A Fan Shares Her Feelings On Oprah’s Ultimate Australian Adventure

For thousands upon thousands of Aussie fans, it was the ultimate statement longed to be heard, by American talk show queen, Oprah Winfrey “We Are Going To Aussstrrrralia!”.

As soon as it was announced that Oprah was heading for our shores along with 300 of her audience members to embark on her Australian Ultimate Adventure, I was overcome with such emotion. No words could clearly describe the happiness and joy that was pulsating throughout my body. After so many years of tuning into her daytime television program the inspiring Oprah Winfrey was finally visiting the Great Land Down Under. The rush of adrenalin had kicked in. I danced around the living room shouting and screaming. My husband and children joined in the happy dance as we cheered for our much loved queen of TV.

I was hopeful to be randomly selected as one of the lucky winners to get THE GOLDEN TICKET in the ballot. Here, over 350,000 requests for tickets were made online but only 12,000 were available for the Australian public. After weeks of spending X amount of hours online slumped over my keyboard applying hundreds of times to increase my chances of winning and waiting anxiously for the result, to my disappointment I received the email that my request was unsuccessful.  Did I feel as a home viewer that I missed out? To the contrary Thanks to all the Australian news crews and reporters I felt as though I was present in the experience and that I was sharing in the ultimate adventure every step of the way.

As a Melbournian I was ecstatic to learn Oprah was to make a quick stop visit to my city. Over 8,000 screaming fans welcomed Oprah as she entered the stage in Melbourne’s Federation Square. Standing along side her was Australian Prime Minister, Melbournian also, Miss Julia Gillard. To watch the sea of loyal fans embrace and welcome Oprah with posters held up high, facial expressions of gratitude, chants of ‘Oprah we love you’, it was a welcome she had never experienced before. “I’ve never seen a welcome like this in my life. In. My. Life” Oprah told the thousands. In a short speech to fans, Oprah said she was loving her first trip to Australia. She described the country as ‘breathtaking’. She continued to thank the fans. “When we looked around the world, our greatest fan base was right here in Australia. So I said, let’s go to the people who support you”. “Thank You Melbourne,” she yelled.

For the next 4 days I, along with the rest of Australia’s home viewers watched Oprah and her 300 guests visit popular land marks around Australia. From her encounter with native Koalas, to the view of the sunset in the red desert heartland, Uluru, sacred grounds to the indigenous Aboriginal people to the iconic Sydney Opera House that became the “Oprah House and the Big letter “O” that shone over the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

Sadly,  the Ultimate Australian Adventure came to an end. Oprah’s guests made their way back to the U.S.A yesterday, a few were teary eyed as they expressed their love of Australia to news reporters at the airport.  I jumped out of bed turned on the television hoping that she would have extended her stay, as rumour had it. But instead I turned on to see Oprah waving good bye from a black limousine saying her final farewells to camera crew as she was lead away to her private jet plane. In one final word, she said she got all choked up while packing this morning to the camera crew. 

Oprah’s visit was a personal reminder that I’m proud to be an Aussie girl. I’m proud to be a woman of beauty, strength and purpose. I’m proud to embrace my true self, my body and shape, yes indeed ‘all my curves’.

So sad to see you leave Oprah. Thank you for all your years of service to television and in doing so, enriching, fulfilling and changing the lives of so many people across the world. Thank you for being an incredible example of truth, love, kindness & generosity to our Australian Nation. As a wife, mother and plus size model woman, Thank you for your words of inspiration and empowerment. As I endeavour to pursue my own dreams I will wear your words, Live your Best Life and Live it with purpose. Thank you Oprah, you have won the heart of Australia, and we are grateful.

Evangeline Green
Real Women Ambassador Australia