WIGGLES MUSO’S WILD NEW GIG
LEOPOLD’S Jack Gatto has swapped strumming his guitar with kid entertainers The Wiggles for handling snakes.
The well-known Elvis Presley impersonator toured with the wildly popular children’s band in 2019, playing rhythm guitar and serving as an understudy.
He described being on stage with The Wiggles in front of thousands of young fans as mind-blowing.
“In one week, I went from playing in a pub to Rod Laver Arena with one of Australia’s biggest-ever bands,” he said. “It’s spine-tingling.”
Gatto was meant to tour with The Wiggles further in 2020 but coronavirus cruelled those plans.
The 29-year-old has
always had a passion for wildlife conservation, citing the late Steve Irwin as his hero.
With the entertainment industry heavily impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, Gatto took the opportunity to follow another passion and started working at Jirrahlinga Koala and Wildlife Sanctuary in late 2020.
He conducts encounters with reptiles as a handler, working with snakes and lizards.
He also works with the Barwon Heads sanctuary’s junior rangers program, taking kids around the site to interact with animals.
Gatto can transfer lessons from his time entertaining kids to his wildlife role.
“You learn so much when you’re dealing with children,” he said.
“The No 1 thing is you know exactly where you stand, it’s the exact same with reptiles.
“If I could find a balance, I’d love to be on tour with The Wiggles and working with animals.”