The daughter of Colin Small and the late Nancy Small, Jodi is working her way through the criteria on the application for a public exhibitor licence, which will be submitted to the NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI). 

Among the information the park must provide is letters of guarantee for food supplies, a list of volunteers, qualifications of trained staff, a volunteer roster including tasks and the time they take, and information on every single animal, including a photo, feeding regime and microchip number.

“They want people here who are trained, a stream of volunteers and who will supply the food,” Jodi said.

Jodi had originally hoped to submit the application back in March, but found it is taking longer than she thought to get all the information together.

“I’m not Mum – I don’t know everything [but] I’m getting through it,” Jodi said.

In April, the park had its Native Animal Keeper Licence extended to October, to give Jodi more time to get the public exhibitor application in. The park was closed by NSW DPI in April 2017.

The Smalls said they have been getting a lot of help and advice from other wildlife parks including Hunter Valley Zoo, Koala Park Sanctuary and Shoalhaven Zoo. They said staff at the park and zoos have offered assistance with understanding paperwork requirements and have offered to help with more training.

“It’s really good having people willing to work with you,” Jodi said.

The park is currently receiving hands-on help from French backpacker Julie Ratte.

Julie comes from Beauvais, a small village an hour’s drive from Paris. She is a primary school teacher and left the classrooms behind in November 2017 to travel to Australia with two friends.

She has spent time in Brisbane, Sydney, Broken Hill, Melbourne and Tasmania and first came to Gunnedah in March and worked for the Jones at Almost Home on the Kamilaroi Highway for five weeks. It was here that she met Colin who suggested she spend some time volunteering at the park.

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Since she arrived at the park a week ago, Julie has befriended the many animals, and though she likes the koalas, she has a soft spot for the two eagles.

“I like all animals, so I’m happy to be here,” she said.

Colin has a glowing opinion of Julie and Jodi said she’s been a great help.

“She has a go at everything. She’s willing to go out and have a go at feeding and cleaning,” Jodi said.

Julie said she has enjoyed getting to know the Australian culture.

“I like when you help and volunteer, you learn the real Australian culture,” she said.

“I like Gunnedah because people have more time to speak with me and show me places.”

The 32-year-old said she has met a lot of friendly people in towns and particularly campsites when she’s been on the road.

“I travel alone with my car and I meet people in free camps and a lot of people ask if I want a coffee even if I didn’t know them, so it’s really great,” she said.

Talking with Australians has helped her English improve a great deal as she arrived with very basic skills.

“At the beginning it was hard because I didn’t know English, so it was hard to understand and speak and after spending a lot of time with only Australians, I improved,” she said.

“It’s better every day.”

In August, Julie will head up to Brisbane to sell her car and go home to France, however, she hopes to come back and see more of Australia and revisit all of the new friends she has made here.