By Tyler Wright and Tanya Steele
If you were walking the main streets of Healeville on Thursday 20 July 20 you may have noticed a distinguished white alpaca on a stroll about town.
‘Hephner’ and his owner Robert Fletcher from Goulburn NSW are travelling through Victoria raising money for Lifeline.
“After this, we’ll up to Warrnambool and zig zag through to Mildura – we’re day four right now,” Mr Fletcher said.
The duo were spotted throughout the Healesville township but had already had a busy schedule, visiting nursing homes, local businesses and talking in the sights.
“Where we can we’re doing nursing homes, we’ve been to Alexandra and Wogga this morning,” Mr Fletcher said.
From up in Alexandra to Healesville and then Lilydale throughout the day, the pure white alpaca has been bringing smiles to all and raising money for a cause.
Hephner and Mr Fletcher have travelled for charity before, raising money for Beyond Blue in 2022 and the duo have also appeared on television on Sunrise and Bondi Beach.
The tour involved travelling, visiting and fundraising around 4000 kilometres, 50 stops and meeting hundreds of people all over NSW.
Mr Fletcher said he had lost a friend to suicide in 2017 and since has dedicated himself to raising money for charity.
“We might do Tasmania next year, so far on this trip we have made around 1000 dollars,” he said.
Hephner himself is very calm and is taking his current tour in stride.
The alpaca has been on social media since 2018, thanks to Mr Fletcher’s daughters and has fans on Facebook and Instagram worldwide.
