Fall in love with the Territory at first sight
After an unassuming visit, Matt Lamb from Zimbabwe knew he had to find a job in the Northern Territory.
At the age of 21, Matt Lamb was studying agriculture in South Africa and had plans to take over his parents’ farm in Zimbabwe.
Significant land disruption and unsettlement in Zimbabwe prompted Matt’s parents to make the decision to move to Australia.
'I wanted to be a professional hunter and guide, and had all my friends there. Life was very good at that stage,' Matt said.
'But dad sort of said, "Come across, and then you can do whatever you want after that."
'I was very fortunate when I moved to Australia; there were a lot of people in the same situation.
'I came across with a big group of people and originally moved to Perth where there's a very big Zimbabwean/South African population. So it became a bit of a home away from home. We were all in the same situation. We could be very empathetic and supportive of each other. It was good to have a bit of a community to come to, to get started.'
While in WA, Matt worked at several jobs, including in the agricultural sector, maintaining aquariums for businesses and rearing predatory insects to help control crop pests, replacing the need to use herbicides.
A visit to the NT 15 years ago to attend his brother’s NT Police graduation took him to the Territory Wildlife Park, where he participated in a hands-on experience with a giant whipray.
'That was just a mind-blowing experience.'
The memory of that encounter didn’t leave Matt and when a temporary position came up at the Territory Wildlife Park, he happily left Perth and moved to Darwin.
Since starting at the Territory Wildlife Park, Matt has worked on the flight deck because of his falconry experience on the farm in Zimbabwe. He has also worked in the nocturnal house, but his passion is working at the aquarium where he is still in awe of that giant whipray.
'She’s well over two metres; this huge, big disc,' he said
'You jump in the water and feed her with fish, and she comes right up.
'She's like a big puppy.
'She's all over your legs and lets you stroke her.
Matt now oversees the aquarium, the horticultural section and the volunteer workforce.
'I've absolutely loved it. Great place to work; great people to work with. Very satisfying career,' he said.
Matt’s just as enthusiastic about Darwin itself.
'The thing I love about Darwin is you really are living in amongst it.
'Litchfield Park is literally an hour away.
'All the rivers and creeks here are loaded with fish. You'll drive on the road and you'll see guys just fishing off the side of the road and they can pull up a metre barra literally right there.
'There are crocodiles everywhere and it's still raw and wild out here.
'Coming from Africa, it's the closest that I've ever found to being home.'
A wife, 2 children, a challenging career and enviable lifestyle later, and Matt has changed from a reluctant Aussie to a passionate advocate for his adopted country.
