Humans of the Northern Beaches
Pam Fayle: From the World Stage to Woolgoolga’s Heart
From representing Australia internationally to helping shape the future of Woolgoolga, Pam Fayle proves that leadership doesn’t end when your career does, it just finds new ways to show up.
When you’ve known someone as long as I’ve known Pam Fayle, it’s easy to forget just how remarkable she really is. Around Woolgoolga, she’s known as the calm, clever, reliable one. The woman who’ll take minutes, chair a meeting, perform with the orchestra, coordinate an art show, and still bring humour to a Curryfest debrief. But before all that, she was representing Australia across the globe as a diplomat.
We sat down for a chat, part interview, part catch-up, and it didn’t take long before we were laughing, and I was as inspired as I always am hearing her stories.
Tegan: Before we start, I’ve got to read you this little spiel I found online, it sings your praises just a tiny bit and will show people how incredible you are…
“Pamela Fayle from Arrawarra has held a number of positions in the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. She was a board member of the Australian Trade Commission and Export, Finance and Insurance Group in the early 2000's, and is the former chair of International Cultural Promotions. She was economic advisor to Senator Peter Cook, Minister for Industry, Science and Technology from 1994-96. In the Woolgoolga community she has been president of the Rotary Club and chair of the Curryfest organising committee. She is secretary of the Coffs Harbour City Orchestra, and former Master of Ceremonies, committee member of Woolgoolga Art Gallery, and member of the local Chamber of Commerce.”
Pam: Oh dear… that’s a lot isn’t it!
And it is, but it’s also only part of the story.
Pam grew up on a farm halfway between Tamworth and Gunnedah, went to high school in Tamworth, and as a teenager became a Rotary exchange student to Japan something that shaped her life more than she could have known.
Pam: That was way back in 1972, a long time ago! I still speak reasonable Japanese. A little bit of German, but my Japanese is better.
After completing her degrees in economics and Asian studies at ANU, she joined the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and went on to spend decades representing Australia overseas.
Pam: Most of my career was in the foreign service as a diplomat. I had postings in Japan and in Germany, and my last position was as ambassador to Germany, Switzerland and Liechtenstein. We bought our house on the Arrawarra Headland in 2002 and moved here permanently in 2006.
Tegan: Wow, almost twenty years, you’ll be officially allowed to call yourself a local soon!
Pam: [laughs] Same as Curryfest! I’ve been here as long as Curryfest has been here.
When she retired, she didn’t exactly stop serving, she just brought that energy home.
Pam: I started off joining Rotary because I’d been an exchange student, and I saw it as a way to give back, both to the community and to Rotary itself. Through Rotary I became the representative for the Curryfest committee, and then I never left…I’m a bit hard to get rid of!
And that’s classic Pam… quick to laugh, quietly capable, and never seeking recognition for the mountain of work she does.
In retirement, she decided to focus on the things she hadn’t had time for during her career, art and music. She started attending classes at the Woolgoolga Art Gallery, joined the committee, and became an MC at local events. Around the same time, she picked up the violin again and joined the Coffs Harbour City Orchestra and, naturally, ended up on that committee too.
Pam: I must have ‘committee’ written on my forehead!
Tegan: You are very much a joiner, and we’re lucky to have you. It’s one thing to want things to change, but another to actually put your hand up. You’re incredibly inspiring.
Pam: Oh, I’m not really good at any of it, I just do it because I enjoy it.
That’s Pam, modest to a fault… (or always the diplomat? 😉)
When we spoke about what she loves most about Woolgoolga, her answer was simple.
Pam: It’s a great community. I love it here, I have a lot of friends. When we were looking for a place to retire, we drove up and down the coast and when we found this house, we fell in love with it. Two of my grandchildren call it paradise, and I think that says it all. I’ve travelled all over the world for work, and it’s hard to beat this area.
We talked about why she believes in giving back.
