Tasmanian Audiologists
Our family has been part of the Tasmanian community since 2007. A story of a local family business.
Our story began in 2005 when our co-founder, Heidi Modrovich, started her job as a Hearing Aid Product Specialist for Oticon Australia and was assigned Tasmania as one of the territories she was responsible for. This meant she travelled from Melbourne to Tassie every 3 weeks. She just fell in love with the place.
People here are relaxed. As clinicians, I could see that we can really take the time to listen to the clients. Audiologists are not rushed through appointments compared to the Mainland. It was a real drawcard for Nick and I to move here. We always wanted our own private practice, a place to call home and somewhere beautiful to raise our family. Tassie is perfect!
There is something special about the community here. The past decade of running our private practice and getting to know new clients and friends, you become more than just an Audiologist. You become a part of the fabric of the place where you put your heart.
– Heidi Modrovich, CEO & Principle Audiologist
BSc., Grad. Dip. Aud Sci., M.Clin.Aud.
Audiology Australia Accredited Audiologist (AAudA)
Nick Modrovich graduated from the University of Melbourne in 1999 and has spent more than two decades working across metropolitan Melbourne, regional Victoria, and South Australia in some of the country’s busiest private clinics. His commitment to continuous improvement saw him step into mentoring and clinical training roles early in his career, eventually progressing into senior management positions across Victoria.
When Nick moved to Tasmania, he immediately recognised a critical gap in local healthcare: there was no dedicated vestibular functional testing service in the state. In 2020, guided by his vision for better access and better outcomes, Nick established Tasmania’s first vestibular functional clinic.
This service now supports neurologists, ENTs, physiotherapists, and GPs across the state by providing:
- Objective assessment of dizziness and balance disorders
- Differentiation between peripheral and central vestibular conditions
- Evidence-based guidance to tailor individual treatment and rehabilitation plans
Nick’s leadership in bringing vestibular audiology to Tasmania has fundamentally improved local pathways for complex balance and dizziness disorders — allowing Tasmanians to stay close to home for world-class diagnosis.
His passion for expanding the full scope of audiology continues to shape the future of hearing healthcare in Tasmania. In 2025, Nick is establishing a Cochlear Implant service and now provides statewide cochlear implant candidacy assessments to streamline referrals and help more Tasmanians access implantable hearing solutions.
In 2026, Nick will undertake the Doctor of Audiology (AuD) program with A.T. Still University in Arizona, further deepening his clinical expertise. His ongoing commitment to advanced education reflects his core belief:
Tasmanians deserve access to world-class audiological services, and that requires continuous growth — in skill, knowledge, and clinical experience.
As Director of Audiology, Nick oversees the clinical direction of Ability Hearing & Balance, ensuring that every service we offer meets the highest international standards.
Outside the clinic, Nick can usually be found at the gym, bike riding with the kids, travelling, or training in kickboxing. He’s also an exceptional cook — and his Hungarian goulash is famous among friends and family.
BA., BSc., M.Clin.Aud (C.C.P), Dip. Clin. Hypnosis & Strategic Psychotherapy, MBA (W.O. McCarthy Medalist), AuD.
Audiology Australia Accredited Audiologist (AAudA)
Dr Heidi Modrovich is one of Tasmania’s most accomplished audiology leaders. With more than two decades of experience across private practice, clinical leadership and national advocacy, Heidi brings world-class expertise to her home community in Tasmania.
She holds a Doctor of Audiology (AuD) from A.T. Still University in Arizona, graduating in 2025 with the Professional Leadership Award – a prestigious honour recognising a graduate who demonstrates exceptional leadership, professionalism, community contribution, and advancement of the audiology profession. Heidi’s career reflects this spirit of service, innovation and dedication to improving hearing healthcare for all Tasmanians.
Heidi began her audiology career in 2001 after graduating from the University of Melbourne. She worked across the private sector in Australia before becoming the Audiological Product & Sales Specialist for Oticon Australia across Victoria, Western Australia and Tasmania. This national role strengthened her passion for patient-led care, independent practice, and evidence-based decision making.
