By JESSE GRAHAM
WITH 46 combined years of volunteering – and all of the stories that go with it – under their belts, Rae and Jean Church have finished up as guides at the Healesville Sanctuary.
The couple started volunteering at the sanctuary in March 1993, after finishing up as teachers around the Yarra Valley.
Having been Healesville residents for years before starting, Rae told the Mail that they signed up for a few different reasons.
“One, because we wanted to give something back,” he said.
“Two, we loved the sanctuary, and three … is a little bit personal – we felt we needed people in our lives.”
“We’re people-orientated – after 35 years of teaching, you can’t suddenly stop and sort-of do nothing,” Jean added.
An average day would see them arrive at about 9.30am, have a cup of tea with the other guides, then head out to the front gate to pick up people who needed directions, or to run tours with groups around the venue.
But from their many different visitors, including the princess of Sweden, tennis player Steffi Graff (“she nearly walked my bloody legs off,” Rae said, with a laugh), and even David Bowie, their time volunteering had been anything but average.
“He (David Bowie) was very pleasant,” Rae said.
“But the most pleasant of the group was … the girl out of England – she was just delightful, she was organising him and everybody else.
“They had lunch down in there, brought in by some flash company, so we had to get the food in and kick everybody else out – the security guard down there wasn’t worth his money, so I did all of the security stuff.”
Jean said there had been a “dramatic change” at the sanctuary in their time as volunteers, with new directors heading in new directions over the years.
“As soon as we get a new director in, he has different ideas that he develops,” she said.
“Our job hasn’t changed at all – we still do tours and talk to people, but, certainly, the scenery has changed and the emphasis has changed on conservation.”
The couple, who at the age of 78 have been married for 56 years, finished at the sanctuary in late March, and will be farewelled by staff later in the month.
On Friday 1 April, Rae and Jean visited the Kangaroo Island Red Kangaroos, Rae’s favourite animal, for a feeding, a pat, and plenty of photographs.
They said that, as life-members of the sanctuary, they’ll be back to visit often.
“Oh yes, we always will (visit),” Rae said.
“We always have, even before we volunteered here, and we always will, because it’s one of my favourite places.”
