’s Hospital, and collects donations of clothes, toys and stationery for sick kids. The Royal Children’s Hospital is particularly close to Ella’s heart as she was born with a rare bone disease, Schmidt metaphysical dysplasia, and has spent many hours in the wards with her mum.
The condition means Ella is only 99 centimetres tall at the age of nine and her bones can also become fragile. It had impacted her confidence and resilience.
Ms Hateley says pageants offer Ella an opportunity to shine despite her condition be herself on stage.
“As a child herself with a disability, it’s given her a platform to feel confident and be herself and advocate for others with similar conditions. She spoke to a lot of new friends overseas about the challenges she’s had and what pageantry has done for her.”
Ella began competing in pageants last year when she took part in Misses Australia, with no coaching and no expectations of winning, her mother explains.
Now passionate about working the pageant circuit, Ella hopes to compete in Royal International Miss again next year and is already brainstorming ways to tweak her modelling, speeches and routines.
She has also set her sights on acting and modelling in future.
“Now, when she’s on stage she doesn’t want to leave!” Ms Hateley laughs.
“We are so incredibly proud of her.”
