Vollie Profile - Peter Serisier

Entally Estate Volunteer

Peter Serisier is a man who knows his history. Guests may know him as the friendly face which greets them at the front door on Thursdays each week, or as the “history talks” man at our bi-annual Gardenfest – an idea suggested by Peter himself, to encourage guests to come through the House whilst visiting the site at Gardenfest.

Having travelled extensively throughout his life, Peter developed a love for history & heritage properties. In 2008, after 20 years of running Prospect Marketplace News, Peter retired and began volunteer work. He started at Franklin House in Youngtown as a tour guide and stayed there for six years. Over the next few years Peter volunteered the Cataract Gorge, doing tours of City Park in Launceston, and as a tour guide at Clarendon. In 2018, he decided to volunteer at Entally and settled comfortably into the role as a House guide.

Whilst Peter has no family connection to Entally, his family tree dates back to the French Revolution. One of his ancestors is Jean Emile Serisier (1824 – 1880), a French-born midshipman who is well known as the founder of Dubbo in NSW.

Peter enjoys his Thursdays at Entally and loves to meet people from all walks of life who come through the door. He is often surprised by the people he meets – often there are guests who are one or two degrees of separation between them, like a couple who lived just down the road from Peter when he was in Alice Springs thirty years ago!

When asked what his favourite part of volunteering at Entally is, Peter smiles and says he can’t choose just one thing. The atmosphere of the House, the guests who appreciate the history, the well-managed volunteer group, and the giant biscuit jar all top his list! Peter says when he retired, he needed to do something with his life to get him out of the house. Volunteering has given him a social outlet, and a purpose in his retirement.