October 3, 2024 • 14 mins
This week on iHeart Tassie, talking with entrepreneurial visionaries in this state.
Errol Stewart weighs into the AFL stadium for Hobart and Stuart Webster unveils grand plans for ZooDoo.
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
I Heartazi Gooday Again.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
It's John Fabracia, Tasmania's Entrepreneurial spirit our theme on iHeart
Tassi this week ahead. On this episode, I speak with
a man whose vision and financial commitment to transforming a
zoo in Tasmania South into a world class attraction. It's
nothing short of breathtaking. First on the program, when it
comes to a track record of entrepreneurial spirits in Tasmania,
(00:27):
look no further than Errol Stewart, known for transformative hotel
projects in Lonceston. He's now based in Hobart.
Speaker 3 (00:35):
Welcome Eryl, Good morning beyond.
Speaker 2 (00:36):
That was quite the move for you, wasn't it What
drove your decision to move to the capital. Was it
business related.
Speaker 3 (00:42):
A little bit, but mainly my grandchildren they lived here
at a pretty important part of your life as you
get a bit older. But look, we've still got a
fairly big operation in Monceyster and I'm back there, you
know every second week. I live probably fifteen fifty, sometimes
sixty forty and Norton sometimes sixty forty in the town.
But we've got a couple of projects going in the
South as well, now quite big projects. We'll spend more
(01:03):
time down here as our kids and grandkids get a
bit older.
Speaker 2 (01:06):
I know this will be upsetting for some people to hear,
but Tasmania has quite the reputation for stifling development, sometimes
with good reason, often through sheer, pig headed ideology. Have
I got that wrong or am I on the right
track there?
Speaker 3 (01:20):
Well, i'd say to get things through. Planning is a
difficult process now, and I don't necessarily lame a particular
a council, but it's just a difficult process. There's too
many layers of process involved, and too many people seem
to think that they should have a say in just
about everything known it does with a property or a
developer does with a property, and I think that's probably
(01:40):
going to be too far.
Speaker 2 (01:42):
There's been a lot of negativity in the media space
about Tasmania's financial position deteriorating. Do you think the way
the public discourse tends to be fatalisttick tends to be
glass half empty, the pitfalls? What if it fails? Is
that a floor that it inevitably drags on the state's prosperity?
Speaker 3 (02:02):
Well, it is a little I mean, you know, obviously
the stadium's got to feedit. Of negativity peraps based around
the things that we need more money to go into
education and health particularly. But you can't put all your
funds into health and education. You've got to put some
funding into infrastructure. And you know, I think the bridge
is a really good example. It's coming along pretty well.
I understand it's on budget, and the bridge cost is
(02:24):
going to beek for future generations. It's just not for me.
You this work that's going to be there the next
hundred years, and the stadium will be exactly the same.
You know, it's not going to be just today. It's
a really long term project and it'll be good for
the state forever. So I'd say borrowings are okay if
it's for infrastructure. If you just keep borrowing to pay
your daily bills, well then that's a different matter. But
(02:46):
I think borrowing for infrastructures are centible thing.
Speaker 2 (02:48):
I have friends under state who are just gobsmacks at
how building the IFL Stadium in Hobart has become such
a vix topic. We get given our dream of an
IFL team, and we spend the rest of the time
fighting over whether York Parks should be its home instead,
and where the high performance center should go in Hobart
if it's in Hobart, et cetera. As a veteran who's
(03:10):
been through big projects, were you surprised when all this
blew up or were you expecting it?
Speaker 3 (03:15):
I guess you know. It's a lonce oftdium. When I
was announced and I was part of a group that
had to look at where the stadium should go. Clearly
it should go in Hobart because it's a bigger metropolis.
When the team comes, there's one hundred and fifty people
on the staff, their families have got to be housed,
they've got to be educated, and sensibly Hobard is the
right place for the stadium to be or for the
(03:36):
team to be. So I'm really clear on that. I
got a bit of a bouncing, if you like, from
the local mayor at the time why you're giving up
on one system. But I don't think that that's fair.
I think one system will get plenty of games, particularly early.
I don't think the stadium will be finished by the
time we get going, So I think in the first
couple of years launch system, we'll get a lot of
really high caliber games, but down the track they will
(03:57):
get four or five games per annum, and I think
it will work well for everybody. So I think clearly
how that's the right place to the stadium, and certainly
I think my coreat point it's just a fantastic spot
to put it. Now, not everybody agrees with that, but
you know, I think it's the right spot, and you know,
I hope in time people will come around to agreeing.
