Help us in our wildlife sanctuary in Calga, Australia

Detalhes

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  Descrição

  OUR WILDLIFE SANCTUARY
  
  We are a working wildlife sanctuary looking after 60+ species of Australian native wildlife (350+ animals), 80 acres of fox-proofed bush habitat, and sacred Aboriginal sites. Guest and volunteer accommodation is inside the sanctuary with the animals.
  
  Our ranger team looks after the animals. Workawayers help us with other essential work.
  
  The animals in our sanctuary are either unreleasable wild rescues that need lifelong care or a long rehabilitation, or they have been confiscated from smugglers (mostly reptiles), or they have been orphaned from their human families (mostly parrots), or they are in one of our endangered species "breed for release" wild recovery programs.
  
  Some animals are in enclosures because of the level of care they need, while many free-range through the sanctuary and may choose to interact with people (or not).
  
  We DON'T let people feed the animals. We control human behaviour to make sure that the animals are not given any reason to "be grabby" with humans or to fear people.
  
  Our rangers also protect the Aboriginal sites. Our sanctuary and the rest of the small "Calga Valley" is heritage listed because it is such an important cultural place, for everyone, but most particularly for Aboriginal women.
  
  The sanctuary always runs on a very tight budget because our only source of operational funding is visitors buying entry tickets, spending in our gift shop, or joining one of our education programs. However, we're a determined team and won't be held back by resource constraints. We're always stretching whatever income we get to do more, and we have learned through bushfires and covid interrupting our work that we have to be self-sustaining. We put away any extra that comes in during busy times, to fund the periods when we have little or no income. In this way, we can ensure our animals can always have what they need, even when there is no money coming in.
  
  Our local and international volunteers are essential to our being able to do what we do - so thank you for wanting to help us. Everything you (and we) do is for the animals, even when the work is not hands-on animal work.

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  Tipos de ajuda e oportunidades de aprendizado

  Manutenção geral
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  Interesses

  

  Atividades ao ar livre

  

  Sustentabilidade

  

  Cuidar de plantas

  

  Naturaleza

  

  Animais

  

  Cultura
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  Objetivos de sustentabilidade da ONU que este anfitrião quer atingir

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  O que é isso?
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  Oportunidades de intercâmbio cultural e aprendizado

  FRIENDLY ANIMALS
  
  You will be living in a real working wildlife sanctuary. Even when your work is not with the animals, the animals will be all around you. When you go for a walk after work, expect that emus and kangaroos will follow you along the bush tracks. The free-ranging animals are free to choose if they want to interact with you or not. Yes, you can touch them knowing that they have the freedom to choose. If they let you touch them, it's because they are happy for you to do so.
  
  WILDLIFE
  
  The bush is filled with wildlife such as sugar gliders, possums, flying foxes, goannas, frogs and turtles. These animals are shy, but they are out there. With practice, you will get better at spotting them when you head out on a night walk. We will teach you how to be safe in the Australian bush and share the space with snakes and spiders. You are unlikely to see snakes, but they are there!
  
  ABORIGINAL SITES
  
  You will be living and working on sacred land. Our ridgeline follows ancient song-lines, and you can visit cultural sites including a hand-stencil cave that has been dated at more than 4,000 years old.
  
  THE AUSTRALIAN BUSH
  
  You will be living in the Australian bush and are welcome to explore at night with a flashlight. Safe within the sanctuary's perimeter fence, you can't get lost.

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  Ajuda

  BEING PART OF THE TEAM
  
  Everyone helps out wherever they're needed, whether they are staff or local Australian community volunteers or Guest Workers (guests who pay to attend residential programs who work in our teams) or Workawayers. You may be called on to help in any area such as guest services, administration, animal care, weeding, fence maintenance and repairs, or anywhere else that you are needed.
  
  WHAT OUR ANIMALS NEED FROM YOU
  
  The reality of working for animals, is that most of the work that animals need us to do does not actually involve being with the animals. Our animals need you to be prepared to do absolutely anything. This can be anything from defrosting the walk-in freezer where we store the animals' food, to washing the animals' bedding, to helping with animals' food preparation, to installing new perching in an animals' enclosure, to repairing the fox-proof perimeter fence, to explaining safety information to visitors (to keep them AND our animals safe), to mulching paths, to weeding, to anything else that comes up.
  
  INDOORS & OUTDOORS
  
  Work may be indoors or outdoors. We work outdoors in all weather conditions as, because of the kind of work we do, most of our outdoor work can't be put off just because it is raining or too hot or windy. Whether you will be indoors or outdoors on any particular day depends on what work needs to be done that day.
  
  WHY OUR ANIMALS NEED OUR VISITORS
  
  The reason visitors are so important is two-fold. First, the cost of looking after the almost 400 animals in our care is almost 100% funded by our visitors. We don't get grants to cover our running costs. The second is the visitors' experience when they visit our animals and attend our ranger-led programs helps us to fulfill our "conservation through education" mandate.
  
