I’ve worked in both the not-for-profit and for-profit tourism sector for 25 years. Prior to living in Cairns, I was Director of Operations at Sovereign Hill in Ballarat and spent 10 years leading a team which presented that region’s rich goldrush heritage to a large audience; prior to that, I ran the National Trust of Australia (Vic) properties across the state and also spent 5 years as General Manager of the Old Melbourne Gaol. I’ve always worked in senor roles for organisations which are cause-led in some capacity and have been fortunate to have worked in both the cultural and ecotourism arenas.

What does interpretation mean to you?
Digging deeper to unlock stories which surprise people and broaden their horizons.

When and how did you start working in interpretation?
Straight out of university. Though I was the General Manager, the Old Melbourne Gaol only had 20 staff so I had to do a lot of everything, including planning and executing exhibitions and refurbishments together with my team. Note: I got to hold pieces of both Ned and Dan Kelly’s armour aged 22yo!

What is your favourite interpretive project to date and why?
Producing the Ancient Rainforest Story (storytelling app) at Skyrail because of the positive impact it’s had on the people whose story it promotes. Helping to make first nations people proud of their own culture and language is as heartwarming a feeling as one can hope to experience.

What role does Interpretation have in the world today?
Like good journalism, good interpretation is human led and can cut through a click-and-AI-centric universe to deliver something unique, challenging and relevant.