Speaker 2 (04:14):
Gut feeling on the cost of it. The naysayers suggesting
that budget is nowhere near what it's going to have
to be to build a stadium of this magnitude. You've
seen it all before. How do you feel about it?
Speaker 3 (04:27):
You know, if you look at the breach here again,
I just refer back to that of my understanding. It's
going really well on time, it's going really well on budget.
I have out stadium might be a bit more complex,
but I don't know whether it's more complex building over
a river than it is on the edge of the river.
I think I'll be just gutting if I said they
can do it for seven hundred and forty million, the
amount that's mooted. I think until the final design comes in,
(04:49):
I think you're just a bit guessing. We do a
lot of building projects, and I guess all the time,
and usually I'm wrong. It's always a bit more than
I think it's capable, so it's probably going to be
a bit more. But you know, I wouldn't be yet
too carried away. You know, if it's eight hundred million
into the seven hundred and fifteen or whatever the number is,
I know it's got to be found. But at the
end of the day, there'll be a lot of corporate
(05:09):
money for the stadium, so I think in the long
term it will be a really good thing for the stake.
Speaker 2 (05:14):
Did you prefer MAC two point zero, the one that
was touted by Premier Lennon, which involved a lot of
private investment and was far more extensive in its scope
of the two? Which did you prefer?
Speaker 3 (05:26):
Definitely? Mac one. Mac two is all based about selling
things that you can get telephone numbers for and if
it doesn't transpire then the government are going to be
left with the debt. So I think MAC one definitely.
It's far more sensible. It's something I think we can afford,
and I think there's something that will come off. I
think MAC two could have very easily just blew up
in the face of everybody and then the government end
(05:48):
up with egan both so definitely make one.
Speaker 2 (05:50):
So the AFL stadium design has just now gone into
planning approvals likely to be up to a year, so
maybe the end of twenty twenty five or are about
before it's approved. Looking at the scale of the project,
is it clear that our Tazzi Devils won't be playing
their first day of the home match at the stadium
in twenty twenty eight.
Speaker 3 (06:09):
Well, I wouldn't think so. I think that the first
game we played the laun system, and I think the
majority are games will we played the launch system in
the first in twenty eight, maybe twenty nine. I think
the stadium will come online sometime perhaps in that year.
Now again we're just guessing until you start, you know,
you're guessing a bit, but it's just hard to say
being built in the next you know, by the end
(06:30):
of twenty seven. I doubt that I can make that.
And I don't think anybody got semifism and not about it.
I think we'll just get it when you know, as
soon as it's approved, it's funded, you know, we go
to tend to get the light builder and get going
on it. But if it's mid twenty eight, that's good.
If it's mid twenty nine, you know, that's also good.
I think we've just got to get it built. If
it's a bit like, who cares, as long as we've
(06:51):
got the desire to get it done.
Speaker 2 (06:52):
Tas money and businessman and visionary Eryl Stewart next on
iHeart Tassi, a man with a grand vision for a
zoo in the south of the state and the investment
to see it through. I heard Zazi really I heeart
Asi entrepreneurial spirit in Tasmai the theme of this week's
(07:13):
episode of iHeart Tassi. The plans for Much Love Attraction
Zodo near Richmond are nothing short of amazing. New owner
is Stuart Webster, a large expenditure. Stuart, you obviously have
an intense belief this zoo can be something even more
special than it already is.
Speaker 1 (07:30):
So Vudoo, how's the potential to become one of the
best medium sized zos in the world. And I really
mean that, I think the five hundred zoos around the world.
I've been in business for myself since I was eighteen,
and I mostly the co owner of three other zoos,
and but this zoo Doo I'm buying on my own
I've owned it for five weeks now and I have
started the construction of five new exhibits, which is I
(07:52):
think it's been the world records are building new exhibits
in a zoo just to see, you know, like it's huge.
But the government support I've had is just enormous. I'm
getting my plan improved, the through and the stars that
I have here absolutely amazing, and I let them all
help me design these new enclosures.
Speaker 2 (08:06):
What sort of extra animals might we expect in the
future then.
