In the early 1990s I travelled to the land of my ancestors – the United Kingdom. Everything about the trip was entirely predictable – youth hostels, bomb-y cars, well-thumbed guidebooks, well-worn routes to established tourist attractions, very little money. The ingredients for a superficial skate over the surface of the British Isles were all in place. But the experience was extraordinary and life-changing due to the power and quality of the interpretation. The interpretive media was simple – the most elaborate was an audio tour using a Discman – but the messages had impact and were memorable. I returned to Australia inspired to learn more about ‘terps and its application to visitor experiences.

Oh, and my hobbies – Scottish Country Dancing (like elaborate bush dancing), bushwalking, and visiting museums, galleries and heritage sites (yes, a busman’s holiday).

What was the start of your interpretation journey?
I had the pleasure and privilege of studying interpretation with Rachel Faggetter at Deakin University in 1994. I carry my learning, knowledge and skills from that course in my virtual toolbox and open it every day. I also studied environmental science at the University of Canberra (back in the days when it was the Canberra College of Advanced Education aka ‘the college of knowledge’) and tourism management at Monash University.

What does interpretation mean to you?
I am in the tourism biz. Tourists visit our museum and building in their leisure time but, as we all know, travel is not always great. Our visitors can arrive stressed, fatigued and disengaged. Through thoughtful and well-designed interpretation I endeavour to ‘make their day’ and ensure that the visitor experience is one that engages connection with a significant place and its extraordinary and ordinary stories. Through that I seek to promote the ongoing care and conservation of our built and cultural heritage.

When and how did you start working in interpretation?
While working as an academic at La Trobe University and University of Canberra I always seized the opportunity to incorporate interpretive principles into tourism subjects. I began to seriously work in the interpretation field when I left academia for the floral abundance of the Australian National Botanic Gardens and then the nationally heritage-listed Old Parliament House.

What is your favourite interpretive project to date and why?
A standout project was the re-creation of the Speaker’s Suite at Old Parliament House. Everything about the project was fab. The office suite that we worked in was in goldilocks territory – not too large, not too small. The individual that we focussed on – Joan Child, the first female Speaker of the House – had blazed a trail for other women and was down to earth and complex. Joan’s family and former staff gave generously of their time to speak with us. We had detailed photographs of the rooms to base the re-creation on and original furniture and objects for the display. And it was set in the 1980s – a distinctive era in terms of fashion, office equipment and technology. And that was just the research and creative side. The icing on the cake was the dedication and enthusiasm of the colleagues and contractors I worked with who were all completely in love with the project and really got it in an interpretive sense.

What role does Interpretation have in the world today?
I frequently apply what I call the ‘teen test’ to my interpretation projects and practice. I envisage a disengaged youth (or youf if you prefer) and imagine them saying ‘So what?’ or ‘Who cares?’ to test my response. For me, the role of interpretation is to comprehensively and engagingly answer those questions, uncover local, regional and global connections and encourage active care for our heritage.