Nicole Walsh is loving life, and full of gratitude for those around her
BORN and bred in Alice Springs, Nicole Walsh has been a pivotal figure in town for decades. READ HER STORY HERE
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BORN and bred in Alice Springs, Nicole Walsh has been a pivotal figure in town for decades. As the face of Yeperenye Shopping Centre, Nic was a constant force driving community and charity events.
Now, running the Chamber of Commerce, she’s helping to fuel Alice’s economic engine room.
She’s a legendary hockey player who had an awesome university-life adventure on the Shipwreck Coast of Victoria, before returning home, falling in love and starting a beautiful family.
It all began with the beautiful family that she was born in to.
“There are such great opportunities in Central Australia. We’d always be camping out along the Finke River, motor biking, we’d go to the water holes, Ellery, Ormiston,” she said.
“Our family was very social with other families, and all those friends became just like family, and they still are to this day.
“That’s what you do in Central Australia – the people who you bond with and become friends with, become just like family.”
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Nicole was also a daredevil — and continues to be.
“I was on the motorbike from probably 7 or 8 years old. I don’t mind a bit’ve speed. But my brother (Mark) was more fearless than me,” she said.
Nic says her mum, Jenny, and dad, Brian, gave her that courage to step out of her comfort zone.
“They always encouraged me to take opportunities. For my 16th birthday they got me a surprise ride in a glider, I did a hot-air balloon ride when I was 14, I’ve jumped out of a plane, bungee jumped,” she said.
“They always encouraged me to give everything a go.
“Mum came over from New Zealand as a nurse after she heard a radio show there called ‘A Home Like Alice’.
“Dad instilled in me a love of reading. And he loved to talk! We’d spend hours trying to leave Westies, but he’d be talking to everyone on the way out the door. We had a lot’ve fun there at Westies, it was a great family place. Lots of sleep overs.
“Mum and Dad both taught me so much. They definitely instilled in me a sense of hard work and fairness. Mum gave me a purpose of adventure.
“My brother Mark has been an amazing support, I couldn’t have done it without him.”
Nicole also has two sisters from her dad’s first marriage in Newcastle, Kerrie and Lynn.
“I’ve been lucky enough to always have my family,” she said.
Nicole was part of the first intake of day students at St. Phillips- the ones who had Akubra hats as part of their uniforms- and would go on to be the first in her family to go to University.
Nic won places at university in Darwin and in Warrnambool, on the south west coast of Victoria.
“I had already spent a bit’ve time in Darwin, and I didn’t know if I could cope with the weather! I chose Warrnambool and it was one of the best decisions of my life – it’s a beautiful place,” she said.
Warrnambool is renowned for its blustery, icy cold winds that feel as though they’ve come straight off the South Pole. And grey winters. A big contrast for an Outback kid.
“They don’t call it ‘Windy Warrnambool’ for nothing,” she said.
“I didn’t know a soul in Victoria when I first moved. I just took it in my stride. I spent three years there and made some of the best friendships I’ve ever had. I have girlfriends still there today.”
Nicole says she frequented the local haunts like the Whalers Inn, the Silverbullet and saw Jimmy Barnes and Chocolate Starfish perform at the old Lady Bay Hotel.
“The friends I made came from all the regional areas, so holidays were spent with them in Corowa, Castlemaine, Mount Gambier, Jerilderie, Finley. It was great! It shows how important friends are,” she said.
Nicole studied communications, as “it was something interesting. It was very new to study back then.”
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Nicole’s work ethic was on display early in life.
At age 10 she asked her Mum if she could work at the local fish and chip shop at Diarama Village.
“Growing up in the 80s, families and businesses were hit hard by high interest rates and it was tough for our family and a lot’ve other locals as well. I was very fortunate that my parents sent me to St. Phillips and uni,” she said.
At age 18, Nicole became the Young Centralian of the Year for her relentless volunteer work with the hockey competition.
After completing her communications degree in Warrnambool, Nicole moved to Melbourne.
“I lived in Richmond. I absolutely loved it,” she said.
“I was offered an Honours in Sports Marketing at Deakin. I went in to the classroom and everyone there was 20 years older than me. They were all working in the industry.
“I felt overwhelmed and like I didn’t have a lot to contribute. I left after a year. I wish I had realised then that I did have something to contribute! Sometimes I still have to remind myself.”
Nicole’s magnificent work ethic kicked-in, and she worked as a delivery driver for a fine cheeses company.
“It was so much fun. I got to drive all over Melbourne and discover the cafes and restaurants. I also got to know cheese very well,” she said.
Nicole then got her first gig in Marketing, working with an employment services company, helping people find career pathways and opportunities.
Love was soon around the corner for Nicole.
“Then I came back to Alice and bumped in to Scott. We went to primary school together, but hadn’t really seen each other much since,” she said.
“We were at Bojangles. He goes to me, ‘Nicole? No Michelle! No Nicole!’
“That wasn’t a great start! That was 19 years ago. Now we have Corey who’s 17 and Hayden who’s 13.
“Scott is a cabinet maker by trade, and now works out at the Jail teaching people wood work, which is really wonderful.
“Corey is in Year 12. He loves hockey. He’s been working since he was 13! He got his own car and paid for it himself when he was 16.
“Hayden is a very social child. He loves talking. He has been getting in to acting and loves art.”
Hockey has been a major part of Nicole’s life, where she has been an absolute gun performer.
“I started when I was 13 with Centrals, then went to Federals and now I play with Pioneers. I also played in Warrnambool,” she said.
“That was totally different playing in Warrnambool! In Alice we played on sand-based turf. In Warrnambool we were playing on grass, and it’s raining and hailing! That was a shock to the system.”
Nic is now on the Hockey NT Board.
Nicole’s career has been on a meteoric rise since her return to Alice two decades ago.
After a gig at Murray Neck Video World, Nicole worked in PR at St. Phillip’s, and then took the role of Events Officer with the Cancer Council.
Before long she combined the Cancer Council with a gig at Yeperenye Shopping Centre.
After having kids, Yeperenye asked Nicole to come back. She became the Marketing Boss, and- for all of us in town- the face of the Yeperenye.
You’d hear Nicole one minute on the radio promoting, next minute you’d see her working tirelessly inside the centre.
“It was wonderful working there. They are a locally owned Indigenous organisation who are investing in the community and businesses,” she said.
“I was able to pick up other roles, as well as marketing. I worked with security, carparking, I know all about drains and leaks and I now know how to restart the power to the whole shopping centre.”
In 2017 came a crowning glory for Nicole, as she took out the NT’s top gong at the Telstra Women’s Business Awards for the private sector.
Last year, Nicole took the golden opportunity to move across and head-up the Chamber of Commerce.
“My aim is to connect businesses in the Territory, to ensure we enable and support them to be the best not only in the NT, but if chosen, interstate and internationally,” she said.
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“It’s a strong investment by the Chamber of Commerce, having a Chief Operating Officer based in Alice Springs.”
Nicole Walsh is loving life, and full of gratitude for those around her.
“I thank my family, friends and so many beautiful people here in the NT who have supported me both professionally and personally.”
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