Speaker 1 (08:10):
Okay, so straight up, we've had the arrival of our
beautiful miniature Highland cowers, which is just for our barnyard
section of people. Please until you see that, you can't
appreciate just how gorgeous they are. They're absolutely stunning. So
that arrived. The next new exhibits for animals that we're
doing a walk through Bude Regard exhibit where you're able
to stand in the avery and now land on you
and you'll be able to feed them. It's a really fine,
amazing experience to get up close to a budget. And
(08:32):
then we're having cheats and we're going to have an
accommodation on site where you'll stay in a heart and
your window you're llown through a window and your bedroom
window't all look out onto an African savanna and you'll
see the cheats and behind the cheetes, and we use
very clever restraining walls as you'll see zebras, so you
think they're all in the one exhibits. And on your
right you'll see mere cats. It's very exciting. So the
(08:52):
answer your question, the newest animals to come in next,
i'd say would be cheats, and they're just the most
beautiful animal you'll ever meet. And they've actually been mesticated
a thousands of years, so we're going to be able
to do experiences where you can get it close to
the teatah and sit next to it and give it
the past. It's just a magical experience. And they're the
biggest eyes you've ever seen on any animals and they
per it's really they're very special.
Speaker 2 (09:12):
Stuart. I've been taking my daughter since you was old
enough to walk nineteen years ago to Zudu and sometimes
we would go every week and the highlight for us
was the Safari bus. Now the Safari bus has disappeared.
Tell me please that are we going to see that back.
Speaker 1 (09:30):
You are going to see that back. It's going to
be reimagined slightly because, as you might understand, public liability
has changed and there's no way known that Safari Bus
is compliant to my insurance company. It would never happen.
And I know everybody who's ridden it has to agree
with what I just said because they all get it.
It was just the most amazing experience totally. But we
are going to bring it back, yes, because we're at
the back of the zoo. We're going to turn into
(09:50):
an African Smaanna and we're going to have giraffe from
Rhino and a whole herd of zebra's and different kinds
of deer, all found on the afric complaints and your
cruise around on the bus because everybody wants that bust back.
But I need to build more to Bresser at the
moment where we're doing the really boying stuff like the
electrical works and the plumbing and the water, putting in
three phase power, making sure our new exhibits have concrete bases,
which makes a better hust and jury the muscle. Can't
(10:12):
but give me a couple of years, ask you that
in two years of tie i'd.
Speaker 2 (10:14):
Day you have plans for a holiday camp. This is
a wonderful idea that a lot of kids are just
going to love.
Speaker 1 (10:21):
So this holiday camp is my dream holiday camp. Okay,
so I might be a little bit older than the
age group there were selected here of nine to twelve,
but ninety twelve. When they show up, they're going to
be giving an induction, and then it's straight away we're
into animal care. We're going to be brushing the new
Highland cows. We're going to be cleaning out monkey exhibits
and working with the squirrel monkeys. We're going to be
wandering around checking out the snake. There's some beautiful snakes here.
(10:44):
This is a really hands on holiday camp plan. Each
day is ninety five dollars, which I know it's a lot,
and it is a lot. Ninety five dollars a lot
to ask for a child's entertainment for the day, but
on the basis of what it is, it's actually a
really good price. A lot of other zoos might change
one hundred and forty hundred and fifty dollars for this
kind of experience. And so I'm a big believer in
being inclusive at this zoo. And I want everybody to
be able to participate. And I know that if we
(11:05):
can get the kids nine to twelve years of age
interested in animals, now it's a lifelong passion, just like
mine is, and it's so rewarding. So it's a full day.
We include lunch and a snack and I promise you
these kids will have a ball. It's not just about
making craft. We're out there in the zoo making things happen,
making enrichment for the animals.
Speaker 2 (11:23):
Stuart Webster right now, for Zoodo, your main clientele are
they local, national, international? And where do you see that
going in the future. You obviously have a big vision
for Tasmania's ability to attract tourists because with this sort
of investment that you're putting together for Zoodo, you're going
to want more bums on seats.
Speaker 3 (11:44):
I would have thought, I do.
Speaker 1 (11:45):
I'm a business person person in a zoo in a second,
it has to be that way.
Speaker 3 (11:48):
My first basis is.
