About Nick Marshall
Nick is an Assistant Professor, and a titled ‘Sports’ and ‘Musculoskeletal’ Physiotherapist. He was awarded the Order of Australia Medal (OAM) in 2022; following on from receiving the Australian of the Year – Local Hero for Queensland in 2020. This was for his work within Surf Lifesaving and in particular for creating the inclusive surf lifesaving nippers program, called the Albatross Nippers, allowing children with a disability to join the surf club and reconnect with their local community.
In 2020 Nick received a Churchill Fellowship and upon the completion of his travel and submitting his research report was awarded the title of Churchill Fellow in 2022.
This research formed part of his continuing commitment to improved beach access and opportunities for all abilities as well as creating the new program “Include-ED”. This is an inclusive allied health student run program at Griffith University, designed to bridge the gap between leaving school and seeking meaningful vocational opportunities for those living with an intellectual impairment.
Nick is a published author, releasing the book: “Included- The Albatross Nippers Story” in 2021 and has had research published into a range of topics including 'Talent Identification' and 'Injury Prevention' in surf athletes. He has spent the better part of two decades travelling with Australian teams domestically and internationally across multiple sports, including Swimming, Surf Lifesaving, Boxing, Australian Rules Football (AFL) and Rugby League.
In particular, Nick has worked with some of the country’s most recognizable names in swimming and boxing, leading into the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
Nick continues to travel with the Queensland State Surf Lifesaving Team, Australian Surf Lifesaving Team and the National Surf Life Saving High Performance Squad. His continued work in the NRL as game day referee physiotherapist sees him on the field at all Broncos, Titans and occasionally Redcliffe home games, as well as Test matches and State of Origin games (when played in Queensland).
Nick was the Medical Manager for the 2018 Commonwealth Games at the Oxenford site where the Boxing and Table Tennis was contested.
He is the owner of Surf Life Physio, a multidisciplinary physiotherapy practice at Miami on the Gold Coast, and currently splits his work time between the Queensland Academy of Sport (QAS) for Swimming, as well as working in a 'teaching and learning' capacity at Griffith University-Gold Coast campus.
Away from sports physio work, Nick is an advocate for children living with a disability and the creator and founder of the Albatross Nippers Inc. This is an inclusive surf lifesaving nipper program. The program, while from humble beginnings on the Gold Coast has now spread to clubs both across the country and around the world.
Nick is also the Queensland President of the Australian Physiotherapy Association, and a sitting board member of the Griffith University Inclusive futures committee.
Nick has also been elected to a number of positions, namely the International Olympic Committee- athlete charter representative for International Lifesaving as well as the International Surf Lifesaving Anti-Doping committee.
Nick has won a number of awards over the years as a reward for his tireless effort to create safe and inclusive sport.
2022 – Order of Australia (OAM)
2020- Australian of The Year- Local Hero- Queensland
2020- Churchill Fellowship- Rodney Warmington Scholarship
2020- Griffith University Outstanding Alumnus of the Year
2019 Winner Australian Surf Lifesaving Community Education Program of the Year
2019 Winner Queensland Surf Lifesaving Community Education Program of the Year
2019 Winner of the Diversity and Inclusion Initiative of the Year at the National Volunteer Awards
2019 Mazda Foundation Award Winner
2018 Winner of the Australian Allied Health Greatest Impact and Achievement Award
2016 Winner Australian Physiotherapy Association (APA) Award
2019 Winner of the AMP Tomorrow Maker
2018 Winner of the Andy Frizzle award for commitment to Youth Sport Development
2018 Winner Community Education Program of the Year
2017 Runner up in the Sunsuper Dreams for a Better World Program
2018 Runner up in the Queensland Volunteer of the Year
2018 and 2019 Finalist in the Gold Coast City Council Australia Day Awards
2015 and 2017 Pride of Australia Medal Nominee
Away from Physiotherapy, Nick has also coached representative teams within Surf Lifesaving, namely the South Coast Branch team, Queensland High Performance Team and was the Australian Development Team assistant coach in 2016 in Japan.