By Georgia Marett
If you’ve been to Yarraville station in the morning peak you’ll have heard Steve Gauci’s voice over the loud speaker giving weather updates, sharing a local fact, or announcing the next train. You’ll also know that Steve doesn’t use the official Metro script.
Steve says his approach changed when one day he went off-script and someone said it was funny. That’s when he realised he was a small part of people’s lives and he could do something positive with that. Initially he just started saying ‘hello’ to everyone.
Then during COVID he began ‘Happy Friday’ and started playing ‘Don’t Worry, Be Happy’ over the loudspeaker by putting a microphone up to his tablet speaker. Someone took a video, posted it online and the internet took care of the rest.
Through day-to-day kindness Steve has built a community around Yarraville station, where people say ‘hello’, stop for a chat, request a song, or wear one of his smiley face badges or stickers. Steve has watched babies become schoolchildren, been invited to a kid’s party, a funeral and local music gigs, and received more letters, gifts and compliments than his office can contain. Crucially, he says that community has been there to support him right back when he has needed it.
In his own words: “You can connect to everybody if you listen to what they say.”