Pam: It’s really easy these days with social media and streaming television for people to become very self-centred — just sitting at home and not interacting with anyone. I think that has a massive impact on mental and physical health. It’s important to stay engaged with other people, and one way of doing that is through volunteering. There are so many community organisations that are active here, and they’re all crying out for volunteers. You don’t have to give heaps of time — every little bit helps, and you end up enjoying it. It’s a great feeling to give back.
That last line stayed with me. It’s not just that Pam believes in community, she lives it.
We also spoke about the future of Woolgoolga and how to protect what makes it special.
Pam: You don’t want to lose that friendly, small-community feel. You don’t want to lose that nice multicultural mix we have. Retaining that, while you grow, is difficult, and that’s another reason people need to stay engaged. If you leave it all to developers or people who are only interested in how much money they can make, then you risk losing what we all love about Woolgoolga.
Then, of course, I had to ask about her incredible career and her Order of Australia Medal (OAM).
Pam: Good heavens, I don’t know what to say! Obviously I ended my career on a high as ambassador to Germany, Switzerland and Liechtenstein. I spent three years living in Berlin, which was wonderful. I spent a lot of time with APEC, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, and it was all about removing tariffs. So every time I see Mr. Trump putting tariffs on, I think, ‘Oh my goodness, it’s all back to square one!’ I just remind myself, at least I know how tariffs work, and he doesn’t seem to!
We both laughed.
Pam: But there were hard times too. I was in charge of the crisis centre when the Bali bombings happened, that was very difficult work, liaising with Defence and other people on the ground in Bali.
Then there were the moments of quiet trailblazing.
Pam: When I was in Germany, there was an event in Hamburg, a Chamber of Commerce dinner for all the Asia-Pacific ambassadors. I was the first woman ever to attend. The next day there was a photo in the paper, me and 700 men in tuxedos.
Tegan: Please tell me you kept that photo!
Pam: No! But it was probably the best odds I’ve ever had. [laughs]
Pam: It was a reflection of the times, there weren’t many women in those senior roles. I think I was only the second woman to be Deputy Head of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Often I was the only woman in the room, or the only woman on a project. Thankfully, that’s less likely now. But one of the challenges was having children. Men were quite happy to start an important meeting at 5pm, and I had to work hard to change that culture.
Tegan: Thank goodness for people like you, who were the trailblazers in that space.
And then, of course, we came back to where our worlds first overlapped, Curryfest.
Pam: I think I’ve been involved with Curryfest for about ten years. It started out run entirely by volunteers,and then grew over time. It’s become bigger and more expensive, particularly since COVID. We had to introduce an entry charge, which wasn’t popular, but it’s the only way to keep the event going. It’s one of the Coffs Coast’s signature events. It celebrates our multicultural community and promotes tourism, people come from further away, they stay longer, and they spend their money locally. So lots of people benefit. But again, it’s not possible without the event managers, the volunteers, and all the people who put in the work.
Tegan: I think we started on the committee around the same time, the 10-year anniversary! I remember the event was in debt and not very many people loved us at that point.
Pam: [laughs] Yes, and look at it now!
Tegan: It’s amazing how it’s grown. It’s gone from small community event, to commercial growth, to a few stumbles, and now it’s one of the Coffs Coast’s big success stories.
By the end of our chat, we were still cracking up.
Pam: Goodness knows what you’re going to make of it all.
Tegan: There’s so much goodness in there, Pam. You always give people something valuable to think about.
When I asked for her final words of wisdom, she paused for a moment before answering.
Pam: It’s important for people to get involved in their community, especially after they retire. Retirement isn’t for sitting at home staring at the wall. It’s a time to give back, to enjoy your friends, to get out and about. That way, you’ll stay healthy longer.
And that’s Pam in a nutshell, sharp, funny, wise, and endlessly giving.
She’s seen the world, led through crises, and broken barriers, and still, she finds great joy in volunteering here, in the place her grandchildren call paradise.
Watch the full interview with Pam Fayle on the Woopi News YouTube Channel, and read more from our Community Conversations: Humans of the Northern Beaches series at woopinews.com.au.
