FOR Ulli Hendry, owner of Ulli’s New Age Rockz in the Nicholas Street Precinct, gemstones and all things spirituality are in her blood.
Although, even as a granddaughter of gemstone fossickers and the daughter of a clairvoyant, opening a local New Age store did not come immediately to Ulli – but 18 years on from a three-month ‘trial’, she has cemented her place as an icon of Ipswich Central.
“I don’t do labels,” said Ulli, who hand-picks crystals for her customers and purifies each piece with a singing bowl to cleanse their energy through sound and vibrations, a practice she’s told is often missing from imitation stores.
“I am just me. I’m unique. What I offer is a blend of everything because I don’t believe in having just one way of being spiritual or connecting to your inner self,” she said
“For me, spirituality is about connecting inward to find the answers rather than seeking out a source externally, like a god. It’s about learning and trusting your own instincts. And there’s no one right way to do that.
“While my mum is a clairvoyant reader, my skill is reading the person, feeling their energy and connecting that with the energy of crystals.”
Ulli said some days New Age Rockz is more counselling service than retail store, with people simply looking for someone to listen.
“People walk in searching for answers or healing, or they’re struggling with something in their lives. Or sometimes they have had a near-death experience and now feel a strong sense of spirituality that they hadn’t felt before,” Ulli said.
“My husband has just finished a two-year counselling course and after recently spending a few days in store he jokes the crystal business is more similar than he realised.”
Ulli’s grandfather was one of the founders of the Ipswich and District Lapidary Club in Blackstone. She grew up sitting on his knee as he would shape, cut and polish gemstones that he and his wife had collected from Emerald and Rubyvale.
Her grandmother was deeply spiritual and, while being blind meant she couldn’t fossick by sight, she loved to travel with her husband to search for precious rocks and stones.
Crystals were always what Ulli connected with the most, but it took some time before she turned her passion and skill into a living.
“Before I had my second child, I was working at a supermarket and realised I didn’t want to just be a number. Crystals were my passion, and I wanted that to be my living, too.
“It started with markets and I would curate items to sell from a broad range of styles and backgrounds – anything that could help people learn about themselves and connect with their spirituality.
“From feng shui to cauldrons, oracle and tarot cards, I wanted to offer tools for a broad range of spiritual interests. After a while I decided to trial a store in the mall under the old cinema over summer – and I haven’t looked back.”
Each Wednesday through Friday, Ulli’s mother, Aisha, conducts clairvoyant readings at the store. A medium is also on hand for connecting with those who have passed on.
“Another popular service is monthly healing sessions using the large singing bowl. It rebalances energy and puts chakras back into alignment,” Ulli said.
“I listen for what I call ‘flat spots’, to identify and remove energetic blockages and make sure everything is flowing properly.
“We also run a monthly meditation group that is open to the public, the second Sunday of each month.
“And I make sure to be a part of the Handmade Expo markets when they’re on in Tulmur Place each month too.
“My goal is to be still here in another 7 years’ time, to reach our 25-year anniversary – so who knows, anything can happen.”
