Ella Woolcott is passionate about being on the water. She has been with Fantasea for almost two years and joined shortly after finishing her Higher School Certificate, but has spent most of her life on the water helping her parents.
They own a marina and her father is Gordon “Bluey” Woolcott, a well-known and respected shipwright. Ella also has the distinction of being both one of the youngest and one of the first female Masters in the NRMA’s marine business.
The maritime industry itself is largely male-dominated and very competitive. Between skippering ferries between Palm Beach and The Basin, she’s also studying at university.
Of her career at Fantasea, Ella says, “I started as a deckhand. Then, a year ago, I decided to do the next qualification, the Master V and Marine Engine Driver 3 – Engineering course. Six months ago, I finished the qualifications and became a skipper. Palm Beach has been a good stamping ground to start as a master. It’s given me helm time and is also where lots of masters complete their training.”
It’s a big responsibility to carry 148 passengers plus crew. Ella’s greatest influences have been her parents, who introduced her to working on the water and the maritime industry. “The best part of this job is being out on the water and being out in the fresh air. There’s nothing quite like that, every day, and also meeting people, especially the regular commuters.
“Then there’s whale watching season – I love seeing people’s reactions when they see whales breaching. For many, it’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience, but we do have many passengers who return, telling us it’s the most amazing thing ever to see.”
Ella is looking forward to working more closely with the overall NRMA Group – overcoming the challenges of learning new procedures and various ways to operate. She also wants to build a burgeoning career in the maritime industry and is excited at the prospect of what the NRMA can do and where it can go. She’d love to see the organisation doing more ferry runs and expanding routes, as it means more opportunities on the water for everyone.
