Work along with staff and other volunteers from all walks of life at a privately-owned zoo that is dedicated to the care of Australia’s native wildlife!
This volunteer program is especially suitable for:
Are you a nature lover? Then venture in to Australia and be part of a unique opportunity and gain the satisfaction that comes from working in a great environment with an amazing team. Work along with staff and other volunteers from all walks of life at a privately-owned zoo that is dedicated to the care of Australia’s native wildlife in their natural habitat. Animals include thousands of birds, koalas, crocodiles, eclectus parrots, squirrel gliders, crocodiles, kangaroos, red-tailed cockatoos, snakes, lizards and so many more!
The Sanctuary is quite popular with many of the local schools, and is recognized as an Advanced Ecotourism Attraction, winning numerous tourism awards. As a volunteer, you will be working shoulder to shoulder with the rangers, where you will perform a variety of duties based on experience and competence. While the minimum duration for a volunteer is two weeks, volunteering for a longer period allows you the opportunity to develop your skills and knowledge about Australia’s native wildlife and working at a Zoo. This project is perfect for you if you enjoy wildlife and want to live/work in an amazing environment. You will dedicate your time towards the conservation of native wildlife and assist in educating and entertain ing visitors. Volunteers play an important role in the Sanctuary. The work is rewarding but can be physically demanding and by no means an ’easy holiday option’!
Volunteers play a vital role at the zoo in assisting with the daily activities. Your work will depend on the area you are interested in and will mostly be focused on cleaning, maintenance and food preparation. You will participate in the volunteer training program where training will be done in various activities and progress through Basic, Intermediate and Advanced Skills and for appropriate volunteers, to Specialist Skills. The amount and type of animal interaction that volunteers are involved with generally increases with progression through the skill levels. Some volunteers will be asked to perform different duties that you would not be allowed to perform. This is only because they have been volunteering for much longer than you and in time you can also have the same opportunities. Your responsibilities will include but not limited to:
- Preparing enclosures and the grounds for daily visitors. This includes raking, cleaning, feeding and of course, picking up poo!
- Preparing food and treats for our animals (including carnivores)
- Assisting the Rangers in presenting our daily wildlife talks and facilitating animal interactions
- Assisting in the maintenance of the grounds
- Assisting the Rangers with their duties, such as weighing our animals and undertaking health checks
- Helping our visitors get the most out of their time at the Sanctuary
- Assisting the Rangers with tour groups
- Other specialised activities, such as preparing educational material, gardening, construction and visitor assistance.
On days off, volunteers can go sightseeing to nearby Museums and Parks. Lots of activity such as; diving/snorkling, water sports, boat tours, helicopter tours and more also available however, this will be at the volunteers expense.