Speaker 1 (11:50):
The local community, because I believe I have to engage
the local community and I have to get them to
share my message and share my experience and just come
along to the ride, come in, say hello and see
what I'm doing and there. Since I took over five
weeks ago at tendance has increased just because the locals
are very interested to see what I'm going to do
with Zoojo. So people have yearly memberships and they're coming
in and they come in once a week with their
(12:10):
kids and they go into the indoor playground area and
I'll just put into new open fireplaces in there. They're
fenced off. It's all safe, but it's made of warm
so the parents can have their one of our favorite
cups of coffee and the kids can play indoors undercover
for hours and hours on our famous background equipment out there.
So I do believe that they're They're my first basis
for the clientele. That's the mums with kids. I know
(12:31):
about ten but the tourism, which Zoo Doo Zoo doesn't
really tap into yet. They're going to be what I
need to get in and I'm going to do that
through my onside accommodation. I'm going to do that with
partnering for the cruise liners. I do that with marketing
on the mainland. Those sort of things are what's going
to make Zoo Dooo Zoo into a world class medium
size zoos.
Speaker 2 (12:48):
And then hopefully you can market yourself globally. Are you
thinking that into the future.
Speaker 1 (12:55):
Look I like the way you think. I'm not at
the moment. I am looking at Stage one, which building
five new exhibits and they'll be opened by December. First,
I'm putting a six meter climbing net up in the
playground area, which kIPS is just going to go bers
a curve. It's the most popular children's playground equipment in
the world as a climbing nest. And then in February
we start Phase two where we start breaking ground on
(13:15):
the African Savannah exhibits. And to say, I'm looking at
the global market. I don't believe in my heart that
Zoozoo Zoo is ready to say, hey, put us on
the world stage, but I do believe it will happen.
It's not ready just yet, but it will happen. A
lot of people go to the zoo world and they
rely on the income for the zoo to grow the zoo,
and it just doesn't happen. I have businesses outside of
(13:36):
the zoo. There were outside in my dream. I'm very
lucky with that. I've worked very hard to be in
this position, and now I get to share it with
absolutely everybody. And you know I love most is walking
around the zoo and meeting someone who has no idea
who I am, and sharing our stories together about how
we love zoos and how we love animals. And then
I slip in an education message about conservation. Very exciting time.
Speaker 2 (13:55):
Stuart Webster, new owner of Zudo, sounds amazing what he's
got in store, doesn't it. That's I Heart Tassy from
this week. Catch it in full as a podcast apps
I Heart Tassy, My Heart Tazzy
Speaker 3 (14:09):
M
I Heartazi Gooday Again.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
It's John Fabracia, Tasmania's Entrepreneurial spirit our theme on iHeart
Tassi this week ahead. On this episode, I speak with
a man whose vision and financial commitment to transforming a
zoo in Tasmania South into a world class attraction. It's
nothing short of breathtaking. First on the program, when it
comes to a track record of entrepreneurial spirits in Tasmania,
(00:27):
look no further than Errol Stewart, known for transformative hotel
projects in Lonceston. He's now based in Hobart.
Speaker 3 (00:35):
Welcome Eryl, Good morning beyond.
Speaker 2 (00:36):
That was quite the move for you, wasn't it What
drove your decision to move to the capital. Was it
business related.
Speaker 3 (00:42):
A little bit, but mainly my grandchildren they lived here
at a pretty important part of your life as you
get a bit older. But look, we've still got a
fairly big operation in Monceyster and I'm back there, you
know every second week. I live probably fifteen fifty, sometimes
sixty forty and Norton sometimes sixty forty in the town.
But we've got a couple of projects going in the
South as well, now quite big projects. We'll spend more
(01:03):
time down here as our kids and grandkids get a
bit older.
Speaker 2 (01:06):
I know this will be upsetting for some people to hear,
but Tasmania has quite the reputation for stifling development, sometimes
with good reason, often through sheer, pig headed ideology. Have
I got that wrong or am I on the right
track there?
Speaker 3 (01:20):
Well, i'd say to get things through. Planning is a
difficult process now, and I don't necessarily lame a particular
a council, but it's just a difficult process. There's too
many layers of process involved, and too many people seem
to think that they should have a say in just
about everything known it does with a property or a
developer does with a property, and I think that's probably
(01:40):
going to be too far.
Speaker 2 (01:42):
There's been a lot of negativity in the media space
about Tasmania's financial position deteriorating. Do you think the way
the public discourse tends to be fatalisttick tends to be
glass half empty, the pitfalls? What if it fails? Is
that a floor that it inevitably drags on the state's prosperity?
