Ranger Stacey's Wild Journey: From Parks to TV

0:00This is Corey, keeping Adelaide in the know you're listening to Adelaide News today. Ranger Stacey or Stacey Thompson hosted the hit kid show Totally Wild starting in 1992. It ran for nearly 30 years as must-watch afternoon TV for 90s children. Her big smile and passion for wildlife turned generations onto nature, making her an Australian TV icon. She grew up in suburban Brisbane with a family that loved the outdoors, including epic camping trips to remote islands. After high school, she became a park ranger in 1983, working in beautiful spots like Main Range National Park. Later, at 21, she even ferried Prisoners daily to maintain historic St. Helena Island. Kids like Jacqueline King, now an assistant behavioral biologist, credit ranger Stacey for their careers. Jacqueline remembers watching as a five-year-old, dreaming of working with animals. Stacey's knack for talking to visitors led to TV spots on shows like Wombat and Agro's Cartoon Connection.

1:01Network 10 launched Totally Wild with Stacey and Ranger Tim, expanding from weekly to five days a week as it exploded in popularity. The team captured stunning footage of wildlife, from jelly bean-sized joys to rare Wombats, helping boost conservation efforts over the years. The show ended in 2021 amidst streaming changes, leaving Stacey emotional. Today, she's an education officer at Redland City Council, still sharing her message that small actions make a big impact on the environment. Thanks to our sponsor for supporting today's coverage, head in, sound on, lights out. That is the routine, S-O-L-I, solelypillow.com.