Save 10% off Mexico Adventure >

Wildlife Volunteer Australia

Wallaby a Volunteer in Oz?

Book now for £199

Prices from

£2,299

2299
21 people have been looking at this trip recently
Volunteer with koala's in Australia

See all reviews

Group Size: Max 24

Trip code: AUWV

Duration: 4-8 weeks

Volunteer hands on with wildlife
Stay with other volunteers by the beach
Explore the rainforest in your free time!

Have the ultimate wildlife experience in Australia and become a wildlife volunteer Down Under! If you are a wildlife-lover this volunteer programme offers the ideal opportunity to get hands-on helping out in the care of wildlife at a unique Australian Wildlife Park. Help with feeding and Park maintenance at this amazing Wildlife Park, set in stunning scenery in Port Douglas. The Park has recreated Australia’s natural habitat, such as rainforests and wetlands, for a fully interactive and immersive wildlife experience. The Park is home to native Aussie species such as kangaroos, wallabies and koalas, and also has some unusual residents such as exotic birds, rare reptiles, crocodiles and rare, tiny Tree Kangaroos. There is also an onsite rehabilitation centre for injured or orphaned animals. Become part of the team and work with wonderful wildlife on this brilliant volunteering experience!

Please note: As this is such a popular programme you should book your volunteer place as early as possible, as there can often be a waiting list for volunteer opportunities at the Park.

Trip highlights

  • Volunteer in an amazing Wildlife Park in Australia in the beautiful setting of Port Douglas
  • Work alongside amazing animals such as kangaroos, wallabies and koalas
  • See beautiful birds, unusual reptiles and rare native creatures up close and have an immersive experience with wildlife at this unique Wildlife Park
  • Help out with feeding, maintenance and upkeep alongside experienced staff: Collect eucalyptus leaves to help feed the cute Koalas
  • Help out at the onsite wildlife rescue centre which cares for injured and orphaned animals
Gap 360 Trip Notes

Want to read it later?

Download more trip information and detailed itinerary

100% Financially Secure
We have provided financial bonds which guarantee that your money is totally safe with Gap 360 Ltd.
What's included
  • Wildlife Volunteer placement
  • All accommodation in mixed dorms
  • 2 meals per day on volunteer days
  • All transport during placement
  • Orientation
  • Volunteer uniform: 3 shirts and 1 cap
  • Certificate of Participation on completion
  • 24 hour support
What's not included
  • Flights
  • Visas
  • Airport transfers (available for extra cost of approx. £40 on request)
  • Travel Insurance
  • One meal a day
  • Optional activities and excursions
Further trip information

Become a wildlife volunteer at an amazing Wildlife Park in Australia for an unforgettable wildlife adventure in Oz!

Your Volunteer Role

This programme runs for either 4, 6 or 8 weeks and you will get involved on a daily basis with the care of the wildlife at the Park. Volunteering begins on a Tuesday, and you should arrive in Cairns on the Monday where you will spend one included night in a hostel before being transferred to Port Douglas.

On arrival at the Wildlife Park you will receive a volunteering orientation before your volunteer role begins. Volunteers will help out 5 days a week, and will work for around 7-8 hours per day, with regular hours being 7.30am-2.30pm.

Regular volunteer duties include:

  • Daily preparation of food for the native wildlife at the Park
  • Cleaning and maintaining the wildlife enclosures
  • Collecting leaves and distributing them to the Koalas
  • Upkeep of the Wildlife Park displays and visitor exhibits
  • Feeding and cleaning at the onsite wildlife rescue centre

As a volunteer, you may also get the chance to get involved in other duties around the Park, and these may include:

  • Handling the animals
  • Collecting and identifying native plants
  • Caring for sick, injured and orphaned animals and the onsite wildlife rescue centre and helping release them back into the wild
  • Assisting the wildlife keepers to keep Park records

You will also have plenty of free time in which to explore the amazing Port Douglas area on the days you are not volunteering.

About the Wildlife Park

The Wildlife Park is situated in an area of natural beauty, along the Queensland coast in Port Douglas, around 45 minutes from Cairns. The wildlife at the Park are wonderfully cared for in captivity, but this is no ordinary zoo experience! The Park is made up of areas of natural wildlife habitat, including grassland, wetland and rainforest habitats, and for its many visitors, the park offers a unique immersive experience, with an open and interactive environment allowing volunteers and visitors to mingle with the wildlife in a natural setting. Boardwalks run through areas of amazing flora and fauna, and birds fly around freely in this lush, tropical landscape.

Wildlife at the Park

A whole range of wonderful native Australian wildlife have made their home at the Wildlife Park, including kangaroos and wallabies, including the rare and tiny tree kangaroo known as Lumholtz’s Tree Kangaroo. This Wildlife Park is one of only two in the world where you can see this elusive creature! Other animals includes koalas, crocodiles, the unusual Boyd's Rainforest Dragon, the Spotted Tail Quoll, the Southern Cassowary, the Papuan Frogmouth, the Jabiru Stork, Parrots and Rainbow Lorikeets.

