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Volunteer Abroad Australia: Nature Conservation

Australia 2 to 12 weeks From 850 €

During this project, you have the chance to participate in various exciting nature conservation projects and to actively contribute to restoring, protecting and preserving the Australian environment. As part of an international group of volunteers, you will gain unique experiences and simultaneously get to know breathtaking regions which are far from the typical tourist paths. If you enjoy activities in the great outdoors, want to be actively involved in voluntary work and Australia awoke your interest, this project is just right for you!

Your trip at a glance

Highlights

Experience a fascinating volunteer adventure
Discover Australia’s pristine natural areas
Become involved in valuable conservation projects
Get to know people from all over the world
Discover different regions of Down Under

Locations

Brisbane

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Der Ayers Rock, auch Uluru genannt, liegt majestätisch im Sonnenuntergang in Australiens Outback.

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Conservation volunteering in Australia

As a volunteer in this project you get the chance to discover the world’s sixth largest state while dedicating yourself to protecting and conserving pristine natural areas and endangered species.

Arrival and orientation in Australia

After your arrival at the respective airport, you are responsible for your transfer to the office. Before you depart, you will get a file with detailed directions to your local office and a voucher with further information. Each project starts on a Friday at 11 o’clock and ends on a Friday at around 16 o’clock. After your arrival, there will be a first orientation, after which you will be brought to a local volunteer shelter or regional housing with the other volunteers. The first weekend is free, so you can recover from your trip and get to know the other volunteers. Depending on the project, it may also be that you will have to travel to a remote location on Sunday.

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Volunteer activities in Oceania

Your first project will start on Monday at 8 o’clock in the morning. You and the other volunteers will be picked up by the team coordinator. The project locations are changed weekly or after two weeks to offer you as much variety as possible during the programme. We recommend that you participate for at least four weeks in order to experience different projects and places. It is also possible to choose different locations to explore as much of Australia as possible.
Your work may include planting trees, weeding, building fences and roads, protection of endangered species, surveys of flora and fauna, various conservation works, collecting seeds and environmental monitoring.

Accommodation during the volunteer project

After your orientation, you will be transferred either to a local volunteer shelter or to a regional accommodation which can either be a volunteer house, a caravan, a hostel, a bungalow or a tent, depending on the project and location. Because of the different possibilities, it is very important that you bring a sleeping bag. You will share the bedrooms and bathrooms with the other volunteers. Since you will live together with them, you will quickly get to know various people from all over the world and spend your free time together. The meals are usually divided into breakfast, lunch and dinner. The meals are prepared together and afterwards it is cleaned up together.

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Leisure time as a volunteer in Down Under

After your work and during your free weekends, you have time to get to know the other volunteers, to take walks and explore the area, to educate yourself or simply to relax in order to start the next day with full enthusiasm. Most project locations are not in close proximity to the city in which you had your orientation. Therefore, we recommend that you schedule some time before or after your project to visit them.

FAQ – Learn more about this trip

Prior to departure to Australia

You need to be 18 years or older and have sufficient English skills to apply for this project. Since this project requires you to be physically active, we need a doctor’s certificate confirming your state of health and physical fitness. Furthermore, you might need a visa for your volunteering work. Depending on the duration of your stay and your destination the requirements might vary. You might check out the foreign department’s website for the Visa standards or ask the Natucate team directly.
Prior to your departure we will help you organize and plan your whole stay and save you a place in the project. We will help you arrange flights and visa application. You will be provided with food and accommodations. Transfers between bureaus and projects will be organized by the local team. Furthermore, you will receive working clothes and work equipment. The team in New Zealand and Natucate in Germany will support you during the whole project. Flights are not included.
You will need travel insurance to start your volunteering work with Natucate. We can provide you with all the necessary information. In general you need to talk to your doctor and make sure you are vaccinated against Diphtheria, Morbilli, Mumps and Rubella (MMR). In case of injuries it is also advised to be vaccinated against Tetanus. For current information and warnings regarding your destination you should check out the homepage of the foreign department. In general Australia is a safe country without any severe sicknesses. Still you should inform yourself beforehand on the foreign department’s website about possible risks and how to prevent them.
The project will provide you with working equipment and safety clothes. You don’t need special clothing for the work, but you should pack outdoor clothing that is appropriate regarding the weather conditions. Remember that you will be spending a lot of time outdoors. We advise you to pack hiking boots, resistant pants, long sleeved shirts, water bottle, working gloves, rain clothes, sunscreen, hat and mosquito repellent. You also need warmer clothes for the nights. Your baggage should weigh no more than 15 kilograms due to space shortage.

