
Trip Highlights
- Incredible opportunity to volunteer for the native animals at a local wildlife shelter, taking care of the injured and orphaned animals
- Get your hands dirty while feeding the animals, cleaning & maintenance, and enrichment work at the Shelter
- Meet new friends from around the world and create an enriching experience for yourself
- Gain first-hand work experience while working with local shelter owners and volunteers
Overview
Overview
Join Wildlife Conservation Volunteer Program in Australia with Volunteering Solutions to get a chance to work alongside beautiful Australian animals and get involved in animal feeding, cleaning, maintenance, and enrichment. The Project is located in a State Forest 300 km northeast of Melbourne and 600km southwest of Sydney.
Volunteers and veterinary students can learn from the owner of the project who has cared for animals for decades. It'll be an incredible opportunity to gain first-hand international work experience and contribute meaningfully towards the wellbeing of the native animals who are sheltered here.
While the number of native animals needing help is increasing, resources are not high enough. Your contribution is enormous as the feeding schedule of the animals, especially in the nursery, which is busy running 4 hourly feeds. Since the shelter receives no recurrent funding from governments, they rely on the contribution of volunteers and donations from the public to keep it running. It has no paid staff and by volunteering at the project, you make a major contribution to the welfare of Australian wildlife.
If you're an animal lover, then this would surely be a delightful choice for you! Not only will you get to work for a noble cause, but it'll be a great chance for you to meet people from different parts of the world and explore Australia like never before! This program would be the best choice for high school/ college students, backpackers and gap year travelers who are looking for some meaningful work abroad.
Program Requirements
Program Requirements
Volunteers must be 18 years or older at the time of joining the project. You need to have an open mind and a flexible attitude for working in a new and different environment. The volunteer should bring energy and enthusiasm to make a difference. Participants must be fit and healthy at the time of joining the program. Every volunteer is required to show proof of Tetanus vaccination prior to joining the program. The program is suitable for those with a keen interest in animal and wildlife conservation. However, the program is open to all and you do not need the necessary qualifications to join the program. Participants should be prepared to work outdoors and should be fit and healthy.
Volunteer Roles & Responsibilities
Volunteer Roles & Responsibilities
The shelter operates a 24/7 rescue hotline and is inundated with rescues. The number of animals in care is over 150, therefore, volunteers are not always given an opportunity to visit the local town, however,
there are outings and sightseeing opportunities scheduled only if the shelter is quiet. Please note that not all volunteers get the opportunity to go on outings and the expectation is that they will work a 7 day work
week.
Daily activities of the volunteers consist of:
- bottle feeding all young animals every 4 hours
- toileting young animals after feeds (please see the shelter owner if you are uncomfortable with this task as it must be done properly)
- exercising young animals
- cleaning animal enclosures
- building / repairing animal enclosures
- keeping the grounds clean and tidy
- keeping the volunteer accommodation clean and tidy
Other tasks include: Assisting in rescue calls & emergency medical treatment, browsing for grass and gum leaves in the forest, socializing with local volunteers, etc.
Volunteer Work Schedule
Volunteer Work Schedule
A general tentative work schedule for the volunteers is as follows :
- Wildlife Exercise-Walking the wombats
- Cleaning bottles and other equipment
- Bottle feeding kangaroos
- Cleaning & repairing enclosures
- Tidying up
- Wildlife exercise-Supervising joey playtime
- Making milk for bottles
- Bottle feeding in the nursery
- Cleaning bottles and other equipment
- Preparing food trays, cutting up vegetables and fruit
- Cleaning enclosures and performing yard duties
- Assisting with gum tree leaves
- Making milk for bottles
- Tidying up
- Washing
Living
Living
Arrival Information
Volunteers need to fly into Melbourne or Sydney to reach Yackandandah in Victoria. From Melbourne take a train/bus to Yackandandah. From Sydney take a regional flight to Albury then a bus to Yackandandah where you will be met on arrival. Participants need to arrive in Yackandandah on Thursday between 9 am and 4 pm. Full details of the arrival options shall be provided to the volunteers after confirmation of the placement.
Orientation
Volunteers are picked and taken to the shelter where they can settle in before learning about the animals and what needs to be done.
Accommodation
Accommodation is in a shared cabin in single beds. There is a place for your personal belongings and space for your bags. On cold nights, there is a closed-in fire that is stocked with wood during the night by the owner who sneaks in unobtrusively to keep you stocked up and warm.
There is no electricity during the day as generators are turned off to save power. Please ensure that your cameras and phones are charged overnight as you may not have access to charge these during the day. There is a shortage of water in this area. When showering, volunteers are asked to keep showers short. Volunteers are encouraged to freshen up every day with warm face washers and wet ones/baby wipes.
Meals
There is a communal area with a kitchen. Volunteers are provided three meals a day, morning tea, drinking water, tea, coffee, and sugar. Volunteers are responsible for buying any additional items they would like to purchase from the local town. The cooking is usually shared. Everyone welcomes a new chef!
Vegetarians and vegans are asked to assist with the shopping and take part in the meal planning and/or preparation to ensure that their dietary needs are catered for. Domestic duties are shared by all the volunteers including meal preparation, washing and tidying up.
During Free Time
The shelter operates a 24/7 rescue hotline and is inundated with rescues. The number of animals in care is over 150, therefore, volunteers are not given a lot of free time, but when they do some popular pastimes are taking photographs, reading, blogging and spending time with the animals. Volunteers are not always given an opportunity to visit the local town, however, there are outings and sightseeing opportunities scheduled only if the shelter is quiet. Please note that not all volunteers get the opportunity to go on outings and the expectation is that they will work a 7 day work week.
Dates
Dates
2023
2024
January
February
March
April
05
12
19
26
May
03
10
17
24
31
June
07
14
21
28
July
05
12
19
26
August
02
09
16
23
30
September
06
13
20
27
October
04
11
18
25
November
01
08
15
22
29
December
06
13
20
27
January
10
17
24
31
February
07
14
21
28
March
06
13
20
27
April
03
10
17
24
May
01
08
15
22
29
June
05
12
19
26
July
03
10
17
24
31
August
07
14
21
28
September
04
11
18
25
October
02
09
16
23
30
November
06
13
20
27
December
04
11
Past Date
Available
Unavailable
Filling Fast
Costs
Costs
Please Note: -An application fee of $229 is charged over and above the program fee as an application payment. (A 4% international banking fee is charged at the time of payment)
What are you Paying for?
- Pre-departure support
- Project Information Pack
- Return transfers from the local town to the project
- On the job training
- Accommodation
- Meals
- In Country Support
- Certificate Of Completion (Upon Request)
What's NOT included?
- Flights
- Return transfers from the airport to the local town
- Travel Insurance
- Personal Spending
- Visas
Reviews
Reviews
Frequently asked questions
FAQ's Application and Program Details
Flights and Visa
Health and Safety
Connect with Past Volunteers
Accommodation and Living
Still have Questions?
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Get in touch whatever way works best for you.