In 2007, Heidi and her husband Nick established their first private practice in Tasmania. Under her strategic direction, the business grew to seven clinics across the state, achieving finalist status in the Telstra Business Awards and earning Heidi a place on the Telstra Business Women’s Awards shortlist in 2015. To further refine her business leadership, she completed the MBA program at the University of Tasmania and graduated as the highest-achieving student, receiving the W.O. McCarthy Academic Medal.
Heidi currently serves as the Vice President of Independent Audiologists Australia, having been part of the national executive since 2022. She is a strong advocate for independent audiology, the protection of evidence-based clinical care, transparent governance, and patient safety. Her work focuses on supporting small business providers, strengthening clinical standards, and contributing to national discussions around the future of hearing healthcare in Australia. She represents audiology on the Tasmanian Health Senate and the Primary Health Tas Allied Health Network Advisory Group, helping shape strategic priorities and strengthen allied health services for Tasmanian communities.
Her clinical practice is grounded in a holistic and person-centred approach. In addition to her audiology qualifications, Heidi is a trained Clinical Hypnotherapist, Strategic Psychotherapist and NLP mindset coach. She integrates these skills into tinnitus therapy and counselling, drawing on her own lived experience as a tinnitus sufferer to provide meaningful, compassionate support. Her interests span auditory processing, premium hearing aid fittings, tinnitus management and complex adult audiology.
Heidi is also passionate about growing a strong Tasmanian workforce and supporting the next generation of clinicians. In 2026 she begins an adjunct faculty appointment with A.T. Still University as an Assistant Professor, lecturing in Practice Development and Marketing – an extension of her long-standing commitment to education, mentorship and local capacity building.
Outside of her clinical and leadership roles, Heidi brings a creative heart to everything she does. She trained as a classical ballet dancer, has a deep love of musical theatre, and still attends tap classes every Thursday night in Kingston. She enjoys photography, walking her dog, spending time with her children, and sharing a home full of cats, laughter and movement.
BBiomedSc, M.Aud. St.
Melody Zhang is a graduate Audiologist with a Master of Clinical Audiology and a strong foundation in biomedical science. She brings a unique blend of clinical training and real-world healthcare experience to Ability Hearing & Balance, shaped by six years supporting senior medical specialists as a personal assistant to the Chair of Neurosurgery and the Chair of Surgery at a leading private hospital in Brisbane. This role gave her deep insight into patient advocacy, multidisciplinary teamwork, and the importance of clear, compassionate communication—values that now guide her audiology practice.
Melody has particular interests in paediatric audiology, earwax microsuction, and hearing aid fittings. She is passionate about providing care that is evidence-based, tailored to each individual, and centred on informed decision-making. Patients appreciate her calm, steady manner and her ability to explain hearing health in a way that feels supportive, respectful, and easy to understand.
As a parent herself, Melody brings a heartfelt perspective to children’s hearing care. She understands the concerns and hopes of families navigating hearing and communication issues, and she believes strongly in early support, proactive intervention, and empowering parents through education.
Melody’s clinical style is grounded in collaboration, clear communication, and respect for each patient’s goals. She is excited to be part of a profession that blends science, technology, and human connection—working closely with senior clinicians at Ability Hearing & Balance as she continues to grow her skills and expertise.
Outside the clinic, Melody enjoys cooking, photography, crafting, and travelling. She loves exploring Tasmania’s bushwalks and spending time with her family, discovering new places together.
DipAudiometry
Quaylah Nicholls is an emerging audiometrist who brings warmth, lived experience, and a deep commitment to patient care. Having worn hearing aids since childhood, she understands firsthand what it means to navigate the world with hearing loss. This personal insight shapes her gentle, empathetic approach with patients of all ages.
Quaylah first joined Ability Hearing & Balance in 2021 as a Customer Care Officer at our Kingston clinic. Already well known and loved by our patients, she quickly demonstrated a strong aptitude for clinical work and a genuine passion for supporting the community. During her traineeship with us, she completed the Certificate IV in Leadership and Management and excelled in her role.
