New Beginnings: Felicia Djamirze, beauty queen and drug dealer

Jan 12, 2026

Felicia Djamirze, a former beauty queen and memoir author, shares her harrowing journey from the criminal underworld to becoming a counselor and advocate for women's justice. She discusses her turbulent childhood in a crime-ridden neighborhood, the traumatic relationships she endured, and the shocking police raid that changed everything. Now using her experiences, Felicia helps others heal from trauma, emphasizing the power of reinvention and the importance of overcoming adversity for a brighter future.

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ANECDOTE

Childhood Between Extremes

Felicia grew up in a housing commission home in Blacktown with an adventurous father, Yuri, involved in arms and security side-lines.
The family oscillated between 'feast or famine' wealth and drove a conspicuous Rolls Royce despite living in a rough suburb.

INSIGHT

Belonging Fuels Gang Recruitment

Felicia observes many who join outlaw motorcycle gangs are driven by lack of family, belonging and socioeconomic disadvantage.
She highlights that recruitment exploits a need for identity and importance among 'lost boys'.

ANECDOTE

From Nominee To Meth Cook

Cam, a Nomads member, moved rapidly from nominee to cooking meth and became paranoid, violent and physically deteriorated.
Felicia describes holes dug in walls, ripped upholstery and increasing domestic danger as his addiction worsened.

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Felicia Djamirze grew up in the criminal underworld, then became a beauty queen. But her life outside the pageant circuit was mired in the world of drugs, bikie gangs and violence.(CW: graphic discussion of domestic violence and crime)

Felicia Djamirze is a counsellor, an advocate for women's justice, a three-time Miss Australia winner and a convicted drug trafficker.

Felicia grew up surrounded by drug abuse and crime in a rough part of Sydney. Her family was marked by addiction and connections to the criminal underworld.

As she got older, Felicia attracted a lot of attention for her looks, eventually finding the world of beauty pageants, which she thought was her way out.

But behind the scenes, Felicia's life was far from glamorous.

While living with a partner who was in a bikie gang, she survived severe domestic violence. Then, during her next relationship she was caught up in an horrifically violent encounter with the Queensland Police when they burst into her home to arrest her partner for dealing meth.

Felicia admitted her involvement and was convicted for drug trafficking. In the aftermath, she retrained as a counsellor and mental health advocate.

She now aims to use her experiences to help others find a way out of the justice system and re-enter, unashamedly, into the real world.

Further information

Content warning: this episode of Conversations contains descriptions of domestic violence.

Help and Support is always available.

If you are experiencing Domestic Violence 1800 Respect is available 24 hours a day on 1800 737 732.

For support with PTSD in Australia, Lifeline (13 11 14) and Suicide Call Back Service (1300 659 467) offer crisis support.

Accessory, written with Erin O'Dwyer, is published by Affirm Press.

This episode of Conversations was produced my Meggie Morris, executive producer is Nicola Harrison.

It explores crime, conviction history, police brutality, bikies, meth, substance abuse, epic origin stories, family dynamics, relationships, prison, outlaw motorcycle gangs, arms dealing, ice, Russian mafia, Hells Angels, Bandidos, Rebels, Comancheros, Finks, and Mongols.

To binge even more great episodes of the ‘Conversations podcast’ with Richard Fidler and Sarah Kanowski go the ABC listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. There you’ll find hundreds of the best thought-provoking interviews with authors, writers, artists, politicians, psychologists, musicians, and celebrities.