Ellissa McCullum was not born with that name. She was actually Ellissa Arthur, born in 1981 in New South Wales, Australia. She is one of those calm, deliberate, and soothing human forces that quietly hold everything together without any fuss. Hardly ever seen splashed across a magazine or giving an interview, the only people who truly know her are those who know Brendon McCullum or, for that matter, anyone who follows cricket even casually. Fast-forward to 2025: in her early forties, mother of three, and somehow still managing to make everything look easy, though it certainly is not!
Ellissa married Brendon on 6 September 2003. Nothing fancy, no loud public drama, just a wedding that made sense to them, and that pretty much captures Ellissa: understated, considered, and down-to-earth. They have three children together: one son, Riley, and two daughters, Evie and Maya. Already Riley is showing definite interest in cricket, and the lad has inherited at least some of his father’s sporting genes. Judging from the little glimpses that the public gets, the children seem to be happy—rather free-spirited and well-grounded. Perhaps that says a thing or more about how the household runs under Ellissa’s headship.
Before becoming wholly immersed in her family, Ellissa had several interests to call upon. At least until her late twenties, she represented New Zealand in netball at a competitive level, and that experience with travel, training, pressure—whatever! It has stamped her with a background of sorts, which explains why she holds her ground. After that, she went into fitness and health, assisting others to reach their goals and; by all accounts, do so quietly rather than loudly. There have even been whispers that she dabbled in the fashion industry, designing or consulting, but she has never made an issue of it.
Those who run into her often comment on how steadied she is. There’s no need for loudness; she just is. The family and friends talk of how calming she is, how she balances supporting a high-profile career, raising the kids, and still carving out her own space. It seems almost a quaint notion—no selfies, no social network hype, just one quiet, reliable contingent.
Ellissa, in 2025, certainly does not court the limelight, and that is exactly how she likes it. Mother, partner, former athlete, and a softly titanic presence—quietly titanic. It gives a voice to one thought: not all things important have to come with a cacophony. Those who count the most in life are often those you hardly notice—until one day you realize they are the very ones who make it all run.
