From Alice to the world, meet Tasmin Saint

TASMIN Saint’s heart lives in Alice Springs, but her spirit goes beyond the Red Centre. READ HER STORY HERE

Purlingbrook Falls on the Gold Coast: Tasmin says, “One of my fave local spots in the hinterland.” Picture: SUPPLIED

TASMIN Saint’s heart lives in Alice Springs, but her spirit is most definitely global.

Born and bred in the desert, Tasmin was in the snowfields of Thredbo by 13, living as an exchange student in Columbia at 15, captain of St. Phillips at 17 and living on the Gold Coast age 20.

Now at 27, Tasmin is a gun in the business communications space for a multinational company - The Coffee Club.

For six years she’s been with the man of her dreams, Nicholas.

And Tasmin has big dreams for the future - not just for herself but for the future of Alice and for the world at large.

“Mum (Fay) and Dad (Ron) were living at Yulara. Dad worked for Telstra, at the towers out there.,” she said.

“Mum fell pregnant with me, and thought it was time they made the move in to town.”

Tasmin, sister Adele and brother Matt grew up in Larapinta.

From a very young age, Tasmin fell in love with the desert.

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“My favourite place as a kid was the Nocturnal Building at the Desert Park,” she said.

“Then there were the Birds of Prey shows- I freaking love that place.

“I love it so much when it rains in the desert. The smell of rain. It’s so much stronger in the desert! You could tell when it was coming.

“The scenes in Alice are so captivating!”

As part of the Girl Guides in Year 8, Tasmin saw snow for the first time on a trip to Thredbo.

St. Phillips’ world renowned Outdoor Education program gave Tasmin a plethora of epic adventures: Bike riding through the desert, self-navigating the outback, high ropes courses, making fire and shelter, cooking, lopping logs, building fences and milking cows.

And also a valuable lesson for camping in the snow.

Young Tasmin with a red kangaroo. Picture: SUPPLIED

“They told us, if you need to go to the toilet during the night, make sure you go. Because when you need to go, all the blood goes to that area,” she said.

“And if you don’t go and hold on, you could freeze! So make sure you go!”

In Year 10, Tasmin went on exchange to Columbia!

This was part of St. Phillips’ Round Square International Education Program.

“The program runs across the I.D.E.A.L.S pillars: Internationalism, Democracy, Environmentalism, Adventure, Leadership and Service,” she said.

“I was our first student to go to Columbia. I was so excited! My parents were nervous- their daughter was 15 years old and all the Australian Government websites said Columbia was a ‘No Travel Zone’.

“But I was at one of the top schools, the Anglo Colombiano, and the host family were amazing.

“They took me to so many places. I had my first Country Club experience. They had a luxe golf course, indoor swimming pool, all these kids rooms!

“Then they took me to their farm in the tropics. We all ate this massive lunch. Everyone was lying back in hammocks having a siesta.

“I looked up and saw a Toucan- I’m thinking, ‘This is the life!’, then out of nowhere I hear this woman with a blood curdling scream!

“There was a tarantula!

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“Then a guy, literally with a hatchet, chopped the tarantula in half!

“There were howling monkeys- it was pretty amazing for a kid from the desert!”

Tasmin made lifelong friends in Columbia, and left a lasting impact at the school.

Not long later, Tasmin became School Captain of St. Phillips, following an epic performance in the popular student vote.

Tasmin shared the mantle with Stephen Shaw.

Tasmin’s resounding popular vote was spurred on by a very adept play-on-words in her final pitch to the whole school.

Tasmin’s last name, of course, is Saint.

The outgoing School Captain of St. Phillips was Ben Phillips.

“Well we’ve had ‘Phillips’, so we’re half way there,” she said.

Tasmin says it “felt amazing, and was a huge honour to be school captain.”

After some wonderful Year 12 results, Tasmin was offered places at top unis in Melbourne, Adelaide and on the Gold Coast.

After a gap year in Alice, Tasmin moved to the Gold Coast and stayed with her sister Adele.

After one semester of her Nutrition and Dietetics course, Tasmin realised it wasn’t for her.

A friend of hers on Campus at Griffith was studying a Bachelor of Business and Digital Media.

Tasmin's university graduation with mum and dad. Picture: SUPPLIED

Tasmin felt like that could be a good fit with her creative side, and her gift of the gab.

The uni accepted the transfer and Tasmin got in to the course, majoring in graphic design and marketing.

Not long later she was watching TV …

“They had this segment on, ‘The Top 10 Most Useless Careers’,” she said.

“Graphic design was at number three! I was like, ‘Excuse me! Are you kidding me! A graphic designer has literally created the graphic they are using right now to say it’s ‘Useless’.

“It made me so angry!” Tasmin said with a laugh.

Turns out, the list was wrong.

Tasmin worked her way up at the restaurant chain Ribs and Rumps, to the point she was doing their marketing across the board.

That role then spun-off in to a plum gig at the multinational company Minor DKL Food Group.

Tasmin is the National Internal Communications Chief at The Coffee Club, and is also architect of online training.

The ultimate dream job one day would be back to her roots- with nature and family centre stage.

“I’d love to have a Craft Parlour with my sister! We could go in to business together, and run classes. Have a little place in the Hinterland! We pencilled in a five year plan. We’ll see where life takes us,” she said.

Tasmin is a very worldly woman and a deep thinker.

Tasmin and her family. Left to right: Ron Saint (dad) Fay Saint (mum) Matt Saint (brother), Tasmin, Stephen Addison (brother in law) holding Llewyn Addison (nephew) and Adele Addison (sister) Picture: SUPPLIED

She says what the world needs most now is compassion, tolerance and understanding.

“I have so much hope for the world. I think we are at a big turning point, where we have become so much more aware of what’s happened in the past, and what trauma has been created,” she said.

“I have so much hope for having healing together.

“Holding on to shame of ancestors’ past is not really helpful.

“Having open conversations around different opinions is so important to learning. And being willing to listen and learn from other people.

Tasmin says ‘Cancel Culture’ is not the answer.

“I found that was so intense, and it was ostracising people who are in the middle realm.”

With people like Tasmin so prominent in her generation, you can see a future built on kindness, compassion and understanding, leading us all to a place of greater unity.

Six years ago, Tasmin fell in love with Nicholas Hundle.

Nick has just finished a Law and Commerce Double Degree.

“He just gets me! He makes me laugh every day. He’s my Adventurer, and I’m his ‘Yes-Gal’. Whatever idea he comes up with, I’m always willing to jump!” She said.

Tasmin on top of Mt Gillen. Picture: SUPPLIED

Tasmin says she is so grateful for all of the love and support of her Mum and Dad.

“I know how privileged I was to have the upbringing I had. My parents supported me in everything I wanted to do and gave me so many opportunities.”

Tasmin says her sister and brother have also been wonderful to her life.

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Tasmin credits the St. Phillips Chaplain Sarah Pollitt as having a profound influence on her life, alongside the “absolute legend” Mr. Tudor- the Headmaster at St. Phillips.

“Mr. Tudor is so inspiring! I still repeat a speech he gave- he was holding a pickaxe on stage, as part of the speech.

“He said, ‘Do you want to be a ‘gunna’ or a ‘doer’

“I want to be a doer. That’s been my theme of 2020. Don’t go to bed wishing I’d done something. Do it!”