Leanne's first foray into the hospitality industry came when she married, Kent, whose family opened Oakvale Wildlife Park in 1979.
As well as sharing Kent's passion for native wildlife, Leanne has always believed in welcoming visitors to the park as she would guests in her home, and serving the best products in the park's cafe is part of that philosophy. Expansion plans and improving visitor experiences have been a 20-year work-in-progress.
Not well 😊; it's a family business and I love people so there is a lot of crossover.
Laying by the pool chatting with my kids and husband.
The beautiful people you meet, and the life-long friendships with colleagues and customers.
Being yelled at for something beyond my control or not meeting unreasonable expectations.
Brace yourself 😉. Speak to existing operators and asks lots of questions.
I love being able to 'love on people' and that has brought so many opportunities for fun and laughter over the last 20 years that I wouldn't know where to begin to choose just one.