Posted by on
08/04/2024
Nikola Mattiacci’s childhood was largely spent getting herself into tight situations – and thankfully it was all in the name of a good cause.
As the youngest of three children growing up on a Victorian horticultural property, Nikola laughs that she was regularly volunteered to pick the most challenging fruit – her nimble little body working deep amongst the laden, hard-to-reach orange branches in the family citrus grove.
“I finally graduated to picking watermelons when I was about ten, catching the watermelons flung at me from all directions by my brother and dad.”
She laughs that it was character-building work on a Mildura summer’s day, and she has the hand-eye coordination to prove it.
Nikola’s childhood memories on the family citrus, wine grape, fruit and vegetable farm are recalled with fondness, and together with her siblings, she loved being her parent’s ‘right-hand woman’ on the Mildura block.
“I was lucky enough to have exposure to a huge variety of plantings, from citrus, grapes, vegetables, fruit and even flowers, and I loved learning how to tell if things were ripe and how to pick, from looking for the dead curlers on a watermelon vine, to how to flick my wrist when picking citrus so I didn’t gut the fruit.
Although, she concedes, squash and zucchini – the itchiest plants to pick – were to be avoided at all costs, and were the source of much sibling quarrel.
And while Nikola continues to help her parents on their block, today she’s supporting the whole region’s food and agri industry as a Rabobank Rural Manager.
Home is where the heart is
Despite experiencing a taste of city life – completing a Bachelor of Commerce, with a double major in Finance and Marketing at the University of Melbourne, and later working as a Retail Analyst in Sydney – the pull of the country was too strong.
“I think I was denying my roots,” she smiles. “I have generations of farming in my blood so it’s an industry very close to my heart.”
Nikola returned to her hometown, embarking on her Rabobank career over six years ago, and she couldn’t be more content.
“Working for Rabobank seemed like a perfect fit, it’s a bank dedicated solely to agriculture where I could apply my studies to an industry I shared a personal affiliation with.”
“Our local farmers are wonderful, down-to-earth, genuine people, and it’s such a privilege to be working with them every day to help them achieve their goals.”
With the region having faced challenges in recent years, particularly around rising input costs, Nikola believes her clients appreciate her first-hand, local expertise.
“I think dealing with a person they know has lived through the challenges of farming makes clients feel more comfortable, you understand what they’re going through, and there’s a mutual respect that is valuable.”
“I understand the highs and lows of what farm life can serve up. I think the most important traits an agri banker can possess are transparency, honesty, and empathy.
Working in a team of three, and supported by Area Manager Lee-Anne Warren in Renmark, Nikola said she genuinely loves coming to work every day.
“We have a great, fun team here in the Mildura branch, working alongside Isabella Brigante and Tyler Curtis. Together, we have created a positive and productive environment, and we work hard, but we have a lot of fun too.”
Contributing to a vibrant industry, and community
Nikola’s tireless energy doesn’t lend itself well to downtime, and when she’s not at work she can often be found helping her parents, or the local community.
Most weekends she is at the Sunraysia Farmer’s Market at 6.30am to help at her parent’s market stall, and as a member of the committee, she remains on hand to pack up the market.
In more recent years, her mother has been growing flowers, which she then arranges and sells.
“These days helping out at the block can vary from packing onions one minute, to arranging bouquets and doing Christmas floral wreaths the next, and this is why I love this region – there is so much diversity, which makes life interesting.”
Newly married, Nikola’s husband Jordan is a pilot who works locally conducting aerial fire management work, particularly over the high-risk harvest period in Sea Lake and Horsham.
And it comes as little surprise to learn that she and Jordan are 5am gym goers.
“Early mornings are my favourite part of the day. My husband and I are big kids at heart, so we will try our hand at most activities even if the skill set isn’t there.”
Weekends revolve around the Murray River – the heartbeat of the community – and the couple can often be found stand-up paddle boarding, playing tennis, golf, kicking the footy and fishing.
Nikola is clearly grateful to be working and living in her hometown, surrounded by family and friends, and where the foundations of her strong work ethic are etched.
“My brother and I used to pick the extra citrus that didn’t go to market to sell on the side of the road at our grandparent's house here in town. This was our pocket money during our childhood and we learned the value of hard work pretty young.”
“I very much owe it to my parents for exposing me to a tough industry, and making me capable and resilient, and now I’m proud to be able to apply my skills to help support our local Mildura farmers and help continue to strengthen and grow our region.”