The Sun Moon and Star opened its door in 1997. Gail had searched long and hard to find just the right place. Her first inspection was of a run down building being used as a motorbike workshop; there was oil, grease and bits of engine everywhere. But our Gail saw past the mess to the beautiful terrazzo floors.

Gail and her good mate Chrissie rolled up their sleeves and after many hours of hard labour, elbow grease and bins full of garbage transformed it into the Sun Moon and Star Spiritual Centre. Another talented friend Enid helped out too and put up signs on the windows.

Gail had a dream to set up a welcoming space for people to come and learn and share their experiences.

She wanted to offer meditation and classes to help people to expand their psychic abilities as well as socialise with others of like mind.

Our Ethos is described in our

Statement of Intent

Our logo is a combination of three sacred geometry symbols

• the Vesica Pisce
• the Pentagram
• the inward spiral

and the Sun and the Moon from our name with the Star represented by the pentagram. More information on the logo can be found on the Logo Page.

The furniture and fittings were sourced from friends and family, second hand outlets and even the local street collection! Planks & milk crates, old shelves and book cases, mismatched couches and odd chairs were transformed with fresh paint, stencils and lengths of beautiful fabric. It was fun and friendly.

Her skill as a tarot reader and ability as a teacher and meditation leader soon saw the Sun Moon and Star become a bustling neighbourhood centre. Being a woman who loves the girly stuff Gail soon found Carol, a beautician, to add to the Sun Moon Star family. And then as the shop started to get busier Lani, Irene and Theresa all came in and were receptionist / shop assistants.

Soon Gail needed to diversify so she asked the universe for others to offer different services. Over the years these included:

• Chrissie Baxter – tarot readings & Reiki healing
• Teri – massage
• Yvette Clark – palm & tarot reading
• Will the Wizard- numerology and palm reading
• Guida - Belly dancing
• Debra Jane – psychic reading
• Gabe – healing
• Nahriani – Bowen therapy and massage
• Anne - reflexology and massage
• Tina - massage

Before long Gail’s students started to offer their skills too. Donna Maree is a well known and excellent medium while several others are running their own classes and meditation circles.

5 years passed and Gail began to dream of taking a holiday!

She made the bold statement that when the climbing plant had grown right the way around the room she would sell up. And true to her word, a sign went up in the window when the plant completed the loop.

Gail and Tamara planned a handover ceremony and invited all their friends and family. On July 4 th Gail ceremonially locked the door for the last time, she handed Tamara the keys and she in turn unlocked the door for the first time. Everyone toasted Gail’s dream come true and Tamara's plans. The next day Tamara set to work putting her own stamp on the place with a fesh coat of purple paint.

Later that week Tamara was walking past the Alchemist, which had also been for sale when she was looking for change of employment. Tamara was under the impression that it had been sold but the signs in the window said “closing down”. Sharon explained that the sale had fallen through so she was just closing down and selling what she could. Tamara had always wanted the herb collection and so quickly made her an offer. And that is how the Sun Moon and Star ended up with the famous Alchemist herb collection, along with some shop fittings and stock.

Gail offered to stay on for awhile until " Tamara got the hang of it". That was in 2003 and she was still hanging around in 2008- Thank goodness! Tamara & Gail are firm friends and she has taught Tamara so much. Tamara said she would be very sad to see her go.

True to her word Linda turned up to "helpout"... first one or two days a week and then three or four and very soon Tamara found her indispensable. They soon discovered how similar they are, how well they work together, how they laugh at the same stuff and care about the same things- many people get them confused or think they are sisters. Linda has been such a blessing to Tamara who says "she is worth her weight in gold and I will always be grateful to the circumstances that have led to my gaining a true friend, a confidant, a business supporter and a soul sister".

Linda became the Manager of White Gum Valley and a "permanent fixture", just as she had always said!

Tamara started to expand the range of sock available in the store. When she began, Tamara wanted to stock so many things she just didn't know where to start. She researched new suppliers and bought samples. She looked for better deals and wrote lots of wholesale applications. Before long the list of suppliers had grown from 20ish to several hundred!

Every available dollar and minute went into refurbishing the Centre and buying more stock. The need for more shelving quickly became apparent, so husband Pete and friend Pete found themselves building shop fittings to Tamara's designs.

Many reps came to the store and tried to get Tamara to stock "best sellers" or "the latest cool thing"... but they were soon to learn that this was not Tamara's style. Tamara was often heard to say "Why would I stock the same stuff as everyone else?". She was always on the look out for beautiful, functional items that were not found at every new age or gift shop in Perth. She also believes that as the owner she must like something inorder to sell it ..."Well, if I don't like it why would I have it in my store"?

