Carly Fox Profile, Class of 1993 

Carly Fox, Class of 1993

Nurse, Tour Guide, Marketing Manager, Prison Officer

Carly recently attended the 30 Year Reunion for the Class of 1993. She loved reconnecting with past Kilvington classmates and friends. Carly has worked in a wide variety of roles, including nursing, marketing, and as a Prison Officer. She is a firm believer in the power of self-confidence, perseverance, and kindness towards ourselves and others. 

What have you been up to since leaving Kilvington? 

Following my graduation from school, I pursued nursing at RMIT. After dedicating three years to the nursing profession, I embarked on a transformative three-year travel journey. This experience ignited my passion for travel and left an indelible mark on me. Upon my return to Australia, I found my calling within the tourism industry and secured a position in this field.

Until 2014, I worked for a few different tour companies, mainly as a Head Tour Guide and also as a Marketing Manager. During these years, I saw so much of our wonderful country and covered over 1.4 million kms – the equivalent of travelling almost 54 times around the outside of Oz! 

I loved what I did, but eventually age catches up with us all. I found I just couldn’t drive 500kms or more a day anymore, so took up a position as full time Marketing Manager. 

In 2014, a year or so after I got married, I applied for a job with Corrections Victoria as a Prison Officer, a job I still hold today. I work with some of Victoria’s most hardened inmates, and on a daily basis, look after the good order of the prison, conduct casework and help to keep the community we call Victoria safe. It’s not a thankful job most of the time, nor as glamorous or interesting as most people would think. However, I enjoy my work and tackle it with as much enthusiasm as I can.

As for my personal life, I have six acres in the beautiful Macedon Ranges that I share with four dogs, a cat and 13 chickens. I got divorced in 2019, right before the COVID-19 pandemic hit, and since then have been busy with work, and doing a few home renovations. I still love travelling, and recently returned from a trip to Japan. In the near future, I would love to travel to Africa and Cyprus. 

What is your favourite memory of Kilvington?

The friendships I formed, many of which I can now say are lifelong. Kilvington offered me the opportunity to just be me, a very normal average girl. I was never overly studious, but I was able to get a university degree, one of the first females in my family to do so. Kilvington taught me to take life’s opportunities as they come and to keep trying, no matter what challenges come your way.

Funny stories?

I remember at Year 9 School Camp, I won a competition because I made up a new word in the English language. Don’t ask me to remember what the word was, it was too long ago!

Did you end up where you expected you would when you finished school?

Not at all, I always thought I would graduate as a nurse and keep doing it forever. But life has taken me on so many different twists and turns, some amazing, some not so amazing. Either way, it’s been fun and interesting. Though I never thought that I would end up in prison! 🤣

How did your time at Kilvington prepare you for what you are doing now?

Kilvington was, and still is, family! The School taught me the value of being part of a team and not ever letting an opportunity pass me by. I wasn’t overly sporty, academic, or musical, though I can sing in my car with the best of them. I’ve always been huge-hearted, honest and true to all others. Kilvington was a big part of that, and has led me to where I am now. I’ve never been afraid of hard work or challenges, and I have Kilvington to thank for that. In fact, yesterday at work one of the ladies told me she thought I had the biggest heart of anyone she knew. That’s a pretty big compliment in my book.

What have been some of the biggest challenges you’ve had to face to get where you are now?

The loss of my mum and my best friend Meg (also Class of 1993) were particularly difficult, but their losses have made me live my life for me, and not look back with regrets.

The breakdown of my marriage was extremely raw, and very tough. I know now that I did everything I could to make it work. He didn’t, and I am so much better off now. 

I strive to be independent, and if I need help with something, I'm learning how to ask. Running six acres alone can be fun, interesting and a challenge, but one that I am up for. 

The tough times have molded me into the person I've become, with all my faults and successes, my misgivings and my amazing zest for life! Family is important to me also, and always will be.

What advice would you give to others who might be faced with similar obstacles?

Never give up, and always be true to yourself. Keep smiling and laughing always, even when it seems too hard to do so. And remember it does get better with time.

What’s your biggest highlight?

I’ve travelled to so many countries and been to nearly every corner of the globe. I consider this to be the greatest part of my life, the most enjoyable. You learn so much seeing the world, and this is what’s kept me going sometimes - that, and my fur babies!

What excites you most about the future?

More travel and forming many more friendships and loves. If I remain passionate about life, then that’s half the battle won.

How did what you learnt at Kilvington make you the person you are today?

Kilvington taught me to believe in myself, always, and to believe in the decisions I make in life, even if they turn out to the wrong ones. Life is about learning from the journey, and Kilvington was the beginning of this for me.

Any advice for our Year 12 students?

Be open to opportunities, always give it a go, and if they aren’t for you, move on and find what is right for you. Trust where things will lead you. Above all, have fun, don’t be afraid to ask questions or ask for help if you need it.

What are you passionate about?

Making a difference! You don’t have to be a scholar to make a difference. Just being a good person and treating everyone equally and with respect will guide you along your path. All of us, in our own small way, do this in our everyday lives without realising it. Treat others how you would like to be treated.