McLeod's star's family has high hopes

proudly cheering her on to win at the upcoming Logie awards on May 7.

Local architect and Bridie's father Dennis Carter and his wife, Karen Ward, are very proud of the popular actress, who is nominated for both gold and silver Logies for her

role as Tess Silverman McLeod on the hit Channel Nine drama.

Mr Carter said Bridie, who was raised in Melbourne and began acting classes as an eight year-old, was a born actress.

Both he and Ms Ward remember attending a speech night at Bridie's former school, Ivanhoe Grammar, where they sat nervously waiting for Bridie, the Master of Ceremonies, to make her entrance.

"This young thing strutted out on stage with absolute confidence," Mr Carter said, smiling.

Though Bridie spent most of her childhood in the city, she has fond memories of visiting a house Mr Carter owned in Maldon while she was growing up.

"I have very early memories of travelling to Maldon for weekends away," Bridie said.

The family would visit Bendigo to go to the cinema, which Bridie said was always a special event.

Bridie said she felt lucky to have spent time in both the city and the country as a child, something that helped with her role working in the South Australian countryside for McLeod's Daughters.

"For me, it wasn't like, `Oh, my god - Nature! Dirt!' For me, it was one of

the blessings of the job."

Though Bridie has now left McLeod's Daughters, feeling the time was right

to move on, she said she would always have wonderful memories of the show.

Mr Carter said he would love to see locals fans of McLeod's support his daughter and vote for her.

"I don't expect people to vote for her who don't know her, but those who do know McLeod's and do like Tess, vote for Bridie - it's as simple as that," he said.