Humans of the Northern Beaches
Pam Fayle
Pam Fayle: From the World Stage to Woolgoolga’s Heart
From representing Australia internationally to helping shape the future of Woolgoolga, Pam Fayle proves that leadership doesn’t end when your career does, it just finds new ways to show up.
When you’ve known someone as long as I’ve known Pam Fayle, it’s easy to forget just how remarkable she really is. Around Woolgoolga, she’s known as the calm, clever, reliable one. The woman who’ll take minutes, chair a meeting, perform with the orchestra, coordinate an art show, and still bring humour to a Curryfest debrief. But before all that, she was representing Australia across the globe as a diplomat.
We sat down for a chat, part interview, part catch-up, and it didn’t take long before we were laughing, and I was as inspired as I always am hearing her stories.
Tegan: Before we start, I’ve got to read you this little spiel I found online, it sings your praises just a tiny bit and will show people how incredible you are…
“Pamela Fayle from Arrawarra has held a number of positions in the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. She was a board member of the Australian Trade Commission and Export, Finance and Insurance Group in the early 2000's, and is the former chair of International Cultural Promotions. She was economic advisor to Senator Peter Cook, Minister for Industry, Science and Technology from 1994-96. In the Woolgoolga community she has been president of the Rotary Club and chair of the Curryfest organising committee. She is secretary of the Coffs Harbour City Orchestra, and former Master of Ceremonies, committee member of Woolgoolga Art Gallery, and member of the local Chamber of Commerce.”
Pam: Oh dear… that’s a lot isn’t it!
And it is, but it’s also only part of the story.
Pam grew up on a farm halfway between Tamworth and Gunnedah, went to high school in Tamworth, and as a teenager became a Rotary exchange student to Japan something that shaped her life more than she could have known.
Pam: That was way back in 1972, a long time ago! I still speak reasonable Japanese. A little bit of German, but my Japanese is better.
After completing her degrees in economics and Asian studies at ANU, she joined the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and went on to spend decades representing Australia overseas.
Pam: Most of my career was in the foreign service as a diplomat. I had postings in Japan and in Germany, and my last position was as ambassador to Germany, Switzerland and Liechtenstein. We bought our house on the Arrawarra Headland in 2002 and moved here permanently in 2006.
Tegan: Wow, almost twenty years, you’ll be officially allowed to call yourself a local soon!
Pam: [laughs] Same as Curryfest! I’ve been here as long as Curryfest has been here.
When she retired, she didn’t exactly stop serving, she just brought that energy home.
Pam: I started off joining Rotary because I’d been an exchange student, and I saw it as a way to give back, both to the community and to Rotary itself. Through Rotary I became the representative for the Curryfest committee, and then I never left…I’m a bit hard to get rid of!
And that’s classic Pam… quick to laugh, quietly capable, and never seeking recognition for the mountain of work she does.
In retirement, she decided to focus on the things she hadn’t had time for during her career, art and music. She started attending classes at the Woolgoolga Art Gallery, joined the committee, and became an MC at local events. Around the same time, she picked up the violin again and joined the Coffs Harbour City Orchestra and, naturally, ended up on that committee too.
Pam: I must have ‘committee’ written on my forehead!
Tegan: You are very much a joiner, and we’re lucky to have you. It’s one thing to want things to change, but another to actually put your hand up. You’re incredibly inspiring.
Pam: Oh, I’m not really good at any of it, I just do it because I enjoy it.
That’s Pam, modest to a fault… (or always the diplomat? 😉)
When we spoke about what she loves most about Woolgoolga, her answer was simple.
Pam: It’s a great community. I love it here, I have a lot of friends. When we were looking for a place to retire, we drove up and down the coast and when we found this house, we fell in love with it. Two of my grandchildren call it paradise, and I think that says it all. I’ve travelled all over the world for work, and it’s hard to beat this area.
We talked about why she believes in giving back.
