Chapter 9 
First prepare yourself, then leave your comfort zone
Late one Friday afternoon, about four weeks after boot camp, I noticed a missed call on my phone, but no message. It was a Hobart number, one I didn't recognise. I'd already knocked off for the week and had poured a glass of sauvignon blanc to celebrate the beginning of the weekend. Would I return the call or wouldn't I? I bit the bullet and called the number, even though by now it was close to 5.30 pm.
The appointment
‘Hello, Rebecca speaking.’ I didn't know a Rebecca and was tempted to hang up, but I said, ‘It's Rachael Robertson. I have a missed call from you’.
‘Wonderful! I'm the new recruitment officer at the AAD. I was going to call you back on Monday but I'll tell you right now …’ She paused. For too long. There could only be one reason the recruitment officer was calling me … I held my breath.
‘You've got the job! You're headed to Davis Station as Expedition Leader for 2005!’
I let out a whoop! Very uncharacteristic of me! Rebecca picked up on my excitement and became animated. ‘We're very excited to offer you the role. You'll be only the second female leader at Davis Station in its 50-year history.’
We chatted some more about the mechanics of what would happen next and I hung up, elated. I kept the news to myself all weekend and started to make a list of the things I would need to do, think about, plan and prepare for. My mind was everywhere. I had gone camping once and seen snow once — where to start? My list was all over the shop. Peanut butter came after buying birthday cards. Buying a waterproof jacket came after handing in my resignation. I went to work on Monday excited, overwhelmed and nervous.
I received a fax confirming my appointment and then the Operations Manager, Richard Mulligan, called. He told me they were going to make the official announcement in three weeks. He also said I'd need to prepare myself and study up a bit on the detail of station life because they would soon send out a press release and I might be asked for an interview. He asked me how I was with handling the media.
‘No problems’, I replied. ‘I've had some media training at Parks Victoria and last year I was the media spokesperson for the fire season.’
Richard wasn't expecting I would have to do much but suggested it might be smart to block out the day, just in case.
I arranged an annual leave day for myself, went home and printed out some of the hundreds of pages of information and instructions that had been emailed out that day. I read, and read, and read.
I found out Diana Patterson was the first female expedition leader to Davis Station nearly 20 years ago. By some fluke she lived not 10 houses away and we arranged a meeting.
Thursday 8th July
Dinner with Diana Patterson.
Diana gave me some great advice. The Yearbooks, ‘Davis Experience’ brochures and photo collages are all excellent ideas for things to do down there. I really like Diana, she is quite easy to talk to and very honest. I think she was a bit reserved with me to start with but soon relaxed and even gave me a big hug goodbye.
Very special night.
PS I saw pictures of my office and my bed!!
Media frenzy
I went to bed early the day before the big announcement. I didn't know what was in store but wanted to be prepared. But I wasn't prepared for the phone to ring at 5.30 am! It was the radio station 3RRR and I had been fast asleep. I came good quickly and gave it my best shot — luckily they were taping it and would be able to edit out my yawns. At 5.45 am I was deciding if I could sneak back into my warm bed for another half an hour when the phone rang again. This time it was Radio 3CR, another community radio station. These volunteers worked hard!
I gave up on the idea of going back to bed and started to make coffee. The producer of Good Morning Australia was on the phone next and we arranged for me to visit the Channel 10 studios the next day for a TV interview with Bert Newton. Wow! Bert Newton! Me on the TV — how funny!
Then it was the Cobden Times and AAP, and it wasn't even 7 am yet! In the middle of this noise and excitement I was trying to figure out what was happening. I had never encountered media coverage of a new expedition leader before. The AAD sends down four Station Leaders each year without a blip on the media radar. But I was certainly on their radar, with four interviews already done and a TV slot planned … all before breakfast!
The phone didn't stop ringing all day. The Warrnambool Standard was excited that their local Chief Ranger was going to Antarctica. Mike Carlton put me live to air on Sydney's 2UE at 7.45 am, ‘Ross and Stevo’ on 3AW at 8.15 am. Kathy Bedford from the ABC was next. I gave this interview from the car on the way to Channel Nine's helipad in Southbank to shoot a piece for the evening news with Peter Hitchener. Channel Nine flew me by helicopter from Melbourne down to Port Campbell, about an hour's flight away. It was my first time in a helicopter and I was simply beside myself with excitement. They ended up running a ‘hero’ piece that screened just before the weather segment. I was delighted with the story but even more thrilled when Peter Hitchener referred to me as a ‘young Australian’. At 35 years of age I'll take that! Young indeed.
The print news picked up the story in earnest later in the day and I had some long and interesting interviews with journalists from The Age, the Herald Sun and several local papers.
Towards the end of the day I was exhausted, but Perth wasn't! They called at 7.45 pm for an afternoon drive-time slot with the ABC's Ted Bull. By the day's end I had conducted 38 interviews.
I pulled out my journal and started to write.
Monday 12th July
Today is the day it all became real. The media release went out and the media interest has just blown me away. I can't believe how fascinated people are and the fact Channel Nine did a ‘hero’ piece on me was amazing.
I'm feeling very excited but also very keen to get down to Tassie to start preparing. I probably have about three more days of positive energy left in me, so the timing is perfect. The ‘farewell festival’ at Parks has prepared me well for the media frenzy as people ask me the same questions — ‘how many people?’, ‘how long?’, ‘do you have email?’ and so on.
I think my family is a bit stunned by it all too. People at their work have heard me on radio or seen me on TV and have commented. It's really nice to have so much support and the phone calls from Richard, Brett and Annie were really special. They've been a big part of my professional life for so long that to make them feel ‘proud of me’ means a lot.
