Our Story
Hi, I'm Nicola. The founder and sole creator behind Tribe and Temple.
T&T was born in 2022, nestled amongst the ancient rainforest of the Daintree.
At the time, my partner Morrison and I were living in a tiny cabin just a minute’s walk from the beach. Life moved differently there. Our mornings began with sunrise walks, our afternoons were spent wandering the shoreline collecting shells and driftwood, and our evenings were often filled with music, creativity and community.
It was a slower way of living, one that taught me to notice beauty in the small things.
Although I’d done many different crafts and learned macramé years earlier, I’d never quite found my creative outlet. I’d always loved jewellery, fashion and self-expression, but I’d never imagined I would become a jeweller.
One day, with a handful of crystals, some shells and a roll of cord, I decided to make myself a necklace. That first piece changed everything.
I wore it almost every day for months. It wasn’t perfect, but every time I put it on, it felt like a little reminder of the life we were living and the person I was becoming. Before long, one necklace became another, then another, until creating with my hands became something I couldn’t imagine living without.
While Morrison carved driftwood and explored woodworking, I spent countless hours wrapping cord around seeds and stones, slowly teaching myself the craft that would become Tribe & Temple.
Around the same time, we began hosting community gatherings and full moon ecstatic dances in the rainforest. We wanted to create spaces where people could connect, express themselves freely and feel like they belonged.
That spirit became the foundation of the name.
Tribe represents community- the people we gather with, create alongside and belong to. It reminds me that we’re not meant to do life alone, and that when we contribute something meaningful, we strengthen the communities around us.
Temple is a reminder that our bodies are worthy of care, reverence and expression. Our bodies carry us through this life, and the way we choose to adorn them can become an act of self-respect, creativity and authenticity.
Today, Tribe & Temple has grown into something deeply personal.
Every piece is handcrafted slowly and intentionally. Not rushed through a production line, but made by a real person with care, curiosity and love for the process. I pour my time, attention and creativity into every knot, every stone and every detail, hoping that whoever eventually finds that piece feels a little of that care when they wear it.
I often say that I don’t believe people simply choose my jewellery, I believe the right piece finds the right person.
Some designs speak to one person while another walks straight past them. I don’t think that’s coincidence. I think we naturally gravitate towards the colours, textures and stones that resonate with where we are in life.
More than anything, I want my jewellery to make you feel something.
The way a favourite pair of boots makes you stand a little taller.
The quiet confidence of wearing something that feels unmistakably you.
The feeling of stepping into the world unapologetically, knowing you don’t need to shrink yourself or blend in.
To me, adornment has never been about decoration alone.
It’s about expression.
It’s about confidence.
It’s about becoming more of who you’ve always been.
Life is too short to dress for someone else’s expectations.
Be bold.
Be colourful.
Be curious.
Be wild.
Take up space.
And if one of my pieces helps you feel even a little more like yourself, then Tribe & Temple has fulfilled its purpose.
With love,
Nicola xx
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My first ever necklace. Where it all started.
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A favourite necklace using locally foraged seeds. The colours!! ahhh. You really didn't see that everyday.
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A daily beach mission
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The best most immaculate shell I have had the privilege of finding. I was having a really hard day, then God told me to go walk on the beach.. That's when I found it.. <3
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The beautiful Daintree Fan Palms
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Our last photo in Daintree. The end of a extremely transformational chapter, but the beginning of something new.
Thank you for reading all of this and for caring about my journey. Love & blessings to you xx
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Anima Verde
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