The combination of fashion and law seems an unlikely one, but for Shar Moana, these are her passions, along with her family an Pinto Quarterhorse, Jack.
Shar grew up in a small country town in New Zealand prior to moving to the Gold Coast when she was 12 years old.
One of seven children, she is the baby of her family, two minutes younger than her twin brother.
Pokeno has a school of only 65 students, with Shar’s mother one of the teachers.
When the family moved to the Gold Coast, the goal was to relocate to a country area on a few acres.
Becoming a lawyer wasn’t on Shar’s radar when she finished school.
She worked for a building company in administration, saved hard and travelled around Europe solo at the age of 19.
Returning to Australia, she secured a receptionist position with a law firm on the Gold Coast and this was the beginning of her legal pathway.
“It was in family law and I started developing a passion for family law after working there for around four years.”
“I thought ‘I really enjoy this law thing, I might just keep going with it’.”
She worked her way up from legal reception into a paralegal role assisting lawyers to prepare files.
This led to another role in a larger law firm on the Gold Coast.
She commenced her law degree full time online during covid, while also working three days a week.
It was a busy time, requiring a lot of discipline and self-motivation, but at the end of the covid pandemic she graduated with her law degree.
During this time the family realised their dream of moving to acreage where she now has her horse, Jack.
“Maybe it is being a New Zealander, but we are very happy to have intergenerational living. So we are on the same property but in different houses.”
She was fortunate to secure a position with local law firm Kroesen & Co and is becoming an active member of the community.
“I’m enjoying the nature of rural practice which is to give the community the services they require.”
She recently joined Zonta Beaudesert and found it a rewarding group to be part of.
“It is based around advocacy and support for women and girls and I thought ‘this is right up my alley’. I connected with their values and became a member.”
Shar’s love of fashion shines through in her Instagram account, the Lawyering Cowgirl.
Having modelled for friends who owned western fashion boutiques, she was inspired by American Courtenay DeHoff who merges her corporate career with the cowgirl lifestyle and started the Fancy Lady Cowgirl movement.
“A corporate lifestlye compared to a country lifestyle are very different dynamics but I like to think I’m a bit of both of those worlds!”
Shar has certainly embraced all the aspects of life in our region.
“The friends I surround myself with, the activities I enjoy are all in the Scenic Rim – I’ve shifted my life here.”
