If you’ve always wondered what
it’s really to be an animal keeper and you like spending your time outdoors,
interacting with people from all over the world while surrounded by native
Australian animals, then being a volunteer keeper at Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary
could be for you!
Am
I eligible?
If you are:
18 years or over
responsible
and reliable
friendly and outgoing
then
you might be just who we’re looking for!
Do
I need to have any experience or training?
No prior experience is necessary. All
volunteer keepers will be required to attend an orientation session prior to
commencing at Lone Pine. These
sessions are designed to introduce volunteer keepers to the sanctuary and
outline the activities you will be involved with.
The cost of these sessions is $60 and this includes a
uniform shirt. Additional shirts
can be purchased for (to be announced). Shirts
are available in a variety of sizes. Appointments for these sessions can be made with Karen Nilsson (volunteer
coordinator). A 2 week probation
period applies to all volunteers.
What days can I work?
Places within our volunteer keeper
program are strictly limited and advance bookings are essential to avoid
disappointment. You can choose
whatever days are suitable for you to come in – including weekends.
Availability of days is dependent on how many bookings we already have.
Overseas volunteers please note – due to the high demand for places,
maximum length of stay is 3 months. Conversational
English is also required.
What time do I start?
Volunteers
start at 8.30 am and finish at 3 pm each day.
There is a 20 minute morning tea break and 1 hour for lunch.
During these breaks, you can feel free to explore the sanctuary a little
more or relax with the other volunteers. If
you wish to bring lunch with you, you are welcome to use the staff room
facilities (fridge, microwave oven, toaster, coffee machine). Alternately you can purchase morning tea/lunch from our café
at 25% off the regular retail price.
What can I expect?
We have a large variety of Australian native species here, and they are divided
into different sections (Birds, Mammals, Reptiles, Macropods, Hospital, Koalas).
Each day you will be assigned to one of our keepers and assist them with
the daily care and maintenance of the animals in their section.
Tasks include:
Preparing/collecting food for
animals
Assisting
with cleaning animal enclosures
Assisting
with maintenance of animal enclosures
Taking
part in behavioural enrichment programmes
Anything
else asked by the keeper – within reason of course!
Lone
Pine volunteer keepers help with a variety of other tasks around the sanctuary
as well. These include:
assisting
our animal farm staff with cleaning, monitoring visitors, handing out food
interacting
with and assisting visitors throughout the sanctuary and within our kangaroo
reserve
assisting
garden and maintenance staff with tasks around the sanctuary eg. weeding,
planting, cleaning
What
should I bring?
You
should wear your uniform shirt with something that is comfortable for you to
work in (jeans or shorts), but which you don’t mind getting dirty.
Due to the nature of some of the work, we ask that our volunteers don’t
wear skirts. Fully enclosed shoes
are essential – sneakers (runners/joggers) or work boots are fine.
Remember to bring a hat, sunglasses, sunscreen and a raincoat for wet
weather.
How
do I get there?
Lone
Pine has a city council bus stop inside the sanctuary grounds – right near the
Administration building. Bus lines
445 and 430 are the lines that come to Lone Pine.
More information about transport to Lone Pine can be found at here
Before
you arrive from overseas….
Lone
Pine Koala Sanctuary can’t be responsible for any insurance or VISA
requirements you might have, so please be sure and arrange all these details
before you arrive in Australia.
If
you wish to apply for Volunteer work please download and fill out the forms
below and send them to our
volunteer co-ordinator, Karen Nillson:
Email: karen@koala.net
Phone: (07) 3378 1366
Fax: (07) 3878 1770
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
