Oprah’s people visit

By Mara Pattison-Sowden
OPRAH Winfrey’s guests visited Healesville Sanctuary on their Australia-wide tour last week.
Although the screen queen was nowhere to be seen, her travel guests got to cuddle up close with some of Australia’s native animals.
Canadian traveller Tracy Cooper said she burst into tears when she saw the children at Badger Creek Primary School holding signs welcoming Oprah.
“I miss my kids but it was such a nice reception,” she said.
“This is the best experience we’ve had so far.”
Mrs Cooper, 42, is a nurse in Vancouver and has travelled across Europe but this was her first time in Australia.
“I would definitely like to bring my family back here,” she said.
Mrs Cooper said seeing the animals in their natural environment at Healesville Sanctuary was amazing.
“I really enjoyed feeding the kangaroos – they were eating out of my hands,” she said.
“I got some awesome pictures.”
Guests of Oprah’s Ultimate Australian Adventure were hosted to the animal spectacular on Thursday 9 and Friday 10 December last week.
They had a sneak peak at the Sanctuary’s new bird show, Spirits of the Sky, and nursed orphaned wombats, patted koalas, platypus and echidna puggles.
Zoos Victoria CEO Jenny Gray said she had been talking with Tourism Australia for many months about how to be involved in Oprah’s adventure.
“We were delighted when they thought we could give her guests a good experience,” she said.
“They checked out a range of properties and then swore us to secrecy when we were chosen.”
Ms Gray showed the guests around the sanctuary, and said they loved it.
“Murrindindi did a talk with them and then we had a wild eagle fly down and harass our show bird – I’ve never seen that, it was a unique experience,” she said.
Despite being on the road for several days, Oprah’s guests looked happy and upbeat, and were keen to continue their journey, stopping off at Yarra Valley winery Domaine Chandon for lunch on both days.