Robert Fletcher knew there was something special about Hephner the alpaca when they were introduced to each other by a breeder almost a decade ago.
Fletcher was looking for a male alpaca to balance out the mostly female herd at his farm in Goulburn in 2016 when the two formed an unlikely bond.
Little did he know the philanthropic waves Hephner would make across Australia.
“I think it’s his temperament, he’s totally unflappable,” he says of Hephner.
Hephner and Fletcher have been visiting nursing homes for the last nine years, most recently the pair have been attending Clare Holland House to comfort patients in palliative care.
“The fact that I take Hephner with me, engaging with people is quite easy, just taking an alpaca for a walk up the main street gives me an opening to tell people why I do what I do,” Fletcher said.
“We do nursing homes, we travel around a lot schools as well we get a lot of messages from people asking us to come visit.”
Hephner has made appearances on TV, including Bondi Rescue, toured pubs around NSW and Queensland, and has embarked on fundraising trails across the country to raise money for mental health.
One of his most recent endeavours involved embarking on a tour of Tasmania to raise funds for Dolly’s Dream – a charity committed to supporting young people affected by bullying.
“We took him on the boat to Tasmania and did two weeks travelling, raising awareness and raising money for mental health,” Fletcher said.
“We try to pick a charity each year, then we go on a bit of a road trip.”
Hephner has also brushed shoulders with Australian celebrities such as Jimmy Barnes and John Waters, as well as current and former MPs Jacqui Lambie and Christopher Pyne.
And, when April rolls around each year, Hephner is inundated with messages from fans asking if he’ll make an appearance at the Sydney Royal Easter Show.
But it was his interaction with the King during Charles’ royal tour of Australia that captured hearts around the nation.
During King Charles’ royal engagement at Circular Quay, Hephner found himself face to face with the monarch when he let out a sneeze.
The moment attracted media attention across the world, but Fletcher said the meeting almost never happened.
“My goal was to take a photo from behind with Hephner looking at King Charles,” Fletcher explained.
“I never expected him to get as close as he actually did.
“They weren’t even going to let us in to start with, I think they changed their mind when they realised how calm he was.
“We lined at a spot close to the fence, then a woman came down and said we’d get a better place at the top. So we stood at the fence and that was it.”
In the lead-up to the festive season, Fletcher and Hephner’s schedule hasn’t slowed down, with the pair making appearances at Christmas parties at nursing homes and schools for children with special needs.
The pair are also hosting their annual Christmas photos at Fletcher’s farm, Fletchers Ark in Goulburn.
“(Hephner’s) done weddings in the Opera House, weddings in Sydney, birthdays in Sydney,” Fletcher said.
“My wife often makes a comment where if I’m working and she’s to take him to a nursing home, she’ll comment he doesn’t behave the way he behaves for me.
“But certainly like any animal, if you spend enough time with them, you build a bond with them.”
