Sheep’s milk: she’ll drink to that

Nicole Gilliver’s path to agricultural success was far from conventional.

As a self-proclaimed ‘lazy, smart kid,’ she never comfortably conformed to a traditional academic stereotype. But during her time at Brisbane Girls Grammar School, Nicole discovered she excelled in areas that differed from many of her classmates. In particular, she affirmed her strong social skills and ability to connect with others. These attributes led Nicole on a unique career trajectory, but one she has come to truly love.

Reflecting on her time at BGGS, Nicole fondly remembers the girls in her cohort and a particular passionate English teacher who helped guide her to find her talents.

‘Mrs G (Mrs Helen Geraghty) saw me. She was always giving me that extra nudge or encouragement to get the job done,’ Nicole says.

Nicole’s passion for food and beverage was sparked after graduating during a transformative experience in France, where she worked as a nanny. There she discovered her love for premium food brands in wine distribution. However, it wasn’t until her late 20s that her career took a turn after taking a sabbatical to visit her mother, who had recently settled on 40 acres in Tasmania.

Nicole found herself drawn to her family’s ‘wacko’ business plan: selling wine and cheese to tourists while running a sheep dairy. Seizing this opportunity, Nicole joined her mother in creating their company Grandvewe Cheeses, which capitalised on a niche market in Australia.

By using dairy sheep—pure Awassi ewes, which thrive in Tasmania’s harsh climate and provide vitamin-rich milk and wool—Nicole’s family business offered high-quality, sustainable products with minimal waste. Grandvewe quickly became a local agricultural leader, attracting a loyal customer base and national recognition. Grounded in sustainability and respect for the land, the business thrived.

Over the past two decades, Nicole expanded her role to Ewenique Enterprises’ Executive Director to oversee multiple businesses, including Grandvewe Cheeses, Hartshorn Distillery, and ewe care.

The family’s ethos is deeply rooted in organics, polyculture, and sustainable land stewardship, with a strong focus on innovation to create no-waste solutions. This commitment led to the creation of Hartshorn Distillery, which uses the byproducts of cheese-making to produce vodka and gin, highlighting their dedication to sustainability and innovation.

‘I’m still explaining myself ad nauseum to people about how you can milk a sheep (and that) no, vodka isn’t just made from potatoes,’ Nicole laughs.

‘Honestly, the thing I’m most proud of is that we have the guts and the risk tolerance to deliver products to people that are really quite different.’

Nicole’s commitment to sustainability is unwavering, as she future proofs for generations to come.

'I can assure you that 23 years ago, sustainability certainly wasn’t a word that had value in the marketplace.

‘But we’ve stuck to it because that’s the essence of what rolls us out of bed every day, it’s what challenges us to innovate and stick around...We are 1000 per cent dedicated to it.'

Now a mother of two, Nicole is more passionate about her work than ever. As she navigates her role in the business and enjoys the satisfaction of seeing her vision realised, she would tell her younger self to learn to fail and learn to fail fast.

‘I think it’s probably one of life’s most important lessons,’ she says.

‘And to do it with grace and good humour and leave the ego behind.’