Veteran Melbourne Zoo volunteer Beryl Durran a passionate ambassador for animal conservation

But her love of wildlife couldn't be ignored and eventually it led her to become a volunteer at Melbourne Zoo.

Four decades and countless days and hours later, the 77-year-old is still volunteering and still as passionate an ambassador for the zoo as she has ever been.

Beryl started volunteering at Melbourne Zoo before the invention of the internet and her tenure as a volunteer is so impressive she has outlasted 10 Australian prime ministers and seen 11 Olympic Games while there.

Beryl began in a program called Friends of the Zoo which saw 400 volunteers help with a variety of tasks like fundraising, gardening, public tours and sharing knowledge with visitors.

Over the years Beryl has been involved in many successful fundraising events with proceeds going towards caring for the zoo animals and threatened species.

Beryl has also been a tour guide at the zoo and one of her passions is inspiring wildlife conservation by sharing her love for and knowledge of the animals with visitors.

"The animals at the zoo are ambassadors for animals in the wild," she said. "When the public fall in love with the animals here then they are often inspired to help save their wild cousins."

Beryl's contribution as a volunteer was recognised this year when she was awarded a life membership and was one of three volunteers inducted into the zoo's Hall of Fame - the first volunteers to be inducted in the zoo's 157 year history.

These days Beryl spends most of her time at the zoo volunteering in the visitor information booth greeting people with her trademark smile and providing information.

"Whilst I may not be able to physically do the things I used to do, my passion for the zoo and the animals here has never wavered," she said.

Her advice for anyone interested in becoming a volunteer is simple.

"I would say if you're interested in volunteering, just do it.

"A zookeeper once said to me, if you watch an animal long enough, you will be rewarded and that's happened too many times for me to count.

"I'd like to stay at the zoo and help in any way I can for as long as I can."

More than 800 volunteers now help at Melbourne Zoo, Werribee Open Range Zoo and Healesville Sanctuary.

For more information about volunteering at Zoos Victoria visit: www.zoo.org.au/about-us/volunteer