At his property outside Hobart, Steve and his wife Sharon are the proud owners of a tiny handmade village called GuineaVale, home to 30 female guinea pigs. In 2021, he started sharing videos of the guinea pigs online, and they quickly became a global viral sensation, with more than 733,000 social followers.

Where did you grow up and where do you live now? Born in the late ‘60s, I spent my childhood growing up in the northern suburbs of Hobart in Claremont. Today I live in the hills surrounding this vicinity.

Tell us a bit about GuineaVale and how it started. The GuineaVale seen today sits inside of a fully enclosed fruit orchard just over 2100sqm in size on a steep east facing bank. It’s populated with cherry and apple trees along with raspberries and blueberries planted into the rich grass-covered soil, grass that required a lot of maintenance. The initial joke was to have some small animal that could live within this area and hopefully control some of this prolifically growing grass like little lawn mowers. Enter the guineas! It all began with a handful of guinea pigs. As soon as these beautiful little creatures arrived the focus quickly changed. It wasn’t about what they could do for me, it became about what I could do for them. The guinea pigs needed homes that provided shelter, warmth and coolness. They were made by me along with dozens of hidey-holes scattered throughout the orchard.

What was it like to go viral? The whole social media aspect came about from my older grandchildren suggesting I do it. I quickly found it to be a great way for my grandson who lives interstate to see the guinea pigs. Amazingly, people from all around the world started watching GuineaVale as well, which started out with tens of thousands and now has been viewed by hundreds of millions on TikTok alone, with people spending more than 160.2 million hours watching the adorable little creatures. The guineas are beautiful little creatures, they live in harmony with each other and they have their own little community. GuineaVale is wholesome, funny and extremely cute.

What’s a typical day in the life for a guinea pig in GuineaVale? The guineas spend most nights indoors. A typical day will start with them going to the communal area where they will run and jump about, lounge around soaking up the morning sun and having an occasional treat. From here they will enter the orchard, subject to conditions, where they roam freely, sometimes in smaller herds or huge long single file lines travelling up and down or across. They will forage, feeding on the specially planted grasses for them, run about and are often seen napping under the shade of a tree.

What is it about guinea pigs that captures your heart? Everything! But the biggest is the sense of relaxation and calmness they give you when you are around them.

Who do you admire? My wife because she is a wonderful person.

Secret vice? Chocolate but it is not a secret.

What are you reading now? Titan: The Life of John D. Rockefeller, Sr. by Ron Chernow

Do you have any pets? Cat, dog, and sheep.

What was your first job? At Risby Timber.

What are your daily news/social media habits? Replying to comments on GuineaVale social accounts.

Your favourite place for…

Breakfast: Easter Sunday with family at the shack.

Lunch: The Cannery, Dunalley.

Dinner: Home.

Favourite Tasmanian secret? I love waking up in remote locations in the Central Highlands.

Parting words? Everyday the guineas make me smile. If I can share that through social media and make others smile, well that is a wonderful thing. We can be followed on TikTok (@guineavale) , Instagram (@guineavale_tasmania) and Facebook (@guineavale).