Speaker 3 (02:02):
Well, it is a little I mean, you know, obviously
the stadium's got to feedit. Of negativity peraps based around
the things that we need more money to go into
education and health particularly. But you can't put all your
funds into health and education. You've got to put some
funding into infrastructure. And you know, I think the bridge
is a really good example. It's coming along pretty well.
I understand it's on budget, and the bridge cost is
(02:24):
going to beek for future generations. It's just not for me.
You this work that's going to be there the next
hundred years, and the stadium will be exactly the same.
You know, it's not going to be just today. It's
a really long term project and it'll be good for
the state forever. So I'd say borrowings are okay if
it's for infrastructure. If you just keep borrowing to pay
your daily bills, well then that's a different matter. But
(02:46):
I think borrowing for infrastructures are centible thing.
Speaker 2 (02:48):
I have friends under state who are just gobsmacks at
how building the IFL Stadium in Hobart has become such
a vix topic. We get given our dream of an
IFL team, and we spend the rest of the time
fighting over whether York Parks should be its home instead,
and where the high performance center should go in Hobart
if it's in Hobart, et cetera. As a veteran who's
(03:10):
been through big projects, were you surprised when all this
blew up or were you expecting it?
Speaker 3 (03:15):
I guess you know. It's a lonce oftdium. When I
was announced and I was part of a group that
had to look at where the stadium should go. Clearly
it should go in Hobart because it's a bigger metropolis.
When the team comes, there's one hundred and fifty people
on the staff, their families have got to be housed,
they've got to be educated, and sensibly Hobard is the
right place for the stadium to be or for the
(03:36):
team to be. So I'm really clear on that. I
got a bit of a bouncing, if you like, from
the local mayor at the time why you're giving up
on one system. But I don't think that that's fair.
I think one system will get plenty of games, particularly early.
I don't think the stadium will be finished by the
time we get going, So I think in the first
couple of years launch system, we'll get a lot of
really high caliber games, but down the track they will
(03:57):
get four or five games per annum, and I think
it will work well for everybody. So I think clearly
how that's the right place to the stadium, and certainly
I think my coreat point it's just a fantastic spot
to put it. Now, not everybody agrees with that, but
you know, I think it's the right spot, and you know,
I hope in time people will come around to agreeing.
Speaker 2 (04:14):
Gut feeling on the cost of it. The naysayers suggesting
that budget is nowhere near what it's going to have
to be to build a stadium of this magnitude. You've
seen it all before. How do you feel about it?
Speaker 3 (04:27):
You know, if you look at the breach here again,
I just refer back to that of my understanding. It's
going really well on time, it's going really well on budget.
I have out stadium might be a bit more complex,
but I don't know whether it's more complex building over
a river than it is on the edge of the river.
I think I'll be just gutting if I said they
can do it for seven hundred and forty million, the
amount that's mooted. I think until the final design comes in,
(04:49):
I think you're just a bit guessing. We do a
lot of building projects, and I guess all the time,
and usually I'm wrong. It's always a bit more than
I think it's capable, so it's probably going to be
a bit more. But you know, I wouldn't be yet
too carried away. You know, if it's eight hundred million
into the seven hundred and fifteen or whatever the number is,
I know it's got to be found. But at the
end of the day, there'll be a lot of corporate
(05:09):
money for the stadium, so I think in the long
term it will be a really good thing for the stake.
Speaker 2 (05:14):
Did you prefer MAC two point zero, the one that
was touted by Premier Lennon, which involved a lot of
private investment and was far more extensive in its scope
of the two? Which did you prefer?
Speaker 3 (05:26):
Definitely? Mac one. Mac two is all based about selling
things that you can get telephone numbers for and if
it doesn't transpire then the government are going to be
left with the debt. So I think MAC one definitely.
It's far more sensible. It's something I think we can afford,
and I think there's something that will come off. I
think MAC two could have very easily just blew up
in the face of everybody and then the government end
(05:48):
up with egan both so definitely make one.
Speaker 2 (05:50):
So the AFL stadium design has just now gone into
planning approvals likely to be up to a year, so
maybe the end of twenty twenty five or are about
before it's approved. Looking at the scale of the project,
is it clear that our Tazzi Devils won't be playing
their first day of the home match at the stadium
in twenty twenty eight.
Speaker 3 (06:09):
Well, I wouldn't think so. I think that the first
game we played the laun system, and I think the
majority are games will we played the launch system in
the first in twenty eight, maybe twenty nine. I think
the stadium will come online sometime perhaps in that year.
