Western Plains Zoo director Steve Hinks shortlisted for fathers' day award

Mr Hinks, director of Taronga Western Plains Zoo, has been announced as one of shortlisted nominees for the Community Father of the Year award at the Australian Father of the Year Awards.

The father-of-two said it was "incredibly humbling" to be shortlisted for the award.

"We all love our kids enormously and we like to think that our kids love us just as much," he told the Daily Liberal.

"Olivia and Jamie actually got online together and researched these awards without me even knowing about it and put the nomination in and then told me about it afterwards.

"It's just incredible that I can be so lucky to have two little people that are that thoughtful. I was just so proud of them for the fact they had the get-up-and-go to actually put a nomination in."

The Australian Father of the Year Awards celebrate outstanding fathers who make a positive impact on their families and communities, shining a light on the critical role all fathers play in their children's lives.

"I haven't done anything any different to any other dad. These types of awards are the recognition of dad roles across the board and that includes all father figures," Mr Hinks said.

"It really is important, I do view it as my most important job - more so than being director at the zoo - being a dad and being a parent is the number one thing."

Mr Hinks said being a father inspires him to use his business skills to make the world a better place for the next generation.

"What we're doing at the zoo - and the reason that I work there - is because, as a conservation organisation, it's designed to make tomorrow better than today and to leave the world in a better place," he said.

"My approach with parenting, with my kids, is I hope to raise two kids who will have a positive impact on the world in the future."

He said he is proud his kids have been able to be part of his journey at the Western Plains Zoo.

"My kids have been the test market for a lot of ideas and they've actually supplied a lot of ideas that we've rolled out and executed at the zoo," he said.

"They were the inspiration for the great installations at the new wildlife hospital where we talk about the importance of poo in science, they thought it was hilarious.

"They look at the world through a completely different world than we do as adults because they don't have those ingrained histories or biases - they see the world for what it is."

When he's not at the zoo, Mr Hinks can be seen on the sideline coaching an East Dubbo United soccer team and a Macquarie junior cricket side, for both of which his son plays.

The Australian Father of the Year Awards are an initiative of the Fathering Project, a national charity that aims to transform children's lives by educating, supporting and empowering dads.

The winner of the Community Father of the Year award before Fathers' Day will be announced at the upcoming ceremony on Thursday, August 31.

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