Nicolle Stones and Chelsea Hocking on wildlife rescues, royal visits and life on the airfield
Overview
- Nicolle Stones leads the Maintenance team for Land Management; Chelsea Hocking is a 12-year Airside Operation Officer at Adelaide Airport
- Their work spans runway inspections and wildlife rescues to escorting royalty and rock stars across the tarmac
- Chelsea moved into aviation from hospitality, training on the job for every licence she needed
- Both say curiosity and initiative matter more than a technical background
At Adelaide Airport, no two days look the same. More than 8.7 million passengers pass through the terminal every year, and behind every safe departure and landing sits a team of specialists keeping the airfield running: inspecting runways, managing wildlife, and coordinating with air traffic control, security and emergency services around the clock.
Two of the women behind that work are Nicolle Stones, Maintenance Team Lead for Land Management, and Chelsea Hocking, an Airside Operation Officer of 12 years. Different roles, same mission: keeping people, aircraft and wildlife safe on one of South Australia’s busiest sites.
No two runways look the same
Nicolle’s team looks after the ground itself, the airfield every aircraft relies on. Four years into the role, she says the variety is what keeps her engaged. Her work has taken her well beyond routine maintenance: during her time working with the RAAF as a contractor, she received a Commendation for her contribution to airfield safety, including support at the Edinburgh Air Show.
Chelsea’s shifts are just as unpredictable. A 12-hour rotation might include a runway inspection, a perimeter fence check or a driving assessment for airside staff. It might also mean guiding a fox, a bird or a turtle away from an active runway, or chasing down a goat that wandered onto the wrong flight path.
Did you know Adelaide Airport offers mentoring and coaching programs?
From emergency drills to red carpet arrivals
Over 12 years, Chelsea has watched Adelaide Airport handle some of its highest-profile visitors. She and her team have escorted emergency services through major runway disaster exercises, and guided guests including Pink, King Charles, Guns N’ Roses and U2 across the airfield.
Most of her shift is spent alone in a vehicle, but she’s never really on her own. Two Aerodrome Reporting Officers are on duty at all times, staying in constant contact with air traffic control, airport operations, pilots, security teams and other partners. Communication, she says, is at the heart of everything the team does.
New runway, new careers
Chelsea didn’t start in aviation. She came from a background in hospitality and hotel management, and Adelaide Airport trained her from the ground up: a heavy vehicle licence, a firearms licence, security clearance, Aerodrome Reporting Officer certification and a Radio Operator’s Certificate.
Her advice for anyone considering a similar move: you don’t need to know everything on day one. What matters is being willing to learn, communicate well, think on your feet and work as part of a team. Ask questions, stay curious, and say yes to opportunities, even the ones that feel outside your comfort zone.
For Nicolle, the conversation has moved past needing to separate women’s experiences from men’s. Her message is simple:
“Eliminate the barriers you put on yourself. The sky really is the limit.”
