Noel Nicol, a long-time islander, was farewelled at a service held at St Philip's Anglican Church on November 25, 2024, at the age of 91.

From the time he arrived on Phillip Island in 1958, Noel took a keen interest in the island's municipal affairs, growth and development. He played a leading role in many of the issues that shaped Phillip Island over a period of five decades, including service on committees established in the 1960s, 70s and 80s to provide infrastructure and facilities required by the island's growing population, and in the 90s for the protection of its natural environment.

Born in Maryborough and growing up in Bacchus Marsh and later St Kilda, Noel attended Caulfield Technical School. He commenced work at the Carreras Cigarette Factory in Prahran, where he worked for 10 years, ending up in charge of the firm's accounts section.

On their arrival on Phillip Island, Noel and Audrey built a house in Cowes and ran the famous Nobbies Kiosk at Point Grant for eight years, which they loved, but faced numerous challenges.

The primus stove caught fire on their first day there; a chimney blew down through the roof in gale force winds one year; and penguins burrowed through the floor, prompting Noel to build the first penguin shelter boxes to be established on Summerland, alongside his kiosk wall. Encounters with copperhead snakes and rat plagues were dealt with, along with cars rolling off the cliffs and tragically, tourists at times being washed off the rocks.

Following his time at the Nobbies Kiosk, which he later sold to his brother Dudley, Noel embarked on a partnership in land-subdivision with local doctor Don Hopkins. Over the next 16 years, he completed thirteen subdivisions on Phillip Island and one at San Remo. He also bought land in Cowes and with the help of local builders Bob and Don McCrae, built shops in the Cowes commercial district.

In 1985, he was offered a sales position at PBE Real Estate in Cowes. He obtained a Sub-Agent's Licence and over three years worked closely with Robert Hudson to sell many properties.
Noel was generous by nature and community minded and helped many a local over the years. The intermittent nature of sub-dividing meant that Noel had time on his hands to devote to the island community.

His service on the Homes for the Aged Committee for 32 years, with 16 as secretary, was instrumental in its initial development and then expansion over the years. He would be pleased to know Melaleuca Lodge currently accommodates many senior locals as was originally intended.

Noel served on the Cowes School Committee; on the original Water Board based in Steele Street which bought reticulated water and sewerage to Cowes; and on the Warley Bush Nursing Hospital Committee. He served as president when the challenge of maintaining a modern, large and well-equipped hospital facility for the community and its visitors was achieved without government funding.

He was later appointed a Life Governor of both the Warley Hospital and Homes for the Aged committees, and in 2001, the International Year of Volunteers, was presented with a Commonwealth Certificate of Recognition for services to the community.

He was also involved in major community issues as they arose.

These included the divisive issue of the introduction of a toll by government in the 1960s, on the Phillip Island bridge, which he opposed. Also the (unsuccessful) battle to prevent the handover of the magnificent Point Grant/Nobbies headland to a developer for a tourism venture in 1990.

Noel played a leading role on the Nobbies Action Group (NAG) committee, which was established to protest the proposal. NAG fought long and hard against a development at Point Grant, on the basis the majestic headland should be preserved in its natural state for posterity; with just a simple and low-key kiosk required. Noel, along with Bill Hopkins and John Hannon sat outside the IGA supermarket all summer that year and collected 12,000 signatures on a petition opposing the plan, which included closure of the south coast road to vehicles. Noel, a Liberal Party member, warned the Liberal state government that such was the strength of community feeling against the proposal, it was in danger of losing the safe seat of Bass if the development went ahead.

His astute warning, which proved to be entirely correct, fell on deaf ears, and the blue-ribbon seat of Bass was lost to an independent. A small win for the group was that closure of the Summerland south coast road did not proceed.

Noel's strength of conviction and fightback resulted in him being kicked out of the Liberal Party by its state executive around this time, after being a grassroots member for almost 30 years.

In 2000 he became a strong and active supporter of the Phillip Island Stand Alone Movement, formed after six years of amalgamation, and wrote many submissions to Parliamentary representatives on what he viewed as the inequitable and unacceptable treatment of Phillip Island by the new amalgamated shire administration.

He was a prolific letter writer to the local paper on all issues he felt strongly about, and that he thought the community should be made aware of, so that action could be organised.

Sadly, Noel was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease in 2008 and 10 years later, after his wife Audrey died, he moved into a Caulfield Nursing Home near family, after living on Phillip Island for 60 years.

Noel is survived by his daughter Judy, son Robert, son-in-law Peter and granddaughters Grace and Louisa.