Recognising her dedication and love of learning, we supported Quaylah through her training to become an audiometrist. She has now completed her Diploma of Audiometry through TAFE NSW and is continuing to grow under supervision as she develops her clinical skills in hearing assessments, device troubleshooting, earwax microsuction support, and patient education.
With aspirations to become an audiologist in the future, Quaylah is committed to ongoing study and professional development. Her combination of customer service experience, strong communication skills, and lived experience of hearing loss makes her a valued part of our team and a trusted support for patients—especially those new to hearing care.
Outside of work, Quaylah enjoys photography, creative projects, volunteering, exploring markets, and spending time with her family and pets. Her friendly nature, reliability, and genuine care for others have made her a cherished presence within our clinic and the wider community.
A Successful Partnership
Nick and Heidi celebrate 20 years of marriage in 2025 and have worked together in business since 2007. They attribute their successful partnership to clear, respectful communication and a commitment to supporting each other’s growth—values that shape the way they lead Ability Hearing & Balance, care for their patients, and raise their family.
Why was Ability Hearing and Balance established?
In 2007, Nick and Heidi moved to Hobart to take over AudioClinic Hobart following the retirement of its previous owner. At the time, it was the last remaining semi-franchise of the brand in Australia. They renamed the business AudioClinic Tasmania and expanded it to seven clinics across the state, earning recognition as finalists in the 2010 and 2011 Telstra Small Business Awards. When their ten-year franchise agreement concluded, the business was returned to be integrated into the retail arm of Oticon Australia.
Having fully settled into Tasmanian life, Nick and Heidi saw the need for something different—an independent, locally owned audiology clinic that truly reflected Tasmanian values. They envisioned a practice built on trust, ethics and genuine community connection. A clinic where patients could access all major hearing aid brands, where clinicians had full autonomy to prescribe what was right for each individual, and where people were valued more than sales targets or quotas. They wanted a place where their team could practise with integrity, accountability and clinical freedom.
This vision became Ability Hearing & Balance, established in 2020 during one of the most challenging years in recent history. The clinic was founded on resilience, hard work and a commitment to continuously improving how hearing and balance care is delivered in Tasmania. Today, Ability Hearing & Balance stands as a 100% locally owned practice dedicated to ethical care, evidence-based audiology and genuine community service.
Thank you for supporting a local Tasmanian small business.
What Does an Independent Audiologist Do – And Why Choose One?
Independent audiologists are fully qualified hearing specialists who are not owned by hearing aid manufacturers or corporate retail chains. This means their clinical decisions are guided solely by patient needs, not sales targets or brand quotas. As an independent, 100% Tasmanian-owned clinic, Ability Hearing & Balance offers access to all major hearing aid brands and technologies, giving patients genuine choice and truly customised care.
Patients often prefer independent audiologists because they value transparency, continuity and clinical freedom. Independent clinics take the time to understand each patient’s lifestyle, medical history and communication goals before recommending treatment. This approach supports evidence-based decisions, ethical prescribing and long-term, patient-centred outcomes.
For Tasmanians, choosing an independent audiologist also means investing in local expertise and keeping healthcare dollars within the community. It ensures that care is guided by experienced clinicians who live here, work here and understand the unique needs of local families. At Ability Hearing & Balance, our independence allows us to focus on what matters most: honest advice, high-quality clinical care and better hearing for every patient who walks through our doors.
Ready to Make a Real Difference? Join Us.
We’re always keen to connect with audiologists and audiometrists who value independent, patient-centred care. At Ability Hearing & Balance, you’ll have the freedom to practise with integrity, access all major technologies, and be part of a warm, supportive team that genuinely cares about Tasmanians.
If you’re curious about future opportunities, reach out to Heidi at heidi@abilityhearing.com.au.
Here for You, Every Step of the Way
Whether you’re noticing changes in your hearing, experiencing dizziness, or simply want honest advice, our Tasmanian team is ready to help. Reach out and we’ll guide you toward the right care with clarity, kindness and expertise.