Now again we're just guessing until you start, you know,
you're guessing a bit, but it's just hard to say
being built in the next you know, by the end
(06:30):
of twenty seven. I doubt that I can make that.
And I don't think anybody got semifism and not about it.
I think we'll just get it when you know, as
soon as it's approved, it's funded, you know, we go
to tend to get the light builder and get going
on it. But if it's mid twenty eight, that's good.
If it's mid twenty nine, you know, that's also good.
I think we've just got to get it built. If
it's a bit like, who cares, as long as we've
(06:51):
got the desire to get it done.
Speaker 2 (06:52):
Tas money and businessman and visionary Eryl Stewart next on
iHeart Tassi, a man with a grand vision for a
zoo in the south of the state and the investment
to see it through. I heard Zazi really I heeart
Asi entrepreneurial spirit in Tasmai the theme of this week's
(07:13):
episode of iHeart Tassi. The plans for Much Love Attraction
Zodo near Richmond are nothing short of amazing. New owner
is Stuart Webster, a large expenditure. Stuart, you obviously have
an intense belief this zoo can be something even more
special than it already is.
Speaker 1 (07:30):
So Vudoo, how's the potential to become one of the
best medium sized zos in the world. And I really
mean that, I think the five hundred zoos around the world.
I've been in business for myself since I was eighteen,
and I mostly the co owner of three other zoos,
and but this zoo Doo I'm buying on my own
I've owned it for five weeks now and I have
started the construction of five new exhibits, which is I
(07:52):
think it's been the world records are building new exhibits
in a zoo just to see, you know, like it's huge.
But the government support I've had is just enormous. I'm
getting my plan improved, the through and the stars that
I have here absolutely amazing, and I let them all
help me design these new enclosures.
Speaker 2 (08:06):
What sort of extra animals might we expect in the
future then.
Speaker 1 (08:10):
Okay, so straight up, we've had the arrival of our
beautiful miniature Highland cowers, which is just for our barnyard
section of people. Please until you see that, you can't
appreciate just how gorgeous they are. They're absolutely stunning. So
that arrived. The next new exhibits for animals that we're
doing a walk through Bude Regard exhibit where you're able
to stand in the avery and now land on you
and you'll be able to feed them. It's a really fine,
amazing experience to get up close to a budget. And
(08:32):
then we're having cheats and we're going to have an
accommodation on site where you'll stay in a heart and
your window you're llown through a window and your bedroom
window't all look out onto an African savanna and you'll
see the cheats and behind the cheetes, and we use
very clever restraining walls as you'll see zebras, so you
think they're all in the one exhibits. And on your
right you'll see mere cats. It's very exciting. So the
(08:52):
answer your question, the newest animals to come in next,
i'd say would be cheats, and they're just the most
beautiful animal you'll ever meet. And they've actually been mesticated
a thousands of years, so we're going to be able
to do experiences where you can get it close to
the teatah and sit next to it and give it
the past. It's just a magical experience. And they're the
biggest eyes you've ever seen on any animals and they
per it's really they're very special.
Speaker 2 (09:12):
Stuart. I've been taking my daughter since you was old
enough to walk nineteen years ago to Zudu and sometimes
we would go every week and the highlight for us
was the Safari bus. Now the Safari bus has disappeared.
Tell me please that are we going to see that back.
Speaker 1 (09:30):
You are going to see that back. It's going to
be reimagined slightly because, as you might understand, public liability
has changed and there's no way known that Safari Bus
is compliant to my insurance company. It would never happen.
And I know everybody who's ridden it has to agree
with what I just said because they all get it.
It was just the most amazing experience totally. But we
are going to bring it back, yes, because we're at
the back of the zoo. We're going to turn into
(09:50):
an African Smaanna and we're going to have giraffe from
Rhino and a whole herd of zebra's and different kinds
of deer, all found on the afric complaints and your
cruise around on the bus because everybody wants that bust back.
But I need to build more to Bresser at the
moment where we're doing the really boying stuff like the
electrical works and the plumbing and the water, putting in
three phase power, making sure our new exhibits have concrete bases,
which makes a better hust and jury the muscle. Can't
(10:12):
but give me a couple of years, ask you that
in two years of tie i'd.
