Al Mucci Resignation

[Brad2912]

Shock resignation of Dreamworld stalwart Al Mucci

One of Dreamworld’s most well-known faces has suddenly announced his departure from the company after 15 years in the job.

DREAMWORLD’S animal kingdom needs a new king after the sudden departure of wildlife boss Al Mucci.

Mr Mucci, Dreamworld’s general manager of life sciences, had been at the Gold Coast theme park for 15 years before his shock resignation this week.

His departure is a blow to Dreamworld, which has been recently rocked by the coronavirus crisis and the scathing inquest findings in to the Thunder River Rapids tragedy.

A passionate wildlife warrior, Mr Mucci has also served on a number of zoological bodies, including the Save the Bilby Fund and the Dreamworld Wildlife Foundation.

In addition to being Dreamworld’s virtual Doctor Dolittle, Mr Mucci was also general manager of Corroboree, the theme park’s indigenous attraction, and he was the official Indigenous Relationships Manager for the Commonwealth Games.

He said he was sad to leave Dreamworld but needed a fresh start after 15 years with the tourism icon, revealing that the terrible impact of the recent bushfires had been a draining experience.

“It’s something I’ve been thinking about for a while and the bushfires really brought it to the fore,” he said.

“I’ve given Dreamworld 100 per cent and I wish them nothing but the best, but it’s time for someone else to have a go.”

He said he hoped Dreamworld could pull through the shadow the coronavirus has cast over the entire tourism industry.

“It’s an extraordinary time but I hope Dreamworld not only survives, but thrives.”

Nominated last year for a Pride of Australia award, Mr Mucci enjoyed a decorated and storied career at Dreamworld, famously handing a koala to Russian President Vladimir Putin during the G20 leaders’ summit in Brisbane in 2014.

Sydney born and bred, Mr Mucci, 51, was the public face of Dreamworld’s wildlife and conservation efforts for over a decade.

He was a master of quirky quips, dubbing a computer-based koala breeding program “Tinder for koalas”.

In talking about the tender relationship of crocodiles to promote Valentine’s Day, he said “everyone should make love like a crocodile”.

At the G20, Mr Mucci met then-US President Barack Obama and Mr Putin, who was famously photographed with a koala trying to escape his clutches.

He has also been closely involved in conservation projects, including efforts to save two endangered Queensland species - the tinker frog and bristlebird.

Mr Mucci said he planned to take a break before embarking on any new career moves.

In a statement, a Dreamworld spokesman said Mr Mucci would leave a lasting legacy at the theme park.

“He made a significant contribution to the business and was a tireless advocate for wider community appreciation of animal causes,” he said.

“His commitment to conservation is evident through the incredible work of the Dreamworld Wildlife Foundation, as is his ongoing support for Indigenous peoples and culture having championed Dreamworld Corroboree.

“Al leaves a lasting legacy not just at Dreamworld but also within the community for wildlife conservation and as an ambassador for the Indigenous culture.”

GCB 21/3/2020 

[dbo121]

Resigned or pushed out due to cost?

[Brad2912]

12 hours ago, dbo121 said:

Resigned or pushed out due to cost?

Pretty sure from his comments you can see it was a personal decision.

They’ll need to replace him so no point really pushing him out 

[joz]

I just hope he quit because he wanted to do his own thing not fleeing a sinking ship.

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

8 minutes ago, joz said:

I just hope he quit because he wanted to do his own thing not fleeing a sinking ship.

One would think if he was that kinda guy he’d have left when all the others did.

[dbo121]

17 minutes ago, AlexB said:

One would think if he was that kinda guy he’d have left when all the others did.

Don’t always believe how it’s presented externally . So trusting