This project is based between The Great Barrier and the Tropical Rainforest of northern Queensland, Australia. These areas are rich in biodiversity, actually among the richest in the world.
Working as a volunteer here, means mostly work with animals and the preservation of the rain forest, and other forest types.
The spectacular “flying fox” have decreased in number by 60% the last 10 years. You will meet a lot of different kinds of bats, both large and small, and you will realize how intelligent these creatures are.
Project fee from EUR 1,300
Your role as a volunteer
You will have your base at “Tolga Bat Hospital,” Atherton Tablelands, an hour’s drive up the country and into a relatively hot and humid coast of Cairns. Nestled in a valley covered by natural gardens, you will enjoy the natural environment around it with modern facilities.
The schedule will look different depending on what time of year you go. The busiest period is between March to October, when a lot of orphans “flying foxes” need care. You will clean up their environment, feed them and keep and keep an eye generally on where they live. Expect to work many hours, this while you are in a gorgeous environment.
April – June tend to be calm, the bats have now been prepared and released. There are about 100 permanent bats of the accommodation that needs to be taken care of.
Tourist season runs from July to September and means busy afternoons in the visitor’s center. Here too, the focus is mostly on the 100 permanent bats, but during this period it is common to get phone calls about bats stuck in the fence that needs to be taken care of.
The project aims
The project is a local group that works with the conservation of bats and their habitat through work, research and education.
Local Partners
Volunteer Travels cooperates with an local partner at this project. Our partner has several years’ worth of experience in receiving volunteers to Australia from many different countries. Thanks to our cooperation Volunteer Travels can offer you as a volunteer a well-organised and safe experience. An experience that will be meaningful not only for you but for the local people as well.
How do I book a trip?
You can book your trip with Volunteer Travels by calling us on (+46) 08-23 93 00 or by booking through our website www.volunteertravels.com by clicking on “Book a trip”. You can also email us on [email protected]. When you have registered yourself we will send you an invoice with a registration fee of £200.00. The registration fee is later incorporated into the trip price and the amount is then deducted from your final invoice. When you have paid the registration fee you are formally registered. You will then receive preparatory information from us in good time to plan your trip.
Your everyday
Accommodation and food
You can live in various ways on the project. Inter alia indoors or in large tents. Everything depends on how many volunteers there are in place at the same time. Because of the climate you probably sleep outside for the most part. It is also outdoor that you will spend mostly of your leisure.
Volunteers prepare their own breakfast and meals with the food available on site. There are also options for vegetarians.
Transport and communications
The project is only 6 km from Atherton, and you will go into the city every day. There is free internet at the project so you can Skype and email with your loved ones.
Leisure
When you have free time you can take the opportunity to explore the local area, markets, walking trails and places where you can take a dip. There is also a place that rents out cars to a cheap price, if you want to take an old car and drive a little further. Do not forget to bring your driver’s license if this is something that interests you!
About Australia
Australia is a very big country, larger than Europe and nearly as large as the United States. This part of Australia, as the project is located in, is within the tropical parts but the height of 820m making the climate not too hot.
Practical information
Flight
Flight tickets are not included in the price. You should book your ticket so that you arrive in Cairns on Sunday, the day before the start of the project. Your last working day will be a Friday, after the amount of weeks that you choose to volunteer. If you are planning to go home right after the end of the project, you should book your return ticket on the next day that is Saturday or alternatively Sunday. Make a point of checking that the arrival and the departure dates are correct according to your time at the project.
Visa
It is the volunteers responsibility to acquire the right visa for the trip. Different visa rules may apply depending on your nationality. Visit the embassy web page of your destination to find out what the visa terms are between your country and that destination.
Insurance
It is your responsibility to make sure that your insurance covers illness, injury and theft whilst you are volunteering. Most travel agency’s sell a travel insurance that is valid for volunteer work, so be sure to enquire about it when booking your flight tickets. Volunteer Travels does however, supply liability insurance and is included in the price. Liability insurance applies to instances when compensation for damages is demanded of you, as a private person, for unintentionally hurting someone or for unintentionally damaging someone else’s property.
Vaccination
All volunteers must be vaccinated against rabies and have a certificate to bring to the project. This is because there is a rare (but deadly) disease called “Australian Bat Lyssavirus” appearing in bats.