Speaker 2 (10:14):
Day you have plans for a holiday camp. This is
a wonderful idea that a lot of kids are just
going to love.
Speaker 1 (10:21):
So this holiday camp is my dream holiday camp. Okay,
so I might be a little bit older than the
age group there were selected here of nine to twelve,
but ninety twelve. When they show up, they're going to
be giving an induction, and then it's straight away we're
into animal care. We're going to be brushing the new
Highland cows. We're going to be cleaning out monkey exhibits
and working with the squirrel monkeys. We're going to be
wandering around checking out the snake. There's some beautiful snakes here.
(10:44):
This is a really hands on holiday camp plan. Each
day is ninety five dollars, which I know it's a lot,
and it is a lot. Ninety five dollars a lot
to ask for a child's entertainment for the day, but
on the basis of what it is, it's actually a
really good price. A lot of other zoos might change
one hundred and forty hundred and fifty dollars for this
kind of experience. And so I'm a big believer in
being inclusive at this zoo. And I want everybody to
be able to participate. And I know that if we
(11:05):
can get the kids nine to twelve years of age
interested in animals, now it's a lifelong passion, just like
mine is, and it's so rewarding. So it's a full day.
We include lunch and a snack and I promise you
these kids will have a ball. It's not just about
making craft. We're out there in the zoo making things happen,
making enrichment for the animals.
Speaker 2 (11:23):
Stuart Webster right now, for Zoodo, your main clientele are
they local, national, international? And where do you see that
going in the future. You obviously have a big vision
for Tasmania's ability to attract tourists because with this sort
of investment that you're putting together for Zoodo, you're going
to want more bums on seats.
Speaker 3 (11:44):
I would have thought, I do.
Speaker 1 (11:45):
I'm a business person person in a zoo in a second,
it has to be that way.
Speaker 3 (11:48):
My first basis is.
Speaker 1 (11:50):
The local community, because I believe I have to engage
the local community and I have to get them to
share my message and share my experience and just come
along to the ride, come in, say hello and see
what I'm doing and there. Since I took over five
weeks ago at tendance has increased just because the locals
are very interested to see what I'm going to do
with Zoojo. So people have yearly memberships and they're coming
in and they come in once a week with their
(12:10):
kids and they go into the indoor playground area and
I'll just put into new open fireplaces in there. They're
fenced off. It's all safe, but it's made of warm
so the parents can have their one of our favorite
cups of coffee and the kids can play indoors undercover
for hours and hours on our famous background equipment out there.
So I do believe that they're They're my first basis
for the clientele. That's the mums with kids. I know
(12:31):
about ten but the tourism, which Zoo Doo Zoo doesn't
really tap into yet. They're going to be what I
need to get in and I'm going to do that
through my onside accommodation. I'm going to do that with
partnering for the cruise liners. I do that with marketing
on the mainland. Those sort of things are what's going
to make Zoo Dooo Zoo into a world class medium
size zoos.
Speaker 2 (12:48):
And then hopefully you can market yourself globally. Are you
thinking that into the future.
Speaker 1 (12:55):
Look I like the way you think. I'm not at
the moment. I am looking at Stage one, which building
five new exhibits and they'll be opened by December. First,
I'm putting a six meter climbing net up in the
playground area, which kIPS is just going to go bers
a curve. It's the most popular children's playground equipment in
the world as a climbing nest. And then in February
we start Phase two where we start breaking ground on
(13:15):
the African Savannah exhibits. And to say, I'm looking at
the global market. I don't believe in my heart that
Zoozoo Zoo is ready to say, hey, put us on
the world stage, but I do believe it will happen.
It's not ready just yet, but it will happen. A
lot of people go to the zoo world and they
rely on the income for the zoo to grow the zoo,
and it just doesn't happen. I have businesses outside of
(13:36):
the zoo. There were outside in my dream. I'm very
lucky with that. I've worked very hard to be in
this position, and now I get to share it with
absolutely everybody. And you know I love most is walking
around the zoo and meeting someone who has no idea
who I am, and sharing our stories together about how
we love zoos and how we love animals. And then
I slip in an education message about conservation. Very exciting time.
Speaker 2 (13:55):
Stuart Webster, new owner of Zudo, sounds amazing what he's
got in store, doesn't it. That's I Heart Tassy from
this week. Catch it in full as a podcast apps
I Heart Tassy, My Heart Tazzy
Speaker 3 (14:09):
M
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