Pam: It’s really easy these days with social media and streaming television for people to become very self-centred — just sitting at home and not interacting with anyone. I think that has a massive impact on mental and physical health. It’s important to stay engaged with other people, and one way of doing that is through volunteering. There are so many community organisations that are active here, and they’re all crying out for volunteers. You don’t have to give heaps of time — every little bit helps, and you end up enjoying it. It’s a great feeling to give back.
That last line stayed with me. It’s not just that Pam believes in community, she lives it.
We also spoke about the future of Woolgoolga and how to protect what makes it special.
Pam: You don’t want to lose that friendly, small-community feel. You don’t want to lose that nice multicultural mix we have. Retaining that, while you grow, is difficult, and that’s another reason people need to stay engaged. If you leave it all to developers or people who are only interested in how much money they can make, then you risk losing what we all love about Woolgoolga.
Then, of course, I had to ask about her incredible career and her Order of Australia Medal (OAM).
Pam: Good heavens, I don’t know what to say! Obviously I ended my career on a high as ambassador to Germany, Switzerland and Liechtenstein. I spent three years living in Berlin, which was wonderful. I spent a lot of time with APEC, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, and it was all about removing tariffs. So every time I see Mr. Trump putting tariffs on, I think, ‘Oh my goodness, it’s all back to square one!’ I just remind myself, at least I know how tariffs work, and he doesn’t seem to!
We both laughed.
Pam: But there were hard times too. I was in charge of the crisis centre when the Bali bombings happened, that was very difficult work, liaising with Defence and other people on the ground in Bali.
Then there were the moments of quiet trailblazing.
Pam: When I was in Germany, there was an event in Hamburg, a Chamber of Commerce dinner for all the Asia-Pacific ambassadors. I was the first woman ever to attend. The next day there was a photo in the paper, me and 700 men in tuxedos.
Tegan: Please tell me you kept that photo!
Pam: No! But it was probably the best odds I’ve ever had. [laughs]
Pam: It was a reflection of the times, there weren’t many women in those senior roles. I think I was only the second woman to be Deputy Head of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Often I was the only woman in the room, or the only woman on a project. Thankfully, that’s less likely now. But one of the challenges was having children. Men were quite happy to start an important meeting at 5pm, and I had to work hard to change that culture.
Tegan: Thank goodness for people like you, who were the trailblazers in that space.
And then, of course, we came back to where our worlds first overlapped, Curryfest.
Pam: I think I’ve been involved with Curryfest for about ten years. It started out run entirely by volunteers,and then grew over time. It’s become bigger and more expensive, particularly since COVID. We had to introduce an entry charge, which wasn’t popular, but it’s the only way to keep the event going. It’s one of the Coffs Coast’s signature events. It celebrates our multicultural community and promotes tourism, people come from further away, they stay longer, and they spend their money locally. So lots of people benefit. But again, it’s not possible without the event managers, the volunteers, and all the people who put in the work.
Tegan: I think we started on the committee around the same time, the 10-year anniversary! I remember the event was in debt and not very many people loved us at that point.
Pam: [laughs] Yes, and look at it now!
Tegan: It’s amazing how it’s grown. It’s gone from small community event, to commercial growth, to a few stumbles, and now it’s one of the Coffs Coast’s big success stories.
By the end of our chat, we were still cracking up.
Pam: Goodness knows what you’re going to make of it all.
Tegan: There’s so much goodness in there, Pam. You always give people something valuable to think about.
When I asked for her final words of wisdom, she paused for a moment before answering.
Pam: It’s important for people to get involved in their community, especially after they retire. Retirement isn’t for sitting at home staring at the wall. It’s a time to give back, to enjoy your friends, to get out and about. That way, you’ll stay healthy longer.
And that’s Pam in a nutshell, sharp, funny, wise, and endlessly giving.
She’s seen the world, led through crises, and broken barriers, and still, she finds great joy in volunteering here, in the place her grandchildren call paradise.
Watch the full interview with Pam Fayleon the Woopi News YouTube Channel, and read more from our Community Conversations: Humans of the Northern Beaches series at woopinews.com.au.
Jim
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