At the end of your programme you will have two inclusive nights at a Cairns hostel so you can relax and make the most of exploring all the exciting activities on offer in Cairns.

Real customer reviews
Australia Facebook Group Discussion

Hey, I’ve just booked onto East Coast Highlights in August! Has anyone else booked onto the same trip?x

Hey!! Anyone doing Australia East Coast Adventure around November?? ☀️☀️ Either the 6 or 5 week tour?

Is anyone going to Sydney in Jan 2024, which trips have people booked on for?

Booking options

The prices will load here automatically, if this does not happen for you: Click here to view Prices

Please note this volunteer project is extremely popular and books up months in advance. We recommend booking at least 2 months in advance.

Online booking is unavailable for this trip

If you'd like to discuss availability or would like us to help you find a similar trip please contact us...
Call us on: 01892 527392
Email us at: [email protected]
Arrival information

You should arrange your own arrival into Cairns, Australia on your start date. Airport transfers are not included but are easily arranged locally. Please speak to a travel advisor for more information.

You will spend one inclusive night at a Cairns hostel before beginning your volunteer programme at the Wildlife Park in Port Douglas the following day so you can arrange at any time on your start date. Transfer from the hostel to the Wildlife Park is included in the trip price on day 2.

Accommodation & meals

Your first night will be spent in a Cairns hostel, in shared dorm accommodation. This is usually single sex rooming, however on occasion mixed-sex dorms may be used.

During your volunteer placement at the Wildlife Park you will stay in the hostel accommodation at Port Douglas. Your comfortable accommodation will be mixed sex dorm share, with modern facilities and air conditioning. Free wi-fi is available at your accommodation and also at the wildlife park. Laundry facilities are available at the house for a cost of AUD4 per wash and AUD4 for use of the dryer. 

The accommodation is located around 5-10 minutes drive from the wildlife park, and transfers to and from the park are provided daily. 

Two meals (breakfast and lunch) a day are included on working days, and there is a self-catering kitchen available at your accommodation for you to prepare your own meals at other times.

At the end of your volunteer programme, a further two nights’ hostel accommodation in Cairns is included.

Minimum age & eligibility

Minimum age is 18 – no maximum age limit.

This volunteer role involves hard work and physical exertion so applicants should be in good health and physically fit. 

All visitors to Australia (excepting those from New Zealand) will require a visa or Electronic Travel Authority (ETA) to enter. These must be applied for before departure, and if you’re planning on working in Australia whilst you’re out here you’ll need a Working Holiday Visa. If you are just heading to Australia for fun however, an ETA will suffice. Both visas can be applied for online. Please feel free to contact us if you need any more information.

Visa rules and regulations are subject to change. Please check the relevant embassy websites for up to date information.

Covid safety

This trip is designed with your safety and wellbeing in mind. As a result of Covid-19, many of our suppliers and partners around the world are introducing new policies and procedures surrounding health and safety in response to the Coronavirus outbreak. As the state of travel is evolving these new safety measures will adapt over time, and will be different for each trip. Here are some of the changes you may see on your trip:

Arrival safety meetings
Most trips have an arrival meeting on the first day where the guide or local team will run through the trip, the safety protocols, and to answer any questions you may have. Now more than ever it is important you arrive in time for these meetings.

Proof of vaccination or negative covid test
For the safety of all travellers, at the start of some trips you may be required to show evidence that you are fully vaccinated (14 days after your second dose) and/or show evidence of a negative PCR test taken within 72 hours of the tour start date in order to join the programme.

Updated hygiene and safety procedures
Our suppliers and partners have health and safety procedures in place on all of our trips. These protocols will be updated and adapted as a response to the Coronavirus outbreak, dependent on local restrictions and laws.

Transport and accommodation choices
Our suppliers and partners choose the accommodation and transport on our trips very carefully, and you may see a change to what would normally be used as a response to the outbreak. This may involve such changes as enhanced use of private transport or quieter accommodation.

Trained and knowledgeable staff
Our staff in the UK are trained to help you with your trip before you depart and answer any questions you may have. In addition, the local team and guides on our trips are there to help with any health and safety concerns and to ensure our trips run safely and smoothly.

Reduced group sizes
Some trips will run with reduced group sizes to start with. You may find that trips are more intimate and chilled, whilst still being packed with fun and adventure.

Healthcare
Your guide or the local team will be on hand to help you seek medical attention should you require it during your trip. As medical facilities and standards can vary around the world, you should ensure you have adequate travel insurance in place before you depart to cover you for any medical emergencies.

24/7 emergency support
We operate an emergency phone line for our travellers abroad. This is operated by a UK based member of staff 24/7 if you have a genuine emergency or urgent matter that you need attending.

It is important that you take measures to make travelling safer for yourself and others around you. Ensure you frequently wash your hands, cover your face when you sneeze and cough, bring and use your own hand sanitiser and facial coverings/masks, and enable social distancing where necessary. You should also ensure you listen to the instructions and guidance of the local team at all times, and follow all local laws and restrictions.