'I've always meant to be here.'
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75-year-old Susan Nicholls OAM is a pillar of the Gulgong community. She is well-liked by all that know her and she devotes almost all of her time to volunteering and helping others.
Susan has this week been awarded an Order of Australia Medal for her service to the community of Gulgong in this year's Queen's Birthday honours.
For years Susan has been active in a number of community groups. A member since the year 2000, she is currently the president of the Gulgong CWA, she is a committee member and volunteer researcher at the Gulgong Pioneers' Museum and Historical Society and since 2009 she has been the Chief Steward of Needlework at the Gulgong Show Society.
Susan was born and grew up in Sydney before moving to Queensland where she spent time raising her family. Fate brought her back to New South Wales before long, where she said she tried to settle back down in Sydney, before deeming it 'too big'.
Like goldilocks looking for a bed that was just right, Susan then moved to Mudgee for a time before finding her 'just right' in Gulgong and she's spent the last two decades in the town. A history buff, Susan said Gulgong is the perfect little town for her.
"I went back to Sydney, I thought, Oh, I'm on my own I'll go back to Sydney again, but it was too big. And then I went to Mudgee and then came out to Gulgong and ended up buying a house here," Susan said.
"It hadn't changed. You know, in all the time since I'd been here previously, it hadn't changed. I thought 'that's where I want to be'. I think I was meant to be here."
When we visited Susan for this story, she was at her Gulgong home, fireplace lit and enjoying a jigsaw puzzle. Right now her collection of puzzles has taken the place of sewing and other crafts that she's enjoyed for years. Because as she put it, 'she wore her thumb out from overuse', and has had surgery recently which left her with temporarily limited use of her left hand.
"I'm very, very gobsmacked actually that I was nominated. And now that it's come through, I'm just really very proud, it's very nice. It's taking a little while for things to sink in," Susan said.
Susan said she devotes her time to volunteering because she loves it. She said volunteers are the backbone of any good community.
"It's very important to be a part of the community. We need everybody to work within the community, otherwise it doesn't work. We need all the volunteers that we have. And and I just enjoy it. I'm on my own. It's what I do," she said.
"When I first came to Gulgong, I was on my own. You can either sit at home and watch telly or you can get out and do something.
When I first came to Gulgong, I was on my own. So you can either sit at home and watch telly or you can get out and do something.
- Susan Nicholls AM
"I'm not a telly watcher. So I thought I'll just join a few things and learn the ropes and find out what happens in a smaller town. I've always lived in the city. I just love it. It's the best place I've ever lived.
"I joined the Historical Society and we've got a big research room there where we do family history. We get requests from all over Australia. People that have a family that have come through Gulgong during the gold rush."
Like her work with the museum, Susan devotes much of her time to the local CWA.
"I've got a great band of girls here at the CWA, they're always keen to put their foot forward. You've got to have a good group, nothing works if the group doesn't work well together," she said.
"If I can lead them and show them and teach them and they're still happy about it, and not calling me bossy. That's fine, Susan laughed.
"I just enjoy what I do. And I'll just keep doing it. Nothing will change."
Marie Gorrie of Gulgong said she first met Susan some 15 years ago when she attended a sewing class at Susan's home and they've been friends ever since.
"She's a good friend," Marie said. "She makes quilts and does a lot of needlework. She's excellent. Sewing, knitting, crocheting. She can do it all."
Lynn Holden also became friends with Susan at one her sewing classes and said Susan is the best kind of friend you could have. "She's caring, she's always there when you need a friend," Lynn said.
"She doesn't sit still. She's always got something on her plate."
Susan doesn't let her age get in the way, even with one hand she is still keeping as busy as always.
"Birthdays aren't important now. It's what you do in between the birthdays [that matters]. As long as you keep active and do the things you enjoy doing," Susan said.
"I'm just blown away by the fact that I was nominated to start with. And to actually be accepted for the award - it's just amazing."