Guided By The Light

20 Mar

‘What has been marvellous is that we’ve had so many outstanding guides – some incredible young Tasmanians.’ – Joan Masterman

In 1992, Tasmanian school principal Peter Marmion applied for a summer bushwalk guiding job to help his son fund an overseas trip to compete with the Australian slalom canoeing team.

Peter, a naturalist, conservationist, and adventure guide who has now retired from teaching, had applied to work for the newly established Freycinet Experience Walk. As soon as Joan Masterman heard that Peter had been walking, sailing, and exploring the Freycinet Peninsula all his life, she hired him on the spot.

‘It was a great interview because as soon as I got there, I knew that I had the job. Joan and I built a rapport from that very first meeting.’

Peter’s temporary job would continue for the next ten years. After taking a break to focus on his teaching career, he returned to work as a senior guide and has continued to lead trips for Freycinet Experience Walk over many more summers.

‘I think that’s a sign that you love something, isn’t it? When you come back.’

In the early days of Freycinet Experience Walk, Joan made it a point to personally interview everyone she brought into the business.

‘People fell in love with Joan and what she did at Friendly Beaches,’ says Delia Nicholls, former Manager, Destination Promotion, Tourism Tasmania. ‘They wanted to work for her as hard as they could and to do the best job they possibly could.’

‘You really wanted to put in because you knew you were doing something special,’ says Peter. ‘There was something so new and refreshing about it and being led by Joan was great.’

Joan invested in her people, nurturing and developing them, and fostering a collaborative culture in which senior guides mentored their younger colleagues. Annual guide training weekends at Friendly Beaches Lodge were a highlight.

‘We’d get everybody together at the Lodge, go and do part of the walk, and add to each to other's interpretation stories,’ remembers Peter. ‘It was always very warm, supportive, and encouraging.’

All of Joan’s guides shared a love of nature and a desire to interpret the environment for guests.

‘I got a lot out of being able to show people that place and help them to find depth in things that they wouldn't have otherwise seen,’ says former guide, Reuben Wells. ‘People would start to realise how many things must be around them that they would never suspect were there. In terms of the meaning of the place, every guest would have a different interpretation.

‘Joan loved having her attention drawn to the evidence of that richness, and she created a pool of interesting, educated and knowledgeable guides to help do that. And she was equally drawn to sharing that joy with others.’

Many of those guides developed friendships that have continued through the decades.

‘It was a moving feast of marvellous people,’ says Reuben. ‘Joan gathered a really good collection of intelligent and interesting, and fun people to work with.’

Freycinet Experience Walk is still known for its exceptional guides. It has also retained a reputation as a place where people love to work.

‘It was an impressive thing to have on your CV,’ says Peter Marmion. ‘In those early days there were hardly any eco-tourism operators, and Joan was setting the bar so high in terms of protecting and conserving that land. I always valued her approach because I shared those values.

‘There's never been anything quite like Freycinet Experience Walk.’