  IF YOU HAVE SPECIALISED SKILLS
  
  We do not have the luxury of offering work in specialised areas. We love that you love to cook, or that you are a qualified carpenter, or that you have a degree in zoology, or that you have worked with wildlife in Africa. However, most of the effort that our team puts in each day is in mundane and routine and repetitive work. Please tell us your specialised skills as it is possible we may need them when you are here, but please be ready to work most of the time on tasks that are not within your area of specialisation.
  
  WORKING ALONE AND/OR IN TEAMS
  
  There will always be other people around during the day, but they may not be doing the same work that you do. It's important that you are as comfortable working on your own (with guidance and other people around), as you are working with others doing the same work as you.

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  Idiomas

  Inglês: Fluente

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  Acomodação

  WHO ELSE LIVES ON SITE?
  
  A small number of staff stay onsite. They have their own private accommodation.
  
  Occasionally, staff needing short-term accommodation may share accommodation with Workawayers.
  
  Guests may stay in a cabin for 1 or 2 nights, or groups of guests may stay in the campsite or in the main house.
  
  Guest who are enrolled in a paid program where they stay in our wildlife sanctuary and work with our rangers may stay onsite for 2 to 4 weeks. These program participants do not usually share accommodation with Workawayers, but may do so from time to time.
  
  SOCIALISING WITH GUESTS
  
  Our staff (including Workawayers, you are part of our team) are not allowed to socialise with guests, even if guests are staying onsite. We are friendly to guests, and we may take them on pre-arranged night tours which you are welcome to join, but we respect their space and their privacy.
  
  WORKAWAYERS' ACCOMMODATION
  
  The number of people in residence varies widely. There may be times when there is only one Workawayer in residence. It's important that you are comfortable living on your own, as well as being happy to share a bunkroom with lots of other people. We can't tell you which will apply to you.
  
  Depending on the mix of volunteers in residence, it is possible that men and women may share a bunkroom, but this is rare.
  
  The accommodation is basic but comfortable. Beds are triple bunks, so there isn't much headroom when you sit up in bed. There are 2 bunkrooms, one with 10 bunk-beds (interleading with the lounge-room and kitchen), and one with 3 bunk-beds (with a separate outdoor entrance).
  
  The bunkhouse has a kitchen with basic cooking facilities.
  
  Showers and toilets are a 1 minute walk from the bunkhouse.
  
  Your personal laundry is either done by hand, or you can use coin operated laundry machines ($4 per wash, $4 per drying cycle) at the main house a 5 minute walk from the bunkhouse.
  
  WHO DOES THE HOUSEWORK AND COOKING?
  
  You do. Workawayers must cooperate to clean up after themselves and prepare their meals. You can clean up at night or in the morning, as long as the accommodation is clean and tidy before you go to work each day.
  
  FOOD
  
  We stock the pantry with basic groceries. There is always enough food, but some people might prefer more variety than we supply. If you want extras, you will need to buy them yourself. You can expect to find cereal, bread and spreads, dairy and oat milks, different kinds of canned beans, humus, cordial (concentrated fruit drink that you mix with water), eggs, ham, chicken and sausages. You can help yourself to donated fruit and vegetables.
  
  WHAT ABOUT DIET PREFERENCES?
  
  We don't cater for special diets, although having a stocked pantry means you do have choices of what to put together for your meals. And there are usually easy quick options like cup-a-soup and instant noodles and canned foods. The 2 diets that are hardest to fully accommodate are vegan and gluten-free. We do our best within our budget, but can't always provide the variety you might need (although you are welcome to supply your own food if you prefer).
  
  PERSONAL SHOPPING
  
  You are welcome to ask us to pick up food or other personal items (like deodorant, shampoo, special snacks, etc.) for you from the store, and you can pay for them at the Visitor Centre.

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  Algo mais...

  SPECIFIC DATES
  
  We can't always accept help even when we need it. When you apply, please tell us your availability and your flexibility. We will arrange an online interview with you to work out if we can make it work. We really need and appreciate help, but we can only invite you onto our team if we have a bed available for you.
  
  ABOUT YOU
  
  Everyone on our team does need to be physically and emotionally fit - our environment is pretty rough and rugged. You will need to be able to do strenuous work in all weather conditions, not be afraid to get dirty, and want to be part of a small but AMAZING team.
  
  TRANSPORT ON DAYS OFF
  
  It is not feasible to leave the sanctuary after work on workdays, because of our isolation.
  
  The train and bus station at Gosford are a 20-minute car drive from us, and there is no public transport. It is 20 minutes by car to Gosford Station. It's an hour-and-a-half by train from Gosford to Sydney or to Newcastle. Or you can get a bus from Gosford Station to the beach at Terrigal or the big shopping mall at Erina.
  
