Perth Voice Interactive

KINGS PARK’S guides have been crowned WA’s community volunteer organisation of the year.

Last year the 125 volunteers took more than 48,000 visitors through the park, pointing out odd plants, rare wildflowers and signs of the shy animals like quenda or monitors that live in the park.

Volunteer Ann Newman has been doing it for 30 years.

She joined because she’d long been interested in plants, having worked at the herbarium in South Perth on the weekends.

Even when her working hours increased, she’d still put aside time to volunteer as a guide.

“I’m a people person, I like being with people,” she says.

Thirty years ago when she signed up “it was very different, because the guides didn’t receive training of the same calibre that the guides of today receive”.

“We were out on our own. It was still a very interesting place but I think the park has improved immensely in making the experience for visitors better.

Ms Newman says one of the best changes in her time has been the move from the Mediterranean and English-style gardens to native bushland at the top of the hill near the visitor’s centre.

“People who used to come here would get this international experience, but now they get a truly Western Australian experience.

“It’s so much more appropriate.”

Ms Newman says she usually guides eastern states or overseas tourists, who are surprised by the park’s diversity.

“Because it’s so close to the city it’s such a unique experience for people.”

When it comes time for longer bushwalks that’s when Perth people show up.

There’s info on the guided walks at http://www.bgpa.wa.gov.au (and they’re free).

by DAVID BELL