Tour Desk
Hello from the Tour Desk team at Australia Zoo! Our goal is to make sure that every guest at the zoo enjoys their visit to the max and leaves with a big smile on their face. We believe in 'Conservation through exciting education' and having the opportunity to share this message with our guests is awesome!
The Tour Desk provide answers to the myriad questions asked by our guests every day (from 'Where do I go to get a snake wrapped around my shoulders?' to 'Where is the best place to eat?')
We love helping people to make the most of their day at the zoo by offering bookings for exciting and educational tours such as our VIP Platinum Adventure,Hire a Caddie, Private Guided and Safari Tours. The amazing Australian Wildlife Hospital is also open for tours. To make a booking for any Tours or Encounters please call us on (07) 5436 2002.
Bookings are available to get up close and personal with Australia Zoo's gorgeous wildlife in our very popular hands-on encounters – Gorgeous Elephants, Ripper Rhino's, Leapin' Lemurs, Totally Tortoise, Spikey Little Echidna, Farmyard Friends, Sweetheart Possum, Naughty Wombat, By Jingo Dingo, Wild Wombat Walk and our newest additions - Colossal Komodo, Rascally Red Panda's and our Darling Devils .
Our Big Cat encounters are extremely popular, offering the amazing opportunity to participate in a Drop Dead Gorgeous Tiger Walk, Cheeky Cheetah Experience or a Tiger Photo session. Take a morning walk with one of our gorgeous big cats and their keepers or get up close and personal with one of our tigers in a private photo session.
In the school holidays we also take bookings for the Zoo Keeper for a Day program.
If you would like any information on any of these things, please contact us here at the Tour Desk and we will be happy to assist.Why not buy a gift voucher for any of our tours or encounters as an extra special present for your loved one?
Perhaps the best and most rewarding part of being in the Tour Desk team is our work with organizations such as Make-A-Wish Foundation, Starlight Foundation and Children's Wish Foundation International, making the dreams of seriously ill children come true. We often host children with life threatening illnesses and their families for VIP tours of Australia Zoo. Seeing their faces light up when they cuddle a koala, have a snake wrapped around their shoulders or feed a tortoise, and watch their worries disappear for a while as they meet all of our special animals and friendly staff makes our job the best! With VIP attention, exclusive animal encounters, and lots of presents, we make sure every single one of our special families leaves Australia Zoo with a lifetime of happy memories.
So who are the lucky gals and guys that form the Tour Desk department?
Karen is proud to lead a fantastic team of customer service staff!
Karen
Tour Desk and Group Bookings Manager
Karen has been working at Australia Zoo since December 2004. Starting out in our Admissions Department, Karen now heads the fantastic Tour Desk and Group Bookings team. Karen loves meeting people from all over the world every day, and it is her first priority to ensure they enjoy their visit to the max. Her excellent customer service skills and bright personality make Karen the perfect person for the job!Outside of work, Karen enjoys playing indoor netball with her friends and spending time with her gorgeous family.
Lauren with one our cheeky wombats
Lauren
Tour Desk and Group Bookings Assistant
Lauren joined the Tour Desk team as a school based trainee in December 2007. She loves working with all of our friendly staff, and now gets to point them all in the right direction as 3IC. Lauren completed her traineeship and year 12 in 2009. In 2012 she started studying nursing at the University of the Sunshine Coast.
Her favourite animals are tigers. In her spare time, Lauren enjoys spending time with her friends and family.
Danielle hangs out with two cool characters: Stevo and BW Crocodile
Danielle
Tour Desk and Group Bookings 2IC
Danielle has been part of the Australia Zoo team since December 2004. She originally started as a school-based trainee and completed her certificate II in Tourism Operations with the friendly team at Admissions. In that 2 years Danielle got to experience working in a range of departments around the zoo, from reception, shuttle, retail, crowd control and finally at the Tour Desk. "Being part of the tour desk team is great as they are like a second family, all friendly and easy going people", she said. Danielle is one of the 'babies' of the team and keeps everyone happy and young!
Stephen with one of our Blue-and-gold Macaws.
Stephen
Tour Guide
Stephen has been in the business of entertaining for 20 years.
Before coming to the Zoo Stephen was the presenter and sheep shearer at a tourist homestead in NSW. There he treated domestic and overseas tourists to some good ol' fashioned Aussie hospitality with a farm show conducting demonstrations with sheep shearing, cattle, horses, kangaroos, emus, boomerang throwing, whip cracking, swinging the billy and making damper.
For many years also he owned and operated a recording studio where he was a producer/engineer as well as a session musician, and he prides himself on his versatility in all areas of performance.
He recently became a dad and reckons that his new boy is the best audience he's ever had! (Probably cause he isn't old enough to heckle yet)
Stephen moved from Entertainment to Shuttles to the Information and Tour Desk, to help entertain and educate all the wonderful people he takes on tour.
Hannah takes a break from tours to cuddle a koala
Hannah
V.I.P Tour Coordinator
Hannah first came to the zoo when she was a baby and has been visiting ever since. Growing up in Cape York created a love of the unique animals we have in Australia and others throughout the world. She started working at the zoo in March of 2008 as the VIP Coordinator with the Tour Desk team. Hannah loves travelling and learning new things. When she’s not working, you will find her camping, fishing, diving or going on adventures with her family and friends. Hannah loves long walks along the beach!
Caitlyn with a beautiful Koala in our photo studio.
Caitlyn
Tour Guide
Caitlyn joined the Australia Zoo team as a school based trainee studying her Certificate III in Tourism in December 2010. Caitlyn worked very hard and completed her traineeship in November 2012 and was offered ongoing employment within the retail department.
