Ex NRL wag, beauty queen Courtney Thorpe moves to Toowoomba, starts new podcast with Gold Coast model Emily Whitlock
A former NRL WAG and beauty queen, who is recognised for calling out bad behaviour in the world of professional sport and for empowering other women across the country, has relocated to Toowoomba and is set to unveil an exciting new project.
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Public figure, beauty queen, presenter, property stylist and NRL WAG are all titles Courtney Thorpe has held over the years, but two of her most significant roles have been being a loving mum to her daughter and empowering other women across the country.
Thorpe who relocated from the Gold Coast to Toowoomba in June, has spoken at length about post-partum depression, eating disorders and her public marriage breakdown to Dolphins prop Jarrod Wallace.
The mum of one said she wanted to talk about issues which were once considered taboo, break down stigmas, raise awareness and help other women going through similar issues.
“I felt so alone when I went through it and just wished there was someone else I could turn to for advice or just to listen,” she said.
“We have such a long way to go and as women, there’s so much we are still being told to keep quiet about and I don’t agree with that – the best way to heal and move forward is to talk.”
Since her divorce was finalised, Thorpe has also made headlines over the years for calling out toxic and problematic behaviour in the world of professional sport.
“It’s still happening today and the things I know that are still covered up are just not OK,” she said.
“My goal of speaking about it is to prompt some accountability and hopefully make a change – it’s such a boy’s world but women are such an integral part of it.
“A lot of the people get absorbed in that world and it does get hidden behind the glitz and the glamour.
“These men are held up as these pillars of our community and as role models not only for young children but grown men also idolise them.
“If that’s the role you’re going to take on then it needs to be better because in my opinion there’s not a lot to idolise but I wish there was.”
The strong feminist and the four year old daughter she shares with Wallace, have now called the Garden City home for the past six months, with Thorpe optimistic about her future.
“I moved to the Gold Coast for my ex so I never felt like it was my home,” she said.
“After the divorce I wanted to pick somewhere (to move) that would be a great place to raise my daughter – somewhere down to earth, with a real community feel around it and I’ve always loved Toowoomba.
“You walk down the street here and everyone is really friendly … Toowoomba has always been a really special place to me and it’s different to anywhere else I’ve ever been.”
With lots of exciting projects in the pipeline, the entrepreneur is now offering her property styling services to Toowoomba, helping homeowners prepare their houses for sale.
In January next year, Thorpe is also launching a brand new podcast with Gold Coast influencer Emily Whitlock called ‘Mums, Bubs and Breakups’.
The two public figures who have been friends for more than a decade plan to discuss the processes of their respective divorces in a bid to support and empower other women.
“We thought there has to be a reason why both of us have been through what we’ve been through and we believe the universe has brought us together to do this,” Ms Thorpe said.
“I’d been very quiet about a lot of things that happened in my marriage and being able to talk about it was really therapeutic in itself.
“As much as I would love to share everything that happened in my marriage and everything I had to heal from, there are children to consider and for their sake growing up, some things should remain private, but my whole message is to ‘talk about it – not to hide it’.”
While Thorpe has been a prominent figure for others across the country, her fight for what’s right is for no one more than her young daughter.
The loving mum said since ‘escaping’ her marriage, she wanted to live her life every day as a positive influence for her daughter by teaching her to be an independent woman, practice self love and never be afraid to stand up for herself.
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