Parramatta local, Dr Christopher Cheng, volunteers once a fortnight as a guide at Old Government House. He says the experience has helped him connect with other people and dig deeper into his own passion for history.
Why did you decide to become a volunteer at Old Government House?
I’m from Cairns and have lived in Hong Kong for a decade, so when I moved to Sydney everything was familiar but also quite new to me. I came to Sydney for my studies in Chinese-Australian migration heritage at Western Sydney University. After spending a long time at university and home, and completing my doctoral degree during the pandemic, I realised I needed to get out and see more people. Volunteer work was a way to see more people, and I felt that guiding was something that I could do.
Even though I live in Parramatta, I had never visited Old Government House before I started volunteering. The National Trust’s mission statement is to bring heritage to life for future generations, and this ties into my career. I have studied architecture, anthropology, history and heritage, so guiding is a way to address these interests.
What does your role involve?
I make my way to the Old Government House before it opens and I greet the other volunteers. We bring the signage out and open the doors, then as we wait for visitors to arrive I look through my notes and refresh my knowledge about the house.
When visitors arrive, we take them on a tour and explain the history of the colony, the building, and how Old Government House was occupied throughout its time. We can do up to three tours a day. Sometimes when it’s quiet I talk with the other volunteers. It’s never boring. Everyone’s very generous and always open for a conversation.
What’s the best part of volunteering so far?
Firstly, the visitors that we meet. A lot of the time they’re very curious and they make the experience meaningful and purposeful. The other best part is the team of volunteers. I think being with a group of people boosts my day.
As a continuous learner, I was ready to learn more but was initially hesitant about taking people on my first tour. The other volunteers encouraged me, saying: “You can do it, Chris!” My first tour went well – the visitors even signed up to become National Trust members.
What’s your favourite room at Old Government House?
The breakfast room. It’s where the Governors had their down time. The room contains a specimen cabinet and two globes — one terrestrial, another celestial, highlighting a connection to the great outdoors and a fascination with the wider world. I think the kitchen is the most popular room with visitors – there are so many different artefacts in there that people can relate to.
What advice would you give to anyone thinking of volunteering?
My advice is to go for it! I find that a lot of the volunteers belong to a different age category to me. I’m much younger, and many of the others are retired or about to retire. Being together and volunteering, I imagine it like one torch passing to another, where the flame grows brighter.
I also find that volunteering adds a new dimension to my life. As someone who works alone and from home most of the time, volunteering gives me a sense of local community, and talking to people of a different generation develops my social skills. Plus, volunteering at Old Government House is an ongoing history lesson!
Ready to get started? Choose from a range of volunteer roles at the National Trust and help us conserve and share our heritage. Register today.
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