Caitlyn currently works with the Tour Desk, hosting private tours around the zoo. Cailtyn loves working at with the Tours meeting people from all around the world. She also enjoys feeding our beautiful Elephants at the daily feeds.
When Caitlyn isn't at work she is hanging out with her friends and taking long quiet walks along the beach.
Gina
Gina
Group Bookings Coordinator and Tour Guide
What's different about working for Australia Zoo than other places you have worked previously?
I love that every day is different. I go to work each day and have the opportunity to meet different people and experience the spontaneous behaviors of the beautiful animals that we have here at Australia Zoo.
What do you enjoy doing outside of work?
Outside of work I enjoy spending time with friends and my family. I love going to the beach, water skiing and of course shopping!
Which part of your job gives you the most satisfaction?
Definitely people's reactions and their excitement when they visit the zoo.
Amanda P
Amanda
Customer Service Attendant
Amanda joined our team in November 2008 and has worked both in our Human Resources and guest relations departments.
Having visited Africa in 2010, Amanda is especially excited now that our new Africa exhibit is open and can visit our savannah to see the amazing animals.
Amanda loves working at the zoo not only for the animals but for the incredible people and the amazing conservation efforts achieved by them working together.
Jacquie
Jacquie
Customer Service Attendant and Tour Guide
After 5 years working at the Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital, Jacquie transferred across to our Tour Desk in November 2011. She loves the positive, upbeat energy of all our Zoo staff and enjoys spending every day teaching guests about our animals and conservation of their wild cousins.
Her favourite animals at the Zoo are the adorable and chunky Aldabran tortoises and she loves watching them sleep and soak in their pond. When she is not working, Jacquie enjoys bushwalking, spending time with family, wildlife photography, rescue and rehabilitation. Spending months caring for an injured/sick native animal and then being able to release them back home to the wild is pretty special.
Kristy really loves reptiles, including iguanas
Kristy
Tour Guide
This is Kristy; you'll find her either in our busy Admissions area, behind the tours desk or out in the sunshine taking our lucky guests on a tour! A girl of many talents this one!
Kristy loves our gorgeous reptiles here at the zoo especially our pythons.She also has a soft spot for our giant Aldabran land tortoises Igloo and Goliath too. Her passion however, lies with the cheetahs and cheetah conservation. Her goal is to educate others so that they will love them too and want to save them.
Outside of the zoo Kristy loves going to church and spending time with her partner and three boys.
Bec just loves our Tassie Devils!
Bec
Tour Desk Assistant
Bec started working in our admissions department in September 2006 and since then has been lucky enough to gain experience in a number of different departments throughout the Zoo including travel, reception, information and group bookings.
She loves working is such a fun and friendly environment surrounded by our beautiful animals and enclosures. In her spare time, Bec enjoys studying at University, travelling, the beach and spending time with family, friends and her staffy puppys.
Tamara in our wildlife photo studio!!!
Tamara
Tour Guide
After moving back to Australia following her work at international gymnastics camps Tamara joined our legendary customer service crew in November 2012.
Tamara loves working at Australia Zoo because 'its some new experience each day'. Tamara also loves seeing our gorgeous animals everyday and meeting new people from all over the world.
When not a work Tamara loves to go to the theatre, dance and go travelling.
Vanessa gets cuddles from one of our amazing snakes
Vanessa
Tour Desk Assistant
Vanessa joined the Zoo Crew in December 2009 as a school based trainee. Not a day goes by that she doesn't enjoy coming to work, to be surrounded by such a happy vibrant team of people and playing with our cute, cuddly and scaly animals. What more could you wish for!
When Ness isn't answering a myriad of questions and making sure that our guests have an unforgettable experience, you can find her soaking up the sun on one of the coasts gorgeous beaches. So be sure to drop by the information desk and say G'day.
Nathan with an American Alligator
Nathan
Tour Guide
Nathan started at Australia Zoo in January 2008 as a Reptile Keeper. He has worked with reptiles for several years at other facilities in Australia. Nathan has also spent time working with exotic tarantulas as well as native spiders and insects. He loves all the creepy and scary critters that make people jump because he can show them that they're not that bad after all!
Nathan transferred to the Tour Desk in September 2009 because he likes getting out amongst our visitors and talking to people about our awesome wildlife.
In his spare time spare time he enjoys travelling (especially around Australia), camping, fishing and looking for reptiles and other wildlife.
The Departments
With thousands of visitors from all over the world passing through the gates daily, all team members understand the importance of making a lasting impression to our patrons. A job at Australia Zoo is more than a vocation, it's a lifestyle - just ask any of our team members. Australia Zoo employees love animals and conservation, have an exceptional self-drive attitude towards work and of course, wear the world famous khaki uniforms with pride! You just have to walk around the Zoo to feel the electricity in the air. The atmosphere creates an exciting experience for all visitors and a dream workplace environment for all employees.
- Accounts
- Admissions
- Africa
- Artists
- Audio Visual
- Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital
- Australia Zoo Wildlife Warriors
- Australiana Shop
- Big Cats
- Birds
- Building Services
- Bus & Coach
- Cleaners
- Croc Lair
- Crocoseum Boutique
- Education/Volunteers
- Elephantasia Shop
- Elephants
- First Aid
- Graphic Design
- Grounds and Landscaping
- Group Bookings
- Human Resources
- Kids Zoo
- Koalas
- Management
- Marketing
- Native Mammals
- Photography
- Properties
- Reptiles
- Rescue Team
- Retail Warehouse
- Roving Entertainment
- School Based Trainees
- Steve's Safari Shuttle
- Technical
- Tour Desk
- Website Team
- Zoo Vets & Vet Nurse
Check out our Hall of Fame and Zoo Crew Legends
