Nicky Carr
Nicky is our full time optometrist and practice owner. Nicky completed her optometry degree in December 2002. Straight out of uni she was very lucky to get a job with an independent small group practice on the Gold Coast, who had optometrists that were well known for their clinical knowledge. She moved to Tamborine Mountain in 2006 and started working with her Aunty and Uncle at Tamborine Mountain Optometrists. She purchased the practice in January 2008. She completed the qualification to write a prescription for eye drops in 2007 and also her certificate to do eye tests for pilots through CASA in 2011.
Fourth Generation Optometrist in the Waldron Family…
When the original Colin Waldron (Senior) first travelled to country South-East Queensland in 1928 to perform eye examinations, he could never have believed that in 2002 his great grand daughter would follow in his footsteps.
Colin Senior did his indentures in Townsville with Greenfields Optometrists before 1914. His son, Frank Waldron was born in Townsville in 1914. Colin Senior eventually opened his practice in Brisbane and visited various locations in South-East Queensland from 1928 by ‘service car’ as he did not drive. He visited Beaudesert, Rathdowney and other nearby towns. He practised in people’s homes and in the CWA hall in Beaudesert. Frank worked with his Dad as an apprentice optometrist in Brisbane and qualified as an optometrist in 1939. The same year he enlisted in the army and went to the Middle East and Papua New Guinea from 1939 to 1944. He worked as an assistant to an ophthalmologist in Papua New Guinea.
Frank relieved his father by doing the Beaudesert trip when he returned from the war in 1944. He also travelled to Toogoolawah, Linville, Moore, Blackbutt, Kilcoy, Woodford and Caboolture. Eventually he moved the Beaudesert location from the CWA hall to the Grand Hotel. Frank continued the Brisbane practice and the country trip when Colin Senior moved to Burleigh Heads in 1970.
Frank’s son, Colin Waldron graduated from the first full time optometry course at Queensland Institute of Technology (QIT) in 1969. Colin joined Frank in Brisbane in 1970 and soon after that the practice moved from Rowe’s Building to 177 Edward Street. When the Grand Hotel in Beaudesert burnt down Frank practised in Moss Photographic Studio, and Colin joined him there later. Colin’s wife, Heather, also a 1969 QIT graduate, joined the practice in 1976.
In 1977 Colin and Heather opened the first permanent rooms for Waldron’s Optometrists in Beaudesert in Centre 9. It started off as a 2-3 day per week practice, but very quickly grew. In 1985 they moved the practice to the Beaudesert Medical Centre when Dr MacDonald completed some extensions to the premises, and there the practice became full time optometry and grew to 1.5 optometrists by the time Colin and Heather sold it in 2000. After selling the Beaudesert practice, Colin and Heather opened a practice on Tamborine Mountain (Tamborine Mountain Optometrists) and this was meant to be their part-time retirement practice.
In 2002 Colin’s niece, Nicky Carr completed her Optometry Degree at QUT in Brisbane. Nicky joined Colin and Heather at their Mount Tamborine practice in 2006. In 2008 Colin and Heather sold Tamborine Mountain Optometrists to Nicky and by 2009 the practice had grown to full time optometry. Nicky is the great grand daughter of the ‘first’ Colin Waldron.
The Waldron family has looked after eyes for over 80 years and now the tradition continues with Nicky...
"My Uncle and Aunty, Grandad and Great-Grandad were all optometrists, so late in primary school I decided that I would like to try to be an optometrist. I worked hard through school and uni and I graduated with my optometry degree in December 2002. Straight out of uni I was very lucky to get a job with an independant small group practice on the Gold Coast, who had optometrists that were well known for their clinical knowledge, and I decided that it would be good for me to learn off them at the start of my career.
Finally in January 2008 I purchased Tamborine Mountain Optometrists from my Uncle and Aunty, Colin and Heather Waldron. Maybe optometry is in my blood, I'm not sure, but I really enjoy helping people with their eyes and 20 years after graduation I can honestly say that I love my job. I hope to keep practising optometry on Mount Tamborine for the next 30 years!
I moved to Mount Tamborine in 2006 with my husband as we decided that being a part of the community would be good for the practice. 16 years later we wouldn't live anywhere else. We have had 2 daughters since then and we are very happy to be part of such a lovely community in a beautiful part of the world.
