4 Ways to Volunteer in Australia with Animals

If you’ve been binge-watching the Netflix oridge, Our Planet, David Attenborough has probably convinced you it’s time to get off the couch (bye, Netflix), and get involved in international animal rescue. So why not volunteer in Australia with animals?! It’s the perfect way to combine your benevolence towards bandicoots with your need for adventure. And with a low bar for entry, pretty much anyone can do it. All you need is a big heart and an affinity for animals.

If you volunteer in Australia with animals, you’ll have more than a few awwww moments.

That’s right, not every animal in Australia wants to kill you. There are sooo many adorable, squishable, squeal-inducing creatures on the continent that are just dying to meet you. Like...literally (truth hurts, we know). According to the WWF, about 1,700 plant and animal species are threatened.

Since Australia has such unique ecosystems and environments, many of these creatures can’t be found anywhere else in the world. Aussie’s need you to get your butt into action — volunteer in Australia with animals to make a tangible difference in the world! There are tons of wildlife volunteer opportunities abroad, so why not take a trip down under?

Here are 4 ways to become an animal volunteer: Australia edition.

4 wildlife volunteer opportunities abroad in Australia

Get your fins wet when you volunteer with Australian wildlife. Half of the country’s magic is in the water.

1. Great Barrier Turtle Conservation in Australia with Love Volunteers

Did you know that coral reefs are NOT plants? They’re actually animals, and related to jellyfish and anemones (but they’re sessile, so they kinda just chill in one spot/are stuck to the ocean floor). So if you wanna volunteer in Australia with animals, you should consider helping out the Great Barrier Reef via sea turtle conservation.

Love Volunteer’s sea turtle conservation program is a great way to volunteer with animals in Australia because it’s so involved. You’ll be in the water treating sick and injured turtles who’ve been brought in from the Great Barrier Reef, cleaning their tanks, and feeding them.

If Finding Nemo taught us anything, sea turtles are suuuper chill and totally righteous. Take a break from your hectic life and become an animal volunteer. Australia will set your mind and heart at ease with its beautiful beaches, pristine oceans, and amazing animals. Maybe there’s just something in the water… ask the turtles and get back to us.

Snapshot: Your turtle saving will be located on Fitzroy Island, a 45-minute ferry ride from Cairns in Queensland. There are year-round openings, with durations ranging from 1 to 12 weeks. Love Volunteers provide accommodation, food, airport pick-up, and orientation. Literally no experience needed, so you have no excuse. Go go go!
Animal: Sea turtles
Project focus: Conservation, rehabilitation
Learn more about Love Volunteers

2. Tasmanian Devil Rescue and Care with Fronteering

Tasmanian devils are both terrifying and adorable. These snarly marsupials have a squatty stature, which kind of degrades their ability to be downright scary. Watching a Tasmanian devil trying to be tough is kinda like hearing a little kid cussing: you know it’s supposed to be serious, but you can’t help but laugh. Just look at them. Feisty, yet freakin’ adorable.

Wildlife volunteer opportunities abroad like to throw you into the thick of it, and this program is no different. If you love the outdoors and the creatures that live there, this is the program for you! Yes, you’ll get messy. Yes, you’ll work hard. But that just comes with the territory of making a difference as an animal conservation volunteer abroad.

Snapshot: Spend 1 to 5 weeks as a volunteer with Australian wildlife at a Tasmanian Devil rescue facility. You’ll feed the devils, clean the devils, research the devils, and even get to help educate others about their devilish personas. The program includes accommodation, transportation, airport pick-up, and more!
Animal: Furry devil babies, eagles, kangaroos, quolls
Project focus: Conservation, rehabilitation, and research
Learn more about Fronteering

Yes, the little cuties look just like kangaroos, but don’t mention it to them.

3. Wild Animal Sanctuary with GoEco

If you’re looking for a way to spend koala-ty time with animals, the choice to volunteer with Australian wildlife is a no-brainer. GoEco will hook you up with iconic Australian fur babies such as koalas, kangaroos, emus, and much more.

Your mission, should you choose to accept, will be to aid in conservation efforts. You’ll be helping rescue, rehabilitate, and release the lil buggahz (please read with an Aussie accent). It’ll be hard to let them go back into the wild, because when you volunteer in Australia with animals like these, your heart will probably become a melted pile of emotion. It’s gonna be okay—you can always come back.

Snapshot: GoEco will set you up in dorm-style housing, with a fully-stocked kitchen. The sanctuary is on 80-acres of beautiful Australian wilderness, and is located in Calga, about 1.5 hours outside Sydney via train. The orientation includes activities to be a better Australian (i.e. culture, yo). On site you’ll be feeding animals, doing grounds and trail maintenance, and living your best life for the 1-4 week stint.
Animal: Furry cuddle monsters like kangaroos, koalas, and more!
Project focus: Conservation, rehabilitation
Learn more about GoEco

4. Australian Wildlife Rescue, Care and Rehabilitation with Oceans 2 Earth

Put on your khakis and attempt your best Aussie accent, because this program will bring out the Steve Irwin in you. The program includes all of your favorite animals and some you’ve never heard of: koalas, kangaroos, dingoes, wallabies, wombats, bandicoots, echidnas… the list goes on. Ready to become an international animal rescue volunteer? We bet you are!

Snapshot: Oceans 2 Earth offers the epitome of a hands-on volunteer experience. You’ll be hand-rearing baby bats, collecting gum leaves for koalas, and exercising wombats. There are 1-12 week slots available year-round, so anytime is a good time to start volunteering in Australia with animals. Requirements? Anyone who loves animals.
Animal: Furry, hairy, scaley, marine-y, and feathery — this program has it all
Project focus: Rehabilitation, conservation, tracking, and education
Learn more about Oceans 2 Earth

[View ALL Animal Conservation Programs in Australia]

Volunteering in Australia with animals won’t disappoint

Volunteering in Australia with animals will be one part cute, one part altruistic, and 100% fulfilling.

Prepare to be wooed by wallabies, enchanted by echidnas, and pursued by possums: volunteering in Australia with animals will change your life. As an international animal rescue volunteer, you’ll have a chance to learn about threatened species, educate others, and make a real difference.

It can be overwhelming when you look at all the problems our planet is facing, but it shouldn’t stop you from making an effort. You can’t fix all of Earth’s issues, so start with something meaningful to you. If you love animals, the outdoors, and traveling, volunteer in Australia! With animals galore, the country is an ideal spot to combine passion with action.