Thanks to our wonderful local partner, Love Volunteers proudly supports a wildlife shelter located in the Stanley State Forest in the state of Victoria, which is one of the largest privately owned wildlife rescue facilities in Australia. Since its establishment more than 30 years ago, the shelter and its wonderful staff have rescued and rehabilitated thousands of sick, injured and orphaned native Australian wildlife and nursed them back to health so that they could be successfully re-introduced to their natural habitat.
As it receives no ongoing government funding, the rescue center relies on donations from the public and the generous contribution of volunteers, both national and international, to keep it operational.
While the number of native animals needing help is increasing every year, resources needed to keep up with this demand are becoming increasingly scarce, so the contribution of volunteers on this project is enormous. Not only will they have the opportunity to be hands-on and directly involved in wildlife rescue and care, volunteers will also be learning new skills and meeting new friends from around the world.
The daily schedule of feeding, cleaning, and collecting resources is a busy one so the center desperately needs volunteers to assist with the following tasks:
- bottle feeding the infant animals every 4 hours
- exercising the younger animals
- assisting in emergency medical treatment when required
- collection of grass/gum leaves and other resources from the forest
- cleaning the animal enclosures
- building, repairing and maintenance of the animal enclosures
- assisting in rescue calls when required
- keeping the grounds and facilities clean and tidy
- keeping the volunteer accommodation clean and tidy
- administration, fundraising and other responsibilities where required
Care for the rescued animals is required year-round, so the project operates a flexible seven day working week. Despite this, there is a relaxed and casual feel about the shelter and the staff are happy for volunteers to take time off to visit town and see the local sights, as long as no emergencies have arisen.
Accommodation on this project is in a shared dorm-style cabin. All meals plus morning and afternoon tea are provided whilst onsite, with the exception of when you are traveling or socializing. Amenities are basic ‘camping’ style, and despite Australia being known as ‘the lucky country’, rural areas of this great nation still experience similar challenges to that of developing nations. Precious resources like water are scarce and power is sourced from a generator run only at night time. As such, volunteers who wish to participate will need to be prepared to make some compromises on the luxuries of modern living.
Join us on this truly inspirational project in the beauty and serenity of Australia’s native bushland, and help save its iconic natural inhabitants!
