IN THE BEGINNING

In 2016, life handed me an unexpected twist: I was made redundant from the job I’d held for nearly 15 years. At the time it felt anything but positive, but looking back, it was the moment that gave me something I’d been missing for years — time. Time to think, time to create, and time to finally explore an idea that had been quietly bubbling away in the background while I juggled work and a young family.

The idea for The Amazing Zoo Game began during a family visit to Sydney’s Taronga Zoo. As we wandered through the paths, it struck me how much a zoo feels like a maze — full of discovery, adventure, and those little moments of wonder kids love. I remember thinking, What if all of this could be turned into a board game? Something that captures the excitement of exploring, the joy of animals, and the fun of navigating a maze?

So I started building one.

Fueled by inspiration (and maybe a bit of blind optimism), I put together a rough prototype within days. It wasn’t pretty, but when I played it with my family, something clicked. The kids were engaged, laughing, plotting their next move. I kept refining it, testing different ideas, and eventually had a version I felt proud of. A graphic designer helped me create a simple mock‑up using images from the internet — nothing fancy, but enough to bring the game to life.

Then came the real test: other families. With two boys of my own (then 16 and 11), I had a ready-made network of parents with kids of similar ages. Over about 20 playtests, with families from all walks of life, the feedback was the same — “Can we play again?” That’s when I knew I had something special.

What surprised me most was how balanced the game felt. The timing was spot on (usually 10–20 minutes), the tension built naturally, and the element of chance meant anyone could win — even the player who looked like they were miles behind. Parents loved the fun facts on the Discover cards, and it was always a joy watching kids learn without even realising they were learning.

That was the moment the journey truly began. And like any good maze, it’s been full of twists, turns, surprises, and plenty of lessons along the way. But with encouragement from friends, family, and every child who asked to play “just one more round,” I knew I had to keep going.