Knudsen started her career after receiving the title of Miss Queensland in 1959 as a TV announcer and producer at the
BTQ Channel 7 in
Brisbane. In 1963, she left the position and started acting, and her acting credits include
Homicide (1964),
Skippy (1969),
Color me Dead (1969), and
Wake in Fright (1971). In 1976, she started a travel company called Sydney Express, the first of several travel agencies and later sold. In 1984, Nancy founded Air cruising Australia and Bill Peach Tours, and became the only living female chair of a public company in Australia. In 2003, Knudsen started sailing around the world with her husband, Ted Nobbs, on a 46ft yacht, returning to Australia in 2008. In 2011, she became a councillor of
Dungog Shire and later became Mayor in 2017. == Recognition ==