For Nieve Liveri, there’s a lot to love about her work curating guest experiences at Morris Escapes’ luxury outback retreat, Mt Mulligan Lodge. But above all, it’s being involved in creating lifelong memories for people that makes it something truly special.
I’m the Experience Manager at Mt Mulligan Lodge. My role involves working closely with Reservations and the rest of the lodge team to create itineraries full of exciting experiences for our guests. I get to oversee a fantastic team of Experience Guides and run the day-to-day operation of everything related to activities.
I first started at Mt Mulligan Lodge as an Experience Guide back in the May/June 2023 season. It was my first taste of a season out on the property, and I came straight back for a second season as Experience Coordinator. I’m now in my third season at the lodge and in the manager role.
Growing up, I wanted to be a vet so desperately, but my GPA wasn’t good enough at the time to get into the university, so I enrolled in a Bachelor of Science majoring in wildlife biology as a bridging course. I fell in love with it and ended up adding another major in marine biology so I graduated as a marine and wildlife biologist. Once I graduated, I applied for all sorts of jobs to get my foot in the door, but I really wanted to work in the eco-tourism field because I thought it would allow for a unique lifestyle and lots of travel.
I’ve worked all around Australia in guide-type roles. I first started in the industry at Kingfisher Bay Resort on the world’s largest sand island – K’gari in Queensland. After that I had the opportunity to move across Australia to the wild and gorgeous Kimberley region where I worked as a guide at El Questro Wilderness Park. I worked for a season there and then lived out of my car, travelling through the Northern Territory and northern Queensland until I ended up on the Gold Coast Hinterland at O’Reilly’s Rainforest Retreat before eventually joining the team at Mt Mulligan Lodge.
Here, every day is always something different. Some days I can be in the field leading our guests through our signature and bespoke tours. Other days I spend around the lodge and in the office doing all the behind-the-scenes work to coordinate upcoming guest experiences. I could be out working with the mechanics on caring for our vehicles or collaborating with our station staff to create our amazing muster tours. No day is every the same which makes this role so unique.
I’m also so lucky that I get to greet guests at breakfast every morning and chat to them about their plans for the day. On guest arrival days, I always look forward to meeting the eager faces arriving to the lodge.
Every day on property is a school day. I’ve spent every day of every season learning. The guiding interpretation alone takes about three months to master. Learning where everything on the station is takes a little longer. I don’t go one day without learning something new, whether our station manager Phil is cutting new roads for me to learn or sharing some of his magical wisdom about the property, or my guides showing me all sorts of fun new facts they discover.
Personally, my favourite of all the experiences available at Mt Mulligan Lodge would be Muster Week. It only happens for a week, three times a year but man is it spectacular! From the muster team to the dogs, helicopter and horses, it’s just like something out of a movie.
The Branch ATV experience is just amazing as well. It’s a gorgeous property but Geraldine Lookout for sunrise is always a favourite for me. I’ve been very lucky to spend a lot of time exploring and camping around the property and the Tyrconnell Gold Mine and Branch Lookout at sunset is just… wow!
My days off can be spent relaxing by the staff pool with a stunning mountain in the background, swimming in the creeks nearby, camping, fishing, and exploring the property and its surrounding areas. It’s not just a job, it’s a lifestyle.
I adore living and working at Mount Mulligan. It’s not for the faint of heart and I only say that because it is a very remote property. You see the same faces every single day, but I find beauty and comfort in that. Having 20 to 30 strangers living and working together can be daunting. But I’ve not only got lifelong friends, but a group of people I consider my family. Sharing unique experiences with people who have never seen outback Australia is something that bonds you. From firepit nights to going hiking together or grabbing a beer and lunch in town is such a special experience you can’t put into words.
As a team, we work together towards the same goal of creating a unique and lifelong memory for our guests which is pretty special. Some people visit the lodge regularly and are excited to see a familiar face, and some have saved everything to come and enjoy a stay here. But everyone is a VIP in my book and seeing how much my work can affect people in such a positive way for a short period of time – that would be the best thing about my job.