“I came out of lots and lots of circus training, theatre and education, and working as a teachers aid,” Michael Nicholas said.

“Gradually, as my kids went to school and my wife started work I thought I’d get a degree and start teaching.” 

While originally from Adelaide, he has spent 20 years on the North Coast of NSW around Byron Bay, before teaching for five years at Boggabilla, north of Moree.

Mr Nicholas moved to Cobargo at the start of this year, as his sister is building a house at Bermagui.

“I thought it would be nice to have family close by,” he said.

“[The Cobargo area] also really reminds me a lot of the North Coast before it got crowded out.

“It’s kind of lovely to be back in AFL land again too.” 

His first impressions of the area?

“It’s kind of like heaven,” he said. 

At Cobargo Public Mr Nicholas is teaching a Year 5/6 class that has a very diverse range of interests, from agriculture and academia to art.

“At this stage, because it’s so early, I’m still finding out what their goals are and what interests them,” he said. 

“But what I want to see in the future is that the children will be able to pursue with full confidence what their interests are, within the curriculum, and with as much support from their family that I can engage.” 

He said a family’s involvement with their child’s field of interest is the primary factor that contributes to a child’s success in that field. 

In terms of circus training, he has experience in flying trapeze, juggling and unicycling, and said while he would like to involve Cobargo Public with the dance school Fling in the future, “it’s early days yet”. 

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