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Your trip at a glance

Highlights

  • Travel along Australia’s impres­sive Great Ocean Road
  • Enjoy numerous impres­sive nature desti­na­tions
  • Become active as a volunteer and help protect valuable natural areas
  • Get the chance to spot wild animals like koalas, emus and kangaroos
  • Gain insights into the Indige­nous culture and Aborig­inal lifestyles

Locations

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Great Ocean Road
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Volunteer journey along Australia‘s Great Ocean Road

When participating in this programme you experience a conservation adventure which combines exploring Australia’s world-famous Great Ocean Road and joining different conservation projects as a volunteer dedicated to protecting Down Under’s nature.

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Arrival and orien­ta­tion Down Under

First of all, you fly to Melbourne. Make sure to arrive one day prior to the official start of the journey. After you’ve spent one night in a hotel/hostel in town, you make your way to the meeting location the next morning, the Docklands Ferry Terminal in Melbourne. Here you will meet your group – together you board a ferry to start your journey.

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Activ­i­ties during your conser­va­tion journey in Australia

Your time in the programme is a mix between exploring spectacular nature sites along the Great Ocean Road and supporting different conservation projects as a volunteer.

For the first half of the day, you and your group usually dedicate yourselves to protecting and restoring Down Under’s natural areas as part of various conservation programmes. As you travel along the Great Ocean Road, these conservation activities will take place in different locations each day.

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In general, you’ll be involved in habitat restoration, tree planting, pest plant control, invasive weed control, native vegetation, animal habitat management and flora and fauna surveys in rare and special places. The second half of your day will be spent exploring the highlights of the Great Ocean Road. From the impressive rock formations of the Twelve Apostles, the Loch Ard Gorge and the London Bridge to Otway National Park or the iconic surf destination Bells Beach – you will witness numerous famous nature and heritage locations before returning back to the vibrant city of Melbourne on the last day of the programme.

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Accom­mo­da­tion during the nature travel programme

During the programme you and the other programme participants will be accommodated in hostels along your travel route. You sleep in dormitories and use communal bathroom amenities. You’ll receive three meals per day. Meal-preparation is a shared responsibility, with all participants taking turns helping to manage the meal preparation and clean-up.

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Leisure time as a conser­va­tion adven­turer Down Under

During the day you‘ll be busy supporting different conservation projects and exploring iconic destinations along the Great Ocean Road. In the evening you get some time for your own activities: Spend time with the other participants and discuss the events of the day, play games or explore the area around your accommodation.

FAQ – Learn more about this trip



Learn what others say about their Natucate adventure.

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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:

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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 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:

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Review Volunteering Australia – Amelie

“On Friday we then planted about 1500 local plants. Tasks like these are definitely fun: you can see the results of your work at the end of the day.”

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  • reiseorte-australien-great-ocean-road-strand-natucate
    1. Great Ocean Road

    The Great Ocean Road is an approximately 243 km long road that runs along the Australian south coast between Torquay and Allansford in the state of Victoria. It is considered one of the most beautiful coastal roads in the world and is famous for its dreamlike coastal towns, surf beaches, rainforests and numerous other spectacular scenic spots.

    It is a popular destination for travellers planning a road trip. Due to its historical and cultural significance, the road was listed as a national monument on the Australian National Heritage List in 2011.

Purpose of the volunteer journey in Australia

During your time in Australia you dedicate yourself to conservation activities in different areas along the Great Ocean Road, all of them with a significant ecological importance. For example, around 82% of the marine life in Port Phillip Bay cannot be found anywhere else in the world. Likewise, approx. 1300 different plant and animal species are endemic to this area. Therefore, rehabilitation and cleaning measures are essential for the protection of these species.

These measures are also important for areas like the Serendip Sanctuary and various landscapes in south-west Victoria: The Southwest of the Australian state is characterized by agriculture. The result: lots of the existing remnant bushland areas are only small, isolated and sometimes under pressure from adjoining agricultural practices. Working together with farmers and local communities, volunteers support restoring these areas.

The Serendip Sancturay has also been originally used for farming. Since the 1960s, the region is a nature reserve and protected area for wildlife research, captive management and breeding for threatened species. Volunteers assist in establishing crucial grasslands to support these threatened species and, therefore, in maintaining this important protected wildlife habitat.

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