I completed the qualification to write a prescription for eye drops in 2007 and also my certificate to do eye tests for pilots through CASA. I learn lots from my patients every day and I love to find out about their lives and visual tasks and solve their visual problems. I believe in great service and taking the time to listen to my patients, conducting a thorough 40 minute eye examination and prescribing quality optical goods that are chosen to suit each patient's individual visual needs."
When the original Colin Waldron (Senior) first travelled to country South-East Queensland in 1928 to perform eye examinations, he could never have believed that in 2002 his great grand daughter would follow in his footsteps.
Colin Senior did his indentures in Townsville with Greenfields Optometrists before 1914. His son, Frank Waldron was born in Townsville in 1914. Colin Senior eventually opened his practice in Brisbane and visited various locations in South-East Queensland from 1928 by ‘service car’ as he did not drive. He visited Beaudesert, Rathdowney and other nearby towns. He practised in people’s homes and in the CWA hall in Beaudesert. Frank worked with his Dad as an apprentice optometrist in Brisbane and qualified as an optometrist in 1939. The same year he enlisted in the army and went to the Middle East and Papua New Guinea from 1939 to 1944. He worked as an assistant to an ophthalmologist in Papua New Guinea.
Frank relieved his father by doing the Beaudesert trip when he returned from the war in 1944. He also travelled to Toogoolawah, Linville, Moore, Blackbutt, Kilcoy, Woodford and Caboolture. Eventually he moved the Beaudesert location from the CWA hall to the Grand Hotel. Frank continued the Brisbane practice and the country trip when Colin Senior moved to Burleigh Heads in 1970.
Frank’s son, Colin Waldron graduated from the first full time optometry course at Queensland Institute of Technology (QIT) in 1969. Colin joined Frank in Brisbane in 1970 and soon after that the practice moved from Rowe’s Building to 177 Edward Street. When the Grand Hotel in Beaudesert burnt down Frank practised in Moss Photographic Studio, and Colin joined him there later. Colin’s wife, Heather, also a 1969 QIT graduate, joined the practice in 1976.
In 1977 Colin and Heather opened the first permanent rooms for Waldron’s Optometrists in Beaudesert in Centre 9. It started off as a 2-3 day per week practice, but very quickly grew. In 1985 they moved the practice to the Beaudesert Medical Centre when Dr MacDonald completed some extensions to the premises, and there the practice became full time optometry and grew to 1.5 optometrists by the time Colin and Heather sold it in 2000. After selling the Beaudesert practice, Colin and Heather opened a practice on Tamborine Mountain (Tamborine Mountain Optometrists) and this was meant to be their part-time retirement practice.
In 2002 Colin’s niece, Nicky Carr completed her Optometry Degree at QUT in Brisbane. Nicky joined Colin and Heather at their Mount Tamborine practice in 2006. In 2008 Colin and Heather sold Tamborine Mountain Optometrists to Nicky and by 2009 the practice had grown to full time optometry. Nicky is the great grand daughter of the ‘first’ Colin Waldron.
The Waldron family has looked after eyes for over 80 years and now the tradition continues with Nicky...
"My Uncle and Aunty, Grandad and Great-Grandad were all optometrists, so late in primary school I decided that I would like to try to be an optometrist. I worked hard through school and uni and I graduated with my optometry degree in December 2002. Straight out of uni I was very lucky to get a job with an independant small group practice on the Gold Coast, who had optometrists that were well known for their clinical knowledge, and I decided that it would be good for me to learn off them at the start of my career.
Finally in January 2008 I purchased Tamborine Mountain Optometrists from my Uncle and Aunty, Colin and Heather Waldron. Maybe optometry is in my blood, I'm not sure, but I really enjoy helping people with their eyes and 20 years after graduation I can honestly say that I love my job. I hope to keep practising optometry on Mount Tamborine for the next 30 years!
I moved to Mount Tamborine in 2006 with my husband as we decided that being a part of the community would be good for the practice. 16 years later we wouldn't live anywhere else. We have had 2 daughters since then and we are very happy to be part of such a lovely community in a beautiful part of the world.
I completed the qualification to write a prescription for eye drops in 2007 and also my certificate to do eye tests for pilots through CASA. I learn lots from my patients every day and I love to find out about their lives and visual tasks and solve their visual problems. I believe in great service and taking the time to listen to my patients, conducting a thorough 40 minute eye examination and prescribing quality optical goods that are chosen to suit each patient's individual visual needs."
