Wildlife Shelter Carer

location
1 - 8 weeks  ·  Age 18 - 50+

rating  Outstanding 4.9  · 
  Verified by Volunteer World
  Very high response rate

Highlights

  • Delight in unique encounters with Australian wildlife, getting up close and personal with fascinating creatures
  • Immerse yourself in the authentic Australian experience, staying with local residents in rural settings
  • Experience the joy of bottle-feeding adorable baby wallabies and wombats, creating unforgettable moments

Highlights

  • Delight in unique encounters with Australian wildlife, getting up close and personal with fascinating creatures
  • Immerse yourself in the authentic Australian experience, staying with local residents in rural settings
  • Experience the joy of bottle-feeding adorable baby wallabies and wombats, creating unforgettable moments
  • Craft memories that are truly unparalleled, offering experiences found nowhere else in the world
  • Customize your adventure by choosing your preferred location, ensuring a tailor-made experience that suits your desires


  • Especially good for

    Age 18+
    Singles
    Couples
    Groups
    50+

    About the program

    Support Australian wildlife shelters, nurture injured animals, and contribute to the conservation of local wildlife ecosystems. Make a difference today! 🇦🇺

    The Project
    Every year, hundreds of thousands of native animals are injured, orphaned or become sick, often because of interaction with people or pets.

    Our wildlife shelters in Australia are unsupported, privately owned wildlife shelters in Australia and for many years, have rescued and rehabilitated ...

    About the program

    The Project
    Every year, hundreds of thousands of native animals are injured, orphaned or become sick, often because of interaction with people or pets.

    Our wildlife shelters in Australia are unsupported, privately owned wildlife shelters in Australia and for many years, have rescued and rehabilitated sick, injured and orphaned native Australian wildlife and loved them back to health to be returned to the natural environment.

    Since we receive no recurrent funding from governments, the shelters rely on the contribution of volunteers and donations from the public to keep it running.

    The Location
    Plan your Australian adventure and choose your volunteer program location (tell us which shelter you prefer in your application)

    Shelter 1:  Located in a small rural community in the east part of the Riverina on a working farm. The Riverina is an agricultural region of south-western New South Wales, Australia, just near the Victorian border. The Riverina is distinguished from other Australian regions by the combination of flat plains, warm to hot climate and an ample supply of water for irrigation. This combination has allowed the Riverina to develop into one of the most productive and agriculturally diverse areas of Australia. Bordered on the south by the state of Victoria and on the east by the Great Dividing Range, the Riverina covers those areas of New South Wales in the Murray and Murrumbidgee drainage zones to their confluence in the west. This is a farm-style homestay, living and working hands on with the project hosts on a daily basis. 

    Hands-on with animals? Every day. Comforts of home level: medium. Program starts: Wednesday.

    Shelter 2: Located on a beautiful mountain top near the coastal city of Gladstone, Queensland.  Gladstone is itself is a hillside city, overlooking Port Curtis, Queensland’s largest multi-commodity shipping port. Marine activities are the lifeblood of the city sitting at the central part of the Great Barrier Reef. Mount Larcom offers lots of bush walking and spectacular views of the surrounding region. Also well known for its good old Aussie pie! This project has separate fully equipped volunteer quarters set in the natural landscape. Apart from animals in care, there are often wild kangaroos, birds and other animals seen on the property. 

    Hands-on with animals? depends on animal needs. Comforts of home level: medium. Program starts: Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday & Sunday (minimum 2 weeks).

    Our Volunteers

    Volunteers play a key role in wildlife rescue and care. Not only will you be learning new skills and helping animals in need, you will make new friends from around the world and will create an enriching experience for yourself.

    While the number of native animals needing help is increasing, volunteer numbers are not keeping up. Your contribution is enormous as the shelters need your help to feed and care for them, provide enrichments, build and maintain enclosures. 


    Conditions Onsite
    Weather

    Shelter 1 is cold in the Winter months with mild to sunny weather in Summer. 

    Shelter 2 is situated North and it is very hot during the day so you must be prepared to work in the heat. 

    In winter it can be quite cold overnight at any of the shelters.

    Bring a Telstra sim card so you have access to the internet. 


    Please Note:
    The second instalment of your project fees is due within 1 week after you paid the deposit on Volunteer World. This is a total of $495 AUD and comes off your balance. The balance is due 90 days prior to travel. For all further information about the fees, please scroll down to the section "Program Fees“.



    Typical day

    Your daily activities may consist of

    • preparing animal food
    • feeding animals
    • bottle feeding all young animals
    • toileting young animals after feeds
    • exercising young animals
    • assisting in rescue calls
    • assisting in emergency medical treatment
    • cleaning animal enclosures
    • building / repairing animal enclosures
    • browsing ...

