After finishing high school, Gabbi completed a teaching degree and accepted a position in a Sydney primary school near Liverpool. Of the fifteen hundred students, ninety-eight percent were from a non-English speaking background and after a challenging stretch, Gabbi decided teaching was just not her cup of tea.

In the year 2000 Gabbi excitedly applied for an advertised employment position placed by The Australian Rugby League. It was seeking a Rugby League Officer to teach and promote the game to school-age children. As the Warialda community has a massive, invested interest in the sport, Gabbi grew up with the game running through her veins. In fact, Gabbi’s father is known as a local hero of rugby league, while her brother successfully pursued a professional career and still coaches on the Gold Coast today.

After a gruelling, long-winded application and interview process, Gabbi was officially offered the position and moved to the town of Wagga, situated in the Riverina region of New South Wales. There she was based and creatively implemented her skills in and around the area. Gabbi was well aware she had her work cut out to prove herself in this male-dominating sporting world.

“Unbeknown to me, my first day on the job,” Gabbi claimed, “the media was invited along! I knew then I was to sink or swim and thankfully, albeit nervous, I managed myself well and was shown subtle nods of approval from my male peers at the end of the day.”

The diverse, full-time position entailed organising promotional carnivals, NRL team visits to schools and tours around the region, general meet and greets and education of the game. Gabbi loved her role and it wasn’t long before she was collectively admired and highly respected. However, it wasn’t all roses and sunshine! Initially, gender equality was non-existent in the league and many challenges, which frequently arose, had to be overcome to win the recognition and approval of the professional rugby league community.

Gabbi voiced, “Conflicts quickly taught me to become thick-skinned.”

It was during this time period Gabbi attended a girlfriend’s wedding in Foster and happened to meet a man, who would later become her husband and the father of her children. Andrew, although living in Melbourne at that time, was born and raised in South Gippsland. Their mutual attraction and chemistry proved significant enough to begin a nurturing, long distance friendship.

As Gabbi’s career progressed, she transferred to a town on the Mid-North Coast of New South Wales named Woolgoolga, to tackle country rugby league.

Gabbi stated, “The coastal region was so beautiful and untouched. I often moved around and worked in surrounding, remote areas and again discovered there was a certain opinion regarding women in rugby league and their ability to undertake responsibilities. I well and truly earned my wages during this employment chapter, but I really enjoyed the challenge.”

Simultaneously, Gabbi and Andrew’s friendship from afar flourished into a genuine love story and the longing to be together grew stronger as time passed. Unexpectedly, Andrew’s mother sadly passed away and Andrew consequently packed up his suburban life and returned to his family’s dairy farm in Foster to assist his father with the workload. Now the distance to nurture and maintain the desired relationship between Gabbi and Andrew was even greater. However, where there was a will, there was a way.

Through the Australian Rugby League, Gabbi eventually applied for a similar position and transferred to work with the Melbourne Storm NRL Club. This way she was based in Melbourne and continued her love for event planning, carnivals and school education visits, while finally united with Andrew. Gabbi happily moved to Foster and although she tirelessly commuted from South 

Gippsland to Melbourne each business day, the hours of weekly travel were a small price to pay for love.

Gabbi once again thrived in her work with Melbourne Storm and was recognised and appreciated for her achievements, paving the way for more women to come onboard. After a couple of years in her role, Gabbi fell pregnant with her first child and continuing travelling to Melbourne on a daily basis proved difficult. At this point she decided to resign from the position with Melbourne Storm to concentrate on rural life, proudly knowing the number of employed women in the Australian Rugby League had more than doubled since she initially arrived on the scene. It was time for a new, exciting life chapter to embrace family life with Andrew.

Maddison was born first and Billy (not named after Billy Slater, in case you’re wondering), came along after Gabbi and Andrew exchanged their wedding vows. Gabbi welcomed occasional casual relief teaching opportunities within various South Gippsland primary schools, as it suited family life well.

As Maddi and Billy blossomed, Gabbi entered a contract to teach physical education four days a week, rotating between Foster, Toora and Welshpool Primary Schools. Three years on, a permanent, three day a week position at Welshpool and District Primary School transpired to share a combined class of grades three, four, five and six with the school’s principal. Gabbi instantly applied and was granted the position, as she’d become fully invested in the school and what it stood for.

Approximately five years later, the principal of the quaint, rural primary school chose to retire and a new successor was sought. Gabbi loved the school and jumped at the chance to apply.

“I would have kicked myself had I not applied. I could see great potential and knew the direction I wanted the school to take,” Gabbi stated.

Following (another) massive, thorough and intense process to win the principal position, Gabbi felt completely emotionally overwhelmed when she answered the phone call informing her of her success.

Gabbi is extremely humbled to lead the Welshpool and District Primary School and so proud of its collective community and supportive culture. The school’s motto reads, ‘Little School, Big Heart’, decided by the students themselves.

“The students, their families and the staff are amazing,” Gabbi declared.

The primary school presently caters for thirty-eight pupils, (fourteen more than when Gabbi obtained the principal role), and continues to grow as children advance from kindergarten. The nine staff members along side Gabbi, comprise of three full time and two part time teachers and four education support staff, who all contribute in their own phenomenal and unique way.

Gabbi explained, “Although the pandemic restrictions have been tricky, all staff have ingeniously implemented collaborated fundamentals for students to remain connected to each other, the school and its community during school closures. In fact, we feel we’re old hands at managing the spontaneous, reoccurring lockdowns now. While it’s not ideal, we’ve got it sorted.”

Via WebEx, students attend their remote classes twice a week to engage with their teachers and classmates, and to discuss their school work. It’s also an opportunity for parents to ask any questions which may arise. Learning tubs are sent home with readers, pencils, lined and blank paper etc. and laptops if required. Sometimes there’s a bunch of daffodils in the mix for the mums.

Remote schooling can be challenging and stress-provoking for families, but there are many creative ways to learn. Gabbi and her staff encourage students to connect with one another online to establish their own learning, or as a family unit, create a purposeful project.

Gabbi shared, “One of our endearing families formulated a cook book during a lockdown period, while another planted a vegetable garden. We don’t ask of families to be their children’s’ teachers. We just ask they support and ensure their child feels safe and loved in these abnormal, unsettling times.”

Each lockdown, the school’s staff surprise the students with a reassuring gesture to let them know they are loved and missed and everyone will once again soon be reunited. ‘Reaching out’ examples include, dropping off a thoughtful book to each student or sometimes a card. A breakfast club has been organised in the past or food shopping delivered to each household. Not long ago Gabbi mindfully wrote and sent a personalised letter to every student, which brought great joy to the kids. Follow-up and check-ins from teachers also occur if a student hasn’t been heard from for a length of time. The intention behind Gabbi and her staff’s thoughtful interventions is to guarantee all students and their families are supported by the school.

Gabbi claimed, “Another powerful strategy we implement into the lockdown curriculum is to ask the students to think about and voice positives the pandemic may have taught them. Answers have been clear and precise, such as some realising how much they love school and their friends, while others relish in spending more time with their families.

The Welshpool and District Primary School thinks of itself as an extended family to its students, emphasising a caring and supportive approach. The highly motivated and experienced staff ensure quality education that supports the school as a vital part of the community.

In hindsight, it seems Gabbi has proven to herself and her peers teaching just may be her cup of tea after all!

Camilla Hullick