After a couple of years people started saying "so when are you opening another centre?"

Tamara thought about it and day dreamed about another place, perhaps Mt Lawley way... Inglewood sounded nice and there was the tree connection to White Gum... then one day a friend rang and said "I've just seen a shop on Beaufort St that could be a new centre." So the next time Tamara was over that way she went and had a look. It wasn't right but it felt close. Tamara closed her eyes, she called on her Guides and those in Spirit Realms who were guiding the Sun Moon and Star. "Ok, so if I am supposed to open a new place, show me where it is, I have some time now, show me" And then she started driving. Tamara was not at all familiar with the area and so she just handed over the steering wheel! After about 25mins Tamara said "I need to find out where I am soon, because I do need to be back in Fremantle for an appointment." And then she felt the urge to pull over and park. Tamara looked out the passenger window at a great big sign - FOR LEASE. Yes, that's right Tamara had stopped right outside the door of what was to become the Maylands Sun Moon and Star!!!

In typical style, Tamara and Peter got stuck into transforming the ex second hand furniture shop into a fabulous spiritual shop and workshop space. The landlord kindly painted the walls with our colour - Astro Zinger, and got the floors sanded and oiled. Pete made new shop fittings and Tamara found a counter and display stands at Ross's Auctions just over the rain line. Stock was brought over from White Gum Valley and the doors opened December 1st 2006.

A shop warming was held and much merriment was made :)

After about 8months Tamara needed to find a Manager for the Maylands shop so she could do other stuff like go around and select stock from suppliers, maintain the website, give readings and run classes, manage the Sanctuary bookings, do the book work and be a celebrant.... but where would she find someone who wold have the right energy??? As usual the Gods were looking after the centre and beautiful, knowledgeable, capable and spiritual Lois presented at just the perfect moment. She started in July of 2007 and soon had things humming along :)

Then things seemed to just get harder and harder for Tamara, no matter how hard she worked she just couldn't seem to get on top of everything... Being a Taurus & a Fire Horse she doesn't give in easily, so she just kept working away, sleeping less and doing more... and still ends did not quite meet... Tamara could see the accounts were headed into the red at a gallop and in the end she thew up her hands in frustration "What is going on!! I am working my arse off, everyone seems happy with how it is going but the money is just not flowing like it used to".

And then it hit her: the flow of money had always told Tamara how she was doing, was she off track or right on. So if it was drying up them Tamara knew she was really off track. What to do? Doing more of what she had always done didn't seem to be improving the situation and if she kept going there wans't going to be a Sun Moon and Star. Another realisation: perhaps it is not that I have to work harder or better etc... perhaps it is my time to hand over to the next owner... And as soon as Tamara made the committment to find the new owner, the money came flooding back in: things were back on track.

So in April an email went out announcing Tamara's intention to sell the Sun Moon and Star. Within days she had several interested parties and began negotiations. Meanwhile back in White Gum Valley, the landlord had decided that after 11 years he was resuming the shop and the Sun Moon and Star had to find a new home! In a month! Panic!!! where could we go??

Yet again the Gods were smiling on us and a shop in Hilton, with a similar rent and deli AND a fabulous cafe next door became available. So all hands on deck to pack and clean and transport and clean and unpack!! Thanks to the support of friends like Sa, Callun and AJ, along with the usual crew we get it all done.

After a rocky start and hefty rent increase Lydia and Karissa looked wearily at each other and agreed that they could no longer keep the Maylands shop running. It was a difficult decision and a sad one as they had both enjoyed their time both in the shop and in the Sanctuary. A hectic month was spent cleaning out the Maylands space and finding space in Hilton to accomodate everything.Things became very cozy for a while!

Lydias baby was due at the end of 2008 so the girls asked for some help for Karissa while she was away. Enter Lauryn and Kundra! These two wonderful women both walked in the door bringing a wonderful energy and plenty of knowhow with them. It now seemed that there was a growing balance in the centre with four very different women now working there. Then on December 19 there came exciting news - the baby was on its way. But, determined to be a Solstice baby, she held in there until December 21 and Lily Isobela Philpott was welcomed into the world. With Lily spending time in the shop it brought a new sense of community to the space as more children seemed to appear than there had been before and mums gossiping over their childs latest achievements/mischief... and with this came the idea of a Pagan Playgroup which will soon become a reality...to be continued :)