Meet our people

We’d like you to meet:

Tom Meek, Waste Removal Officer, Melbourne Zoo
Tom is part of team championing the sustainable removal of the waste from the zoo. Tom uses an in-vessel composter, called Hot Rot which turns all compostable waste (including catering waste, office waste, gardening waste and even animal poo) into organic soil. Tom and the team have also committed to zero waste going to landfill from Melbourne Zoo by 2019 so certainly have their work cut out for them.

Margaret Perry, Volunteer, Healesville Sanctuary 
Margaret has been a member of the volunteer program for the last six years. She’s spends her time at Healesville Sanctuary doing tours, meeting visitors, answering their questions and helping direct them throughout the Sanctuary. She loves witnessing the special moments between our visitors and our animals.

Ross Taylor, Savannah Keeper, Werribee Open Range Zoo
Ross has more than twenty years of experience as a Zoo Keeper and is very much at home out in the open range savannah of Werribee Open Range Zoo. While he is passionate about all of the animals in his care, he has a soft spot for rhinos – especially the little Southern White Rhino, Kipenzi.

Hans Van Weerd, General Manager, Life Sciences, Melbourne Zoo
Hans is responsible for the health and management of the collection of animals ranging from stick insects to elephants that live at Melbourne Zoo. He describes his role as a delicate puzzle that involves many people and considerations such facilities for lifelong care, breeding and genetics particularly when it comes to threatened species and even customs!

Jenny Gray, CEO Zoos Victoria
Ms Gray is a trained Civil Engineer, has experience in Transportation Engineering, and banking but it was a lifelong love of animals, and a longing to do something that made a difference which brought her to the zoo industry. Ms Gray eventually became the CEO of Zoos Victoria and her leadership has significantly changed the direction for Zoos Victoria to encourage a core business that is all about engaging people in saving wildlife. When she’s not at work, she’s an ‘obsessive scuba diver’ and Western Bulldogs supporter.

Dr Natalie Rourke, Senior Veterinarian, Werribee Open Range Zoo
Natalie and a team of people provide expert veterinary care for a range of patients at the Vet Hospital at Werribee Open Range Zoo. Over 350 animals require regular health exams, dental work, surgery, weigh-ins and even unscheduled procedures which keeps them very busy. 

Claire Nixon, Admissions Specialist, Melbourne Zoo
Claire is one of the smiling faces part of the dedicated visitor experience team that welcomes visitors to Melbourne Zoo every day. Claire and her team also work in the Retail Shop, Photo Shop, Carousel, First Aid and Reception helping visitors get through the gates quickly, easily and efficiently, and all the while fielding general questions and queries, organising wheelchairs and attending to visitor needs.