There's something about the power of steam that has Gemalla de Beuzeville-Howarth hooked.
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She's a volunteer steam train fireman with charity The Picnic Train and she can shovel 10 tonnes of coal into the fire pit to power a locomotive.
This historic mode of transport is a living organism to her - one that needs to be cared for. Her passion for it continues to grow as she progresses through her training with Sydney Rail Services.
The Aberglasslyn woman is one of four entrants in this year's Maitland Young Woman Competition, which replaces the long-standing Maitland Showgirl Competition.
She's determined to show the city's young women that they should spend their lives doing what they love - even if it is in a male-dominated field.
"I come from a very long line of women doing things in more male-dominated fields so I thought it would be nice to step out of my own comfort zone and show other girls that they can do whatever they want to do,"she said.
She has been a volunteer with the Picnic Train - a charity that runs steam trains for tourists - since 2020 and in that time she has held a variety of roles including carriage attendant, guard and now a trainee fireman.
"We've restored a heritage steam train from the 1950s that was brought over from America and its coal fired, so being a fireman means that I have to shovel 10 tonnes of coal from the tender which is where we store the coal - behind the area where the fire is - into the fire," she said.
"My mother was the first female steam train driver in NSW. I wanted to do it because of my mum but also because it's such an interesting hobby and there's such a long history to go alongside it."
She is studying a Bachelor of Science at the University of Newcastle and speaks fluent German after a year with the Rotary Exchange Program in 2019.
She is also an avid seamstress. She made an 1864 inspired gown for her Year 12 formal dress - including all of the undergarments - using historically authentic sewing techniques.
If she was named Maitland Young Woman 2022 she would use the platform to promote Maitland's history and help to enhance the connection between youth and the wider community.
"I'd like to promote the understanding and preservation of history in the youth - by living history with steam trains and even understanding personal history about where Maitland as a town has come from," she said.
"I'd also like to emphasise the importance of stepping out and doing things that are not necessarily prescribed for you. That's important for young people to consider."
When asked what Maitland needs to better support its youth, she said it was all about building a sense of community.
"Exploring more community-based events - like involving them with community events and not just the Maitland Show but even events beyond that would help," she said.
"Maitland also needs to look at how the education system teaches youth to interact with the world."