An Australian transplant builds a life in Tiburon

Tiburon resident Jill Kantola holds her dog, Billie, at Shoreline Park on Oct. 21. Kantola, who grew up in Perth, Australia, has lived in Tiburon for 31 years. (Tyler Callister / The Ark)

Rain dots the pavement on the afternoon of Oct. 21 as Tiburon resident Jill Kantola walks her dog, Billie, through Shoreline Park. It’s a routine that brings her regularly to the Tiburon waterfront.

Billie spends plenty of time outdoors, Kantola says, and their walks offer a chance to enjoy the waterfront, one of the features that has kept her in Tiburon for 31 years.

“It’s so beautiful,” she says.

“I walk her up here every day,” Kantola says.

Kantola and her husband, Steve, raised two children in Tiburon, where they attended Reed and Del Mar schools. She says the schools, scenery and friendliness of the community helped persuade the family to stay.

“The school districts were great, people are friendly,” Kantola says. “I love living here. I don’t want to move.”

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