Max Low:
I started here at the zoo just a few months after it opened, and I’ve been here ever since. I’m the grounds and gardens supervisor, and it’s been very satisfying to see people enjoying what I’ve done – but I have a team of great people around me. That’s one of the great things about working here is that all the staff – from the keepers to the canteen workers, everyone really cares.
Gus is one of those people – he’s a prime example of the kind of dedicated people who work here. He’s been here a long time too – there’s not much he doesn’t know about this zoo.
We were good friends before he came to work at the zoo because going back to our younger days, we both played with Dubbo Macquarie (Rugby League Club). We’ve both been heavily involved in the community and in sport, and we knew each other well through cycling.
The thing that’s always struck me about Gus is his honesty. He’s just a straight shooter and these days you can’t ask for anything better in a bloke, can you.
We’ve had our disagreements over the years, but I’ve always gone back and apologised! Things happen, but it’s all good and the fact that we can be open means we’ll probably be friends forever.
We work together in a sense, but not directly alongside each other. He does all the paperwork and I do all the hard work! (Laughs) He’s good at the admin side of things, and I’m not so hot at that. But the physical stuff? I can cope with that.
Gus has a solid work ethic – he’s just a great person all ‘round. Through the years, he would have saved the zoo a lot of money in the way that he’s gone about different jobs. He’s always had the zoo’s best interest at heart and he’s worked hard to serve that interest. He’s a bit of an unsung hero, and I think he’ll be sadly missed (Gus retired yesterday – Friday 13).
I’m retiring in six months’ time, and I reckon we’ll still see each other regularly. Life’s been a lot easier for me for having had Gus’ friendship in it. Work wise, he let me control and do what I wanted to do – he didn’t ever dismiss my ideas. We’ve been able to talk things through, and our friendship has been a two way street because we respect each other’s opinions.
Dubbo is in Gus’ blood – he’s been here as long as I have and he’s well respected as part of the community. I think that boils down to his honesty; the fact that he’s a straight shooter with people is his biggest asset. It’s an “old school” thing – it’s different these days; you don’t get that honesty in people as much now.
He’s the sort of bloke you can rely on, and he’s helped me out a couple of times when I’ve got myself into situations I shouldn’t have been in! (Laughs) He’s sincere with it, too – whatever he does and says, you know he’s sincere. And he makes a point of always trying to make things better without complicating the situation – that’s a hard quality to find in people.
Gus Dawson:
I retired on Friday after 27 years at the zoo – and I’m not going to do much of anything for a while. Spend some time with the grandkids…
I’ve worked in basically just about every area of the zoo so there’s not much I haven’t seen and know about the place and Max is the same. We worked alongside each other most of the time in some kind of capacity.
But we were mates beforehand, having played footy together and then through cycling. He was a lot better footballer than I was but more than that, he’s an all ‘round good bloke.
He’s very handy with what he does; very knowledgeable. When you look at what he’s done with the horticulture at the zoo, it’s amazing. In the early days we had no budget at all, everything was tube stock or whatever you could scrounge from wherever we could scrounge it, and he’s done most of that from day one, right through.
One of the things I admire so much about Max is his ability to just get things done but add that polished touch – and he brings teams together. I remember when we were doing the lion exhibit, that’s how long ago it was, and the morning of the opening we had trouble with one of the pathways. He was still bringing it all together that morning, putting final plants in and fixing the pathways but it looked fantastic for the opening. He has that ability to get that finished look and make the deadlines that are needed.
I’m proud of what he’s achieved at the zoo – he’s done a great job. When you look around the whole site and at what he’s done over the years… It’s a pretty rugged site, not great soil to work with and it’s a credit to him to have been able to turn it into how it looks today. Look at the presentation and the landscaping and gardens he’s been responsible for – he’s done an amazing job.
He’s always been a good mate; a reliable, good guy – he’s just someone you want to be around. It helps that we have lots of things in common, like our love of sport. We know each other pretty well – he’s a team player and that’s important in life and in work.
He’s also a humble man – he doesn’t like taking all the credit for his work at the zoo and that earns him a lot of respect. He’s also respected in the community where he’s been president of the Garden Club, the Referee’s Association, President of the Railway Bowling Club… He’s done a lot for the local community over the years. He’s not just an asset to the zoo; he’s an asset to Dubbo.
– As told to Jen Cowley
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Disclosure: Jen Cowley sits on the Board of Directors of the Taronga Conservation Society, which has responsibility for both Taronga and Taronga Western Plains Zoos.
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