Arrival in Australia

We will support you during your organization and planning process. You will have to book your flight to Australia on your own. You should arrive at the project’s bureau on a Friday before 11 a.m. Once you have arrived at the airport you can take a bus or shuttle to get into the city. You will receive all the information you need to arrive at the bureau in advance. If you want to change location during your stay you will have to pay for the transfer on your own, but we will help you organize it.
After your arrival there will be an introductory meeting at 11 a.m. at the bureau. There you will get all the information that you need about the project. You will even get to know the other participants and enjoy dinner together. The first weekend is off and you start working on Monday morning. The team on site will arrange your transfer to the projects location. Transfers during the project will also be arranged for you.

During the project in Australia

During the project you will be part of a team that works on different nature conservation projects. You will be actively involved in protecting and reforesting the environment. You will plant crops and trees, collect seeds, maintain hiking trails, construct fences and protect animals. The tasks depend on the season, weather conditions and current needs.
Yes, it is possible and we also advise you to change your location during your stay. This way you will get to know Australia and see different regions. You can switch between projects on a two week basis, in some cases you can change after one week already. For example you could start working in Warrnambool for four weeks and then go off to Newcastle for another two weeks. Between these projects you’d have one week off to relax and see the countryside.

Life on site in Australia

Your accommodation depends on the project and its location. The volunteers will usually sleep in shared dormitories with bunk beds, comfortable cabins, caravans or tents. Accommodation will be organized by the Australian team. You should pack a sleeping bag. Most of the time you will share your sleeping space with one further volunteer. You can check out all our locations on our website.
The weather depends on your project’s location. Australia has different climatic zones. You should inform yourself prior to your departure. Keep in mind that summer and winter times are opposite to European seasons. You can also always ask the Natucate team for specific weather conditions in the area of your project.

Learn what others say about their Natucate adventure.

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Review Volunteering Australia and New Zealand – Frieda

“Driving a “mule”, which is a kind of quad, was also lots of fun! We used this mule to transport plants.”

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Review Photos Sabbatical Australia – Silvia

Silvia asked us to plan an incomparable sabbatical for her. One of her stops was our nature conservation project in Australia. Here you can find some great impressions from Down Under:

Ein Campingplatz an einem See in Australien

Eine Freiwillige arbeitet auf der Wiese fuer den Erhalt des Naturschutzes

Review Volunteering Australia – Nele

“My time was full of adventures and very exciting. The 8 weeks flew by and I experienced many new things, have found new friends, collected new memories and learned a lot!”

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Review Photos Volunteering Australia – Amelie

Volunteer Amelie spent four weeks in Australia to help preserve the country's unique natural areas. The pictures she sent us reveal what a wonderful time she had in Down Under – take a look at them right here:

1. Brisbane

Brisbane is Queensland’s vibrant capital and attracts countless visitors due to its close proximity to Brisbane River, a colourful art and culture scene as well as numerous restaurants.

Important places and regions close to Brisbane include the giant city of Gold Coast, the picturesque Sunshine Coast and the natural paradise of the Gold Coast Hinterland. When travelling to Brisbane and the surrounding Southeast Queensland, visitors experience a balanced mix of spectacular natural landscapes, fascinating biodiversity and colourful cultural offerings.

Brisbane is Queensland’s vibrant capital and attracts countless visitors due to its close proximity to Brisbane River, a colourful art and culture scene as well as numerous restaurants.

Important places and regions close to Brisbane include the giant city of Gold Coast, the picturesque Sunshine Coast and the natural paradise of the Gold Coast Hinterland. When travelling to Brisbane and the surrounding Southeast Queensland, visitors experience a balanced mix of spectacular natural landscapes, fascinating biodiversity and colourful cultural offerings.

Purpose of the conservation project in Australia

Australia’s natural environment is one of the most biodiverse on the planet. A large number of endemic (i.e. species which only exist in one region) animal and plant species have developed here over millions of years. You don’t need to look far in the outback or the tropical rainforest to find lifeforms which are perfectly adapted to their environment. But Australia’s sensitive natural environment is under threat from anthropogenic (human) pollution, intensive agriculture, invasive species, which threaten native fauna by destroying their habitat and competing with them for food, as well as climate change, which is leading to the loss of more and more native species. Wide-ranging environmental monitoring and nature and species conservation measures are therefore essential in order to maintain the natural biodiversity of Australia.