Growing up in a zoo is a childhood experience few Australians can claim, a list that includes wildlife personalities like Bindi and Robert Irwin. Now, a well-known Channel 7 television star has shared her remarkable story of spending more than two decades living within the walls of Victoria's most famous animal park.
A Life Behind the Gates
Natasha Weber, the resident astrologer for the Seven Network who made history by delivering the first horoscope on a mainstream Australian news broadcast, has opened up about her formative years. She confirmed she spent the first 21 years of her life residing at the Royal Melbourne Zoo.
Her extraordinary home life was made possible by her parents' deep connection to the institution. Her father, Ernst Weber, began his career there after emigrating from Germany in 1955, starting as a zookeeper working with elephants and reptiles.
It was in the reptile enclosure that he met his future wife, Maryke, who also worked at the zoo. Maryke held a specialised role, meticulously documenting and preparing formulas for baby animals. Her hand-rearing skills were renowned, and she raised a host of creatures including a pygmy hippopotamus named Cuddles, a rare honey bear, chimpanzees, and otters.
Animals as Family and Playmates
The family's fame within the zoo led to a unique living arrangement. A house was built for them within the zoo grounds, directly across from the animal nursery, so Maryke could work through the night feeding infant animals.
This meant Natasha's childhood home was never just for humans. "We'd constantly have animals in our house," she revealed. A newspaper clipping from her youth shows her at four years old, snuggling on the floor with a baby jaguar named Rastus.
Her playmates were far from ordinary. One of her most cherished companions was a chimpanzee named Bubsy, whom she considered like a sister. "I would share a pram with a chimpanzee called Bubsy," Natasha said. "Mum would wheel her and I around the zoo in a pram." She recalled Bubsy even jumping to her defense when she was scolded as a child.
A Legacy of Natural Habitats and Stargazing
While her mother nurtured animals, her father left a lasting legacy on the zoo's physical environment. During his tenure as animal superintendent, Ernst Weber was instrumental in transforming enclosures. He introduced natural foliage, removed bars, and created larger, more authentic habitats where visitors had to look through foliage to spot the animals.
The family's animal-centric life extended beyond the zoo, including travelling Australia in a small caravan with a kangaroo. Natasha credits this deeply unconventional upbringing for steering her towards her career in astrology.
"To be honest, (their work's) what really led me to astrology in a way," she explained. "I've always been very in touch with the natural world and its rhythms and cycles." She expressed immense gratitude for her unique childhood, stating it was a very special time that shaped her absolutely unique life.
