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Wildlife Conservation Volunteer Program
Wildlife Conservation Volunteer Program

Yackandandah, Australia

Wildlife Conservation Volunteer Program

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 :

6:30 AM  Wake up
7:00 AM Breakfast and washing up
7:30 AM - 10.30 AM   Bottle-feeding yard kangaroos & nursery animals
Shelter Duties:
  • Wildlife Exercise-Walking the wombats
  • Cleaning bottles and other equipment
  • Bottle feeding kangaroos
  • Cleaning & repairing enclosures
  • Tidying up
10:30 AM  Morning Tea
11 AM-12 PM Continue shelter duties
  • Wildlife exercise-Supervising joey playtime
  • Making milk for bottles
  • Bottle feeding in the nursery
  • Cleaning bottles and other equipment
12:45 -1 PM Prepare lunch (volunteers and/or staff on a rotational basis, just put your hand up)
1:30 PM Shelter Duties:
  • 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                                                                           
4 PM Bottle feeding in the nursery
Cleaning bottles and other equipment
Ongoing interaction and monitoring of all animals
6:30 PM Prepare dinner (volunteers on a rotational basis, just out your hand up)
7 PM onwards Dinner and free time
Washing up
Bottle feeding in the nursery
Cleaning bottles and other equipment
10 PM-10:30 PM Bedtime
12 PM Midnight feeding in the nursery (volunteers on a rotational basis, just out your hand up)

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

2024

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

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Costs

Costs

2 Weeks $1150
3 Weeks $1550
4 Weeks $1950
5 Weeks $2350
6 Weeks $2750
7 Weeks $3185
8 Weeks $3620
Extra Week $495

Please Note: -An application fee of $229 is charged over and above the program fee as an application payment. (A 5% 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

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Frequently asked questions

FAQ's Application and Program Details

Flights and Visa

Health and Safety

Connect with Past Volunteers

Accommodation and Living

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