Growing up inside the Royal Melbourne Zoo has provided Natasha Weber, Channel 7’s resident astrologer, with a truly unique perspective on life. In a recent interview, she shared insights into her unconventional childhood, which was shaped by her parents’ roles as zookeepers. Weber’s father, Ernst Weber, began his career at the zoo after emigrating from Germany in 1955, where he worked closely with elephants and reptiles.
Natasha’s mother, Maryke Weber, also played a vital role at the zoo, specializing in the care of young animals. Her responsibilities included documenting feeding formulas and raising various species, including a rare pygmy hippopotamus and chimpanzees. Natasha reminisced about the time her mother raised a pygmy hippo named Cuddles, a moment captured in newspaper archives.
During their time at the zoo, both parents became well-known figures, with Ernst eventually promoted to animal superintendent. Maryke garnered media attention for her animal care efforts, leading the family to live on zoo grounds. “We had a house built for our family in the zoo grounds and the animal nursery,” Natasha explained. “I don’t know if it’s still there today, but it was built for my mother to be directly across the road because she would be working all through the night hand-rearing these baby animals.”
The family’s home was not just a residence but also a lively environment filled with animals. Natasha fondly recalled sharing a pram with a chimpanzee named Bubsy, who became a surrogate sister. “Mum would wheel her and I around the zoo in a pram,” Natasha said. She described how Bubsy would leap to her defense whenever she faced discipline from her parents.
Ernst Weber’s influence extended beyond family life; he was instrumental in transforming animal enclosures at the zoo. Natasha noted, “My dad was the one who would bring in all the natural habitat, like the plants that animals would normally be surrounded with in their natural state.” His efforts led to larger, more naturalistic enclosures, enhancing the animals’ living conditions.
The Weber family’s adventures were not confined to the zoo. “We also travelled around Australia in a very small caravan with a kangaroo in it,” Natasha revealed, highlighting the unconventional upbringing she experienced. This close connection to nature and animals has profoundly impacted her career path. “To be honest, their work’s what really led me to astrology,” she stated. “I’ve always been very in touch with the natural world and its rhythms and cycles.”
While Natasha pursued a different vocation than her parents, she expresses gratitude for her formative years. “It was a very special time, and I’m very grateful for having had that experience,” she said. “It’s definitely a unique childhood upbringing that’s for sure — and it’s been an absolutely unique life in many, many ways.”
In sharing her story, Natasha Weber offers a glimpse into a world few have known, where the wonders of the animal kingdom shaped a young girl’s perspective and career. Her reflections serve as a reminder of the profound impact our environments have on our lives.