Fui and Ed rang today — blasts from the past! I haven't seen Fui since Grade 6 and last time I spoke to Ed was probably our university graduation.
I feel very proud and privileged to be given this job and I'm so stoked that people are sharing it with me. It has been a truly wonderful day.
The attention continued for the next three days. My previous media experience was helpful but dealing with the media at this level was a new, exciting and exhausting experience. I attempted to give every interview the same level of passion and enthusiasm, but after 20 interviews I was starting to flag. I reflected on the nature of the interviews in my journal.
Thursday 15th July
Only three more to go thankfully. They have ranged from the friendly and intelligent (Virginia Trioli) to the straight out hilarious — Lauren from the Cobden Times asked, ‘So I know you probably have to catch your own fish and stuff but what else do you eat?’ The hardest one was the 3AW breakfast show. They were very intelligent but comic, which meant they could easily charm and disarm if they wanted to. They tried to engage me in discussions about sex — for example, ‘Do they … you know what … down there?’ Not my style to talk about that! I tried to steer the conversation on to community life in general. They also wanted to discuss our so-called exorbitant salaries, which I laughed off and explained we had internet shopping so we would spend money. The Age interview was interesting. I spoke to Catherine for 40 minutes and it was the ‘blokiness’ angle she settled for. Perth was easy and I really enjoyed 3RRR — it was a very different interview, very intelligent people asking insightful questions.
Overall it has blown me away. I think the reason it's been picked up so much is that I'm pretty normal, and this unattainable experience is actually within the reach of normal Aussies. I'm proud I can do that.
Leaving Parks Victoria
I knew that two weeks after the announcement I would say goodbye to Victoria and hello to Tasmania for three months of training. The six weeks between finding out I was successful and leaving were spent tidying up all of my affairs. In my brand-new will I left the little I owned to my sister Jane, and gleefully bequeathed her my entire CD collection, knowing how much she hates my taste in music. (The fact is, I have no taste in music. I listen to ’80s songs on high rotation and that's it.) I eased out of the Chief Ranger role and handed over to my successor. I think I spent about two weeks travelling the state at the taxpayer's expense primarily to say goodbye to my friends and coworkers! The last day of work wasn't really work — my mind was elsewhere, far to the south.
Friday 16th July
Leaving PV last night wasn't as sad as I thought it might be. Probably because I had to drive home straight away for 6.40 pm and 7.40 pm media interviews. I didn't have time to be sad. I chose to invite only a few, special people so I could say thanks. I didn't want a production — just my true friends. I thanked them all but singled out John Goodman, Annie Volkering and Brett Cheatley. They have been a big part of my life and supported me for so long that I wanted to say thanks. I was presented with UGG boots (you can take the girl out of Dandenong …) and Brett made a lovely speech about how I had turned around the West Coast. It was short and sweet — just how I wanted it.
The response to my appointment has been overwhelming. I really expected many people to feel indifferent, even jealous maybe, for some reason. The PV crew have really embraced the idea. There was even a ‘PV All’ email sent out the day I appeared in the media. Following the notice about me was a note about payroll group certificates being sent out — so I managed to top ‘money’ as the most newsworthy item!
Len efficiently swung by at 6 pm to make sure I didn't leave the premises without handing over my building pass. That little thing wrenched me in the guts. This was it! Goodbye PV. It's been a blast!
The first crisis of confidence
I read and re-read all the AAD materials and all the books about Antarctica. The more I learned the more I realised I didn't know. My life and career so far had led me to know something about everything but to be an expert on nothing. It was obvious from my research that a successful expedition would require an expert leader — nothing less would suffice. I felt I needed a role model, someone I knew well, so I would be able to ask the question in my mind, ‘What would X do?’ I bought a suite of biographies on famous leaders, pored through Harvard Business Review summaries and started to build a picture of the ‘ideal leader’ in my mind.
I also started to feel a bit like I was going to Antarctica under false pretences. I wasn't that fascinated by climate science, I wasn't passionate about adventure or penguins … I was an opportunist!
Monday 19th July
Lifelong dream … not!
I'm feeling a bit stressed about the interview with Tracey Strong. She is an ABC producer and independent writer. She wants to do a profile piece on me, which is a bit frightening. When I think of other women who have achieved things they have all had long-held dreams — for example, Bridgette Muir knew at the age of six that she wanted to climb mountains, and most celebrities and high-profile people have been practising their art since a young age. Ditto sportspeople. I am such an ‘accidental achiever’ I'm worried I will disappoint. I have never had a life plan, a vision, clarity of purpose. I get through life taking opportunities as they arise. I suppose the positive thing is that I may inspire other people whose life hasn't worked out the way they planned. They might be able to look at me and see it's never too late to try something new. If something happens that you didn't plan for, like a marriage breakup or losing your job, then take it as an opportunity to have a go at something new!! You never know where you'll end up. I certainly never planned to live in Antarctica.
Note to self: Being bold and courageous feeds off itself. Once you do something bold it empowers you to try something even bolder next time.
I left my house in Anglesea and I was headed to Antarctica, but first was three months of training.
What I learned
- Reach out. Help can often come from the most unlikely sources. Find people you can learn from. Don't be afraid or timid. Make the phone call, connect with them on LinkedIn, shoot off an email and follow it up. Most people are more than happy to tell you about their successes and challenges or warn you about pitfalls!
- Everyone has an angle. When you do something interesting or different, people will react differently depending on their own experience and possibly their agenda. Go with the flow. Be true to yourself but ‘tailor’ your story or experience in a way that helps the other person get the most out of the interaction. You will both be happier.
- Be bold! Very few decisions we make in life are irreversible so ‘have a go’. Work overseas, move interstate, start up your own business, try online dating — whatever it is, just take the opportunity. If you don't like the outcome, make another decision.