We only ever see them in a crisis - but Mandy Dolejsi, Sheree Murray and Lauren Napper-Ferrari are now familiar faces from the daily government briefings on the pandemic.
They translate phrases like "infectious in the community" into language which deaf people can understand.
The three interpret the spoken word into Auslan, the sign language which most deaf people in this country use. Interpreters became familiar in the bushfires and they are back for the pandemic.
The current trio do get recognised in the street, not quite feted as film stars but registered by passers-by as familiar.
"I wouldn't say 'celebrity' but people do recognise our faces," Lauren Napper-Ferrari said. "I have had a few people recognise me. It's nice for the community to show appreciation."
Not that it has gone to their heads. They are modest.
"It's not about us. We are the face of sign language but really the language and the culture comes from the deaf community," Ms Napper-Ferrari said.
"We are just the bridge between spoken English and sign language."
They are highly skilled. The language is not something they just picked up. Lauren Napper-Fisher spent two years on part-time courses plus 18 months on a full-time diploma course.
The skills are necessary. Before every press conference, the main speakers give them some idea of what's going to be said, but they have no idea what questions will be bowled by journalists - and interpretation has to be instant. Miss the moment and the moment has gone.
Occasionally, the interpreters have asked one of the speakers to slow down and pace out a list of names so they can get each one right.
They work in pairs, with one on stage and the other sitting as a prompter if the main interpreter has missed something.
There are trip wires which make the task harder, like when journalists or politicians shout over each other.
The three of them tend to work three days on and two days off. They are friends and they make the current relentless pattern of briefings work flexibly for each other.
While they are feted by many, there are a few grumblers and moaners who complain that the interpreters distract attention in the daily briefings.
Why can't there be captions instead, is the main question, according to Lauren Napper-Ferrari. She answers: automatic captioning gets it wrong.
She mentions how "Canberrans" became "Ken Behrens", and how "Moderna is coming" became "Madonna is coming".
The Auslan language does not convey every dot and syllable of spoken English. It has a different structure and leaves out lots of words.
Facial gestures give different meanings.
"Comfortable", for example, is a nice cupped hand, but when the interpreter accompanies it with a nasty grimace, it means "uncomfortable".
There are countless new terms from this pandemic. When Mandy Dolejsi was interpreting Scott Morrison in the early stages, she spelt out COVID.
But eventually the sign became the right-hand moving in a circle around the left fist to give an impression of the famous spikey coronavirus itself.
The interpreters are valued for their work in the deaf community.
"Auslan interpreters have played a vital role, particularly over the past two years, in ensuring Deaf Australians receive public safety information in times of crisis from bushfires to COVID-19," Brent Phillips of Deaf Services and the Deaf Society said.
"It's clear, however, that we need more interpreters more often."
