Born on December 8, 1934, in Cottesloe, Western Australia, Nankivell excelled in academics and athletics from an early age. At Scotch College, he developed lifelong passions for lifesaving rugby and surfing, eventually representing Western Australia in both sports. After studying economics at the University of Western Australia, where he edited the student newspaper The Pelican, he immigrated to Canada in 1956 on a freighter, beginning a new chapter that would define his professional life.