    Typical day

    Your daily activities may consist of

    • preparing animal food
    • feeding animals
    • bottle feeding all young animals
    • toileting young animals after feeds
    • exercising young animals
    • assisting in rescue calls
    • assisting in emergency medical treatment
    • cleaning animal enclosures
    • building / repairing animal enclosures
    • browsing for grass and gum leaves in the forest
    • collecting native food
    • keeping the grounds clean and tidy
    • keeping the volunteer accommodation clean and tidy
    *Be prepared that all animals do not survive their injuries.


    Free-time activities

    Shelter 1: Arrange your free time with the project host. There will be some trips into the local town, Holbrook, Albury or Wagga Wagga where there is a selection of supermarkets, small shops and pharmacies which are all well stocked. As you are staying on a farm, there's plenty of farm animals to ...

    Free-time activities

    Shelter 1: Arrange your free time with the project host. There will be some trips into the local town, Holbrook, Albury or Wagga Wagga where there is a selection of supermarkets, small shops and pharmacies which are all well stocked. As you are staying on a farm, there's plenty of farm animals to talk to! You are only a few hours from Melbourne and Sydney so take in the sights of a big city or hit the coast for some rest and relaxation after your stay at the shelter.

    Shelter 2: Your work shifts are usually split into morning and evening, with time off in the middle of the day. You can relax around your quarters or take a bike ride in the area. Arrange any additional free time with the project host. You might like to bush walk or go to the beach. After your placement you might travel to the tropical north of Queensland to Cape Tribulation, or dive the Great Barrier Reef.


    Requirements

    Requirements

    Minimum Age: 18 years

    In order to join the program you need to be at least 18 years old on the program start date. There might be exemptions if you can provide the permission of your legal guardian(s) or if your are accompanied by your parents.

    Language Skills

    You need to speak English (fluently)

    Required Documents

    Proof of travel Insurance docs and Proof of vaccinations

    Nationality Restrictions

    No restrictions. Helping hands from all over the world are welcome.

    Other Skills

    Excellent English comprehension skills and the ability to understand precise instructions for the safety of the animals. You must be fit and have the ability and willingness to work in the heat of Summer (more so Shelter 4) or the cold of Winter.

    Time Commitment

    Your helping hand will be required on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 07:00 - 20:00

    What's Included

    What's Included

    Services by Oceans 2 Earth Volunteers

    What's included in this project?

    • Pre-departure support
    • Project Information Pack
    • Return transfers from the local town to the project
    • On the job training
    • Accommodation
    • Meals
    • Return airport transfers 
    • 24-hour in-country support
    • 24-hour O2E emergency phone
    • Certificate of Participation, if requested
    What's not included in this project?

    • Flights
    • Return airport transfers 
    • Travel Insurance
    • Personal Spending
    • Visas

    Airport Pickup at Albury Airport

    Shelter 1: Pick up from Albury airport/train station or hotel. 

    Shelter 2: Pick up from Gladstone airport, Gladstone Hotel or Mount Larcom Train Station/accommodation

    Accommodation

    Shelter 1 - Fly into Albury: Single or double room in a homestay.

    Shelter 2 - Fly into Gladstone: Donga-style portable rooms, shared bathroom. Twin and double room available if travelling in pairs. 

    Food & Beverages

    Shelter 1: Breakfast, lunch and dinner supplies are provided but all volunteers prepare and cook their own meals and do their own cleaning.  

    Shelter 2: Breakfast, lunch and dinner supplies are provided but all volunteers prepare and cook their own meals and do their own cleaning. Some dinners are prepared and shared with the shelter hosts.

    Internet Access

    Limited access at the project site

    What's NOT included?

    What's NOT included?

    Flight Tickets

    The nearest airport is Albury Airport (ABX) in Albury. We assist you to find cheap flights to Australia. FIND CHEAP FLIGHTS

    Travel Insurance

    Going abroad is an adventure and it is always best to be prepared. Sudden illness or injury, cancellation or theft - a travel insurance for Australia provides security and is a plus to have. GET A QUOTE

    Vaccines

    If you are intending to volunteer in Australia you should seek medical advice before starting your social journey. Check your required vaccinations for Australia. VACCINE CHECKER

    Details on arrival

    Shelter 1 (Close to Holbrook): start any day of the week

    To get there, fly to Melbourne or Sydney, Australia. Take a bus, train or plane to Albury. We will organise your pick up from Albury (minimum 1 week).


    Shelter 2 (Gladstone): start Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday & Sunday (minimum 2 weeks).

    To get there, fly to Brisbane, Australia. Take a bus, train or plane to Gladstone. We will organise your pick up from Gladstone.


