Went to Kilvington Baptist Girls Grammar School, which was just across the road from her home in Walsh Street, Ormond, before the school moved down a block to Leila Road. Left school after 4th form and did dressmaking at Emily McPherson College. Worked as a dress designer, mostly making minor adjustments to designs from European fashion magazines. She didn't enjoy this work and found it lonely since most of the other employees were immigrants who didn't speak much English.

In 1969 she moved into a flat with friends. Her mother took great offence at this, feeling that it was a rejection of her family, and the relationship between them never returned to normal. She couldn't visit her mother without an argument and her father had to visit her in secret.

About 1970 Elaine got involved with Scientology and worked for them thereafter, first in Melbourne, then Los Angeles (ca 1976) and later Sydney. She met her husband, Gerry, in the Scientology organization and her two children also began work in Scientology when they left school.