Ian Nicolson, CEO, Service Skills Victoria

Ian Nicolson has a diverse range of responsibilities. As well as the core business of SSV, advising government on the training needs of Victorian service industries, he heads up the Australian Tourism Accreditation Program, provides secretariat services to the Tourism Accreditation Board of Victoria and manages the Victorian Food Industry Training Board.

Originally a teacher of commerce and information technology, Ian moved from teaching into industrial relations with the Australian Education Union. During this time he represented the union movement as President of the Gippsland Trades and Labour Council and as a director of Gippsland Development Ltd, leading to an appointment as the inaugural Gippsland Manager for the Commonwealth Department of Housing and Regional Development.

His management, industry and economic development skills were further honed with appointments as Executive Officer of Furnishing Training Victoria and General Manager, Operations with the Timber Merchants Association.

Ian’s family has farmed in West Gippsland since 1914 and he still lives on the property with his wife, Margaret and son, Hugh. In his spare time he plays golf and, tragically, follows the Hawthorn Football Club.

Paul Albone, Tourism Victoria

Paul is currently the Manager of Industry Development at Tourism Victoria. Paul's key responsibilities include regional industry development, raising of professionalism within the tourism industry, sustainability and addressing industry issues such as the skills shortage and crises which affect the tourism industry such as bushfires.              

Mary and John Barron, Brockmares by the Bay

Mary Barron is the owner of Brockmares by the bay along with her husband John. Mary is a retired teacher and John is a retired engineer and both have travelled fairly extensively through the U.K, (Scotland, Wales, Ireland) Europe, South East Asia, and New Zealand. John has also travelled through the United States as a tourist and as a representative of the N.S.W Country Rugby Team.

Both Mary and John have avid interests, in food, wine and lifestyles of people around the globe. Their property which is a federation style home in Williamstown is ideally located and abuts both a marine sanctuary and a flora and fauna reserve. Each of the rooms has panoramic views over Port Philip Bay. Mary & John market this environment so that guests can, if they wish, take full advantage of it. The property is located on what was once a rifle range and is in an area rich in colonial and indigenous history.

Before opening the business a great deal of research was done over a number of years so that the business would be sustainable and at the same time offer a “sea-change” where Mary and John could use their skills as professionals and continue to develop new skills in tourism, hospitality and accommodation.

Brockmares by the Bay was awarded Best Tourism Business in the Greater Western Region in the second year of operation.