    Availability
    Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

    Program fees

    1 week (min. stay) 798€
    2 weeks 1,596€
    3 weeks 2,394€
    4 weeks 3,192€
    5 weeks 3,890€
    6 weeks 4,589€
    7 weeks 5,187€
    8 weeks (max. stay) 5,786€
    Average fees 760€/week

    Program fees

    760€ per week 1 - 8 weeks Age 18 - 50+

    Payment methods

    Visa Master Card Maestro American Express PayPal

    NO CREDIT CARD FEES


    Duration

    1 - 8 weeks

    Deposit

    The deposit is simply to reserve your volunteer placement. Payments are handled by PayPal, our trusted global payment provider. If you don't have a PayPal account, you can also pay using a credit card.


    Final Payment

    Your final payment will be agreed with Oceans 2 Earth Volunteers during the application process. Common solutions are either via bank transfer or a cash payment at the project site.


    Meet your organization

    Oceans 2 Earth Volunteers

    Outstanding 4.9 rating (211 reviews)

    Non-profit - founded in 2011

    Verified by Volunteer World

      Very high response rate

    Coordinated by

    Tracy

    Spoken languages: English

    About the project

    Oceans 2 Earth Volunteers is a non-profit organisation that was founded for the purpose of providing resources and financial assistance to animal welfare and conservation

    Meet your organization

    The O2E Founders are animal lovers and committed volunteers. They founded and established the organisation in Melbourne, Australia, having seen firsthand that volunteer recruitment agencies were not always aware if the projects they supported had the best interests of animals and environment in mind. Instead, unethical and harmful behaviour including elephant riding, unsustainable tree nursery projects and the consumption of scarce community resources by the presence of volunteers were often the result. Local wildlife communities and the animals’ environments were also clearly disadvantaged. For this reason, we created our Oceans 2 Earth Ethical Standards and the Wildlife Code and measure all potential projects by these policies prior to partnering with them.

    Oceans 2 Earth Volunteers offers volunteering and adventure travel experiences for ethically minded animal and conservation lovers looking for the trip of a lifetime.

    In creating Oceans 2 Earth Volunteers, the O2E founders challenge and engage individuals to contribute to meaningful animal welfare and conservation projects. As wildlife carers and avid animal welfare and rights campaigners, they uphold a vision to promote ethical volunteering as an advisable travel alternative.

    We believe the way to solve the issues of animal mistreatment and environmental destruction and degradation is to provide people with the opportunity to contribute and interact so that they may develop their own personal culture of responsibility and global conservation. People exposed first hand to challenging bio diverse environmental issues are more likely to draw on those experiences and continue to make a positive impact once they arrive home. 

    Oceans 2 Earth recognise that individuals really can make a difference. However small the work effort is from one person, if you combine the actions of many people as a whole, the result can become quite significant. By bringing like-minded and ethically conscious animal lovers together, Oceans 2 Earth believe that there is no limit to what we can achieve. 

    Our Mission

    Promote environmental sustainability and to be accountable for our impact on the environment.

    Take action and find solutions to improve the natural, bio-diverse way of life for all. Promote the ethical treatment and natural living ecology of all animals.

    Expose and educate volunteers to the plight of animals ill-affected by conflict or interaction with man, encouraging them to take action and find solutions to these global issues. 

    211 reviews · rating4.9

    Anna-Christina Hansen rating4.8

    2023 at Wildlife Shelter Carer

    My time at Lankeys Creek was worth every second I spent there. It is obviously a bit different from a holiday, but you are integrated into the family in the most wonderful way. You spend a lot of time feeding the animals and you have a lot of time to cuddle with them, which you should not miss out ...
    Marc Schmid rating3.6

    2023 at Wildlife Shelter Carer

    It was great time there. I'm glad to could be a part of this project. I think I made at least a small step to help the environment and specially to the kangaroos. I want to say thank you so much to Glenda, the owner of this shelter. She's a great person with a big heart for animals. ..
    lewis bush rating2.8

    2023 at Wildlife Shelter Carer

    I had a lovely experience over at the wildlife Shelter in yackandandah. I got to look after so many different types of animals from waillbes, kangaroos, wombats and so much more it was great! The only negative I found was getting along with the owners at times as they put my on edge quite a ...
    Robin Falke rating5

    2022 at Wildlife Shelter Carer

    It was in every way, a really good stay and a really good experience for that amount of money, I will most likely go here again because everything was so nice. Nice work, nice animals, nice people, nice ...
    Dawn C rating5

    2019 at Wildlife Shelter Carer

    Volunteering at Australian Forest Wildlife was an incredibly rewarding and humbling experience. I absolutely loved my time there. Working with the animals is very hands on and it's amazing how quickly you learn the names and needs of each animal. If you're thinking of volunteering here, be ...
    Becky Louise rating5

    2019 at Wildlife Shelter Carer

    I found myself quite underprepared for how dirty I'd be getting and how close to the wildlife I'd be - I definitely needed more old shirts and wayyy more socks!! What were the highlights of my time at the project? The level of immersion in animal care. I learnt so so much about wildlife, and how ...

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