  Or you may want to spend your days off relaxing at the sanctuary, enjoying the peace and quiet and being around the animals!
  
  On your days off, we can usually fit in at least one one-way trip for you to Gosford. However, this does depend on other work and whether a driver and vehicle are available. We head out to Gosford most days to run errands, usually at fixed times depending on the day (often early in the morning). These are good times to get a lift into Gosford.
  
  The other option is a taxi or uber at your expense, but these are pretty expensive as they can charge extra because we are "in the bush".
  
  You can't walk to anywhere interesting. The only road, from Calga (where we are) to anywhere, is a national motorway with cars travelling at 110km per hour and no side-walk. Pedestrians are not allowed on the motorway.
  
  It is illegal to hitchhike in Australia and, even if it was legal, there is not much passing traffic where we are, so lifts would be few and far between.
  
  WHAT TO WEAR
  
  You will need to wear the right kind of clothes!
  
  We usually have second hand clothes items, and even boots, donated by previous volunteers, so we may be able to loan you what you don't have. We can't promise this, but we can usually find you what you need.
  
  You will need hiking boots or other sturdy footwear that support your ankles and are suitable for rugged ground. You will need long cargo workpants or comfortable (not tight) jeans. Even if you are working in the house, remember you may be called on at any time to go and help with something outdoors and in the bush, so you do need to wear suitable clothes at all times, just in case.
  
  Leggings (tight stretch pants) and shorts and singlets (sleeveless shirts) and tight t-shirts are NEVER acceptable work wear.
  
  We will loan you two second-hand Volunteer T-shirts, which you will need to wash and dry between shifts. Or you can buy new t-shirts from us for $20 each. You must wear a volunteer t-shirt while you are working so that you are identifiable as being on the team (as, otherwise, visitors and staff get confused about who is who).
  
  You will need a warm jacket - we wear fleecy jackets as they are light and comfortable and practical. You must look professional when at work. Your jacket must be one dark colour and look neat and tidy.
  
  You will also need rain gear that covers you from neck to knee. We do work outdoors in the rain and you are not allowed to work in the rain without a rain jacket.
  
  Hats are really important, as is sunscreen, in the Australian sun. And we strongly recommend insect repellent so that you don't get eaten by mosquitoes, ticks, ants, spiders or leeches. If you don't have them, you can ask us to buy them for you from the supermarket and you can pay for them at reception.
  
  MOBILE PHONES
  
  We do have a "no mobile phone with you while you are working" rule. Except for our Lead Rangers, no-one has a phone with them while they are working in the field. Phones must stay at the accommodation (not in your pocket).
  
  When you are off duty you are welcome to 'be a tourist' and have your phone out and take all the photos and videos you like.
  
  POSTING PHOTOS AND VIDEOS
  
  We do have rules about what kinds of photos may be posted online. If you are not sure, please ask. We will explain what is and is not ok to post when you join our team. One of the main reasons for this rule is so our team (including you) does not unintentionally promote exploitative animal-tourism.
  
  Please help us to help animals all over the world by ensuring that your photos show respect and care for the animals in our wildlife sanctuary.
  
  ANSWERS TO COMMON QUESTIONS
  
  No you're not allowed to feed the wildlife. Yes this is the real bush. Yes we do have snakes and spiders. Yes we will explain to you how we share the bush safely with the wildlife (we've lived and worked here safely for many years). No this does NOT count towards your 2nd year visa.
  
  DRUGS, ALCOHOL and SMOKING
  Anyone not following these rules will be required to leave immediately, whether or not you have somewhere else to go to.
  
  Smoking (includes cigarettes, e-cigarettes, ,vaping):
  Our wildlife sanctuary is a smoking-free zone. We can't accept volunteers who smoke or vape.
  
  Alcohol:
  For so many reasons, our wildlife sanctuary is an alcohol-free zone. And no, you can't have alcohol on the premises even if it is sealed and you have no intention of drinking it. If you have alcohol in your possession, it must be handed in to management for safe keeping until you leave. If you drink alcohol while away from the sanctuary on your days off, that's ok, as long as you drink safely and in moderation. Please note, though, that you will not be allowed back on the premises if we think you are intoxicated.
  
  Prescription pain medication and medical marijuana:
  We're sorry but you may not have prescription pain medication or legally prescribed medical marijuana in our wildlife sanctuary. We are advocates for medical marijuana as we believe people who need it should have legal access to it. However, we also have a legal and moral obligation to make sure that you and others are safe in our bush workplace. If you have such pain that you need this type of treatment, or if the treatment itself can impair alertness, then we cannot allow you to work in our wildlife sanctuary.
  
  Other drugs:
  We have absolute zero tolerance for drugs, any drugs. And no, you may not even use drugs when you are off duty and away from the Sanctuary. And no, you can't have drugs on the premises even if they are in tiny quantities and they are sealed and you have no intention to use them.

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  A small campervan may be parked in our carpark. Check with us first.

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