Noga Nicholson loves her peaceful pocket of South Kingsville. She speaks with Goya Dmytryshchak.
What’s your connection to Hobsons Bay?
I’ve lived in South Kingsville for about 12 years.
What do you like about South Kingsville?
As far as the area, not just South Kingsville but the whole of Hobsons Bay, what I really like is the diversity. The multiculturalism I really like, especially in Altona, Newport and, north of that, Yarraville, Footscray.
What would you change?
I would probably like to see a train station on the line here since we do have the tracks and we do have the boom gates and we do have the traffic that gets interrupted by trains, but we don’t get the service of those trains. A lot of development is going to happen further down in Blackshaws Road, there’s going to be an influx of people, meaning influx of cars. There’s no infrastructure for that … so I think a train station would be fantastic. The nearest station is a 25-minute walk which is just a little bit long. For people who are older, for women on their own to walk at night, it’s not so fantastic.
Do you have a favourite cafe or eatery around here?
I have a lot of favourite places around here. I really like going to The Pint of Milk in Newport. I really like The Cornershop in Yarraville. I go to eat a lot in Footscray. I love Footscray, but there’s not much cafe action. It’s more eateries from all over the world, which I love.
What are you passionate about?
I’m passionate about life. I’m passionate about people. I am an empath. I’m a therapist. I like supporting people, so identifying ways help is needed and showing up.
You’ve been showing up to visit asylum seekers in the Broadmeadows detention centre (MITA) for four years. What motivates you to do that?
I choose to live the change that I want to see in the world and I believe that people coming to us for help should be receiving help.
I thought I will give them the help that they need.
What’s something people would be surprised to know about you?
That I used to work in the casino.
