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GYC2212 - Wallaby rehabilitation in Queensland Country: Australia Cost: £795.00 Please note: £110 per extra week Cost Includes: The price includes accommodation, food, kit and pickup from airport but does not include flight, insurance or visas      Duration: 2 weeks (2 - 4 weeks) Company Rep Nearby: All the time 0845 344 7592 or

 

	This placement would suit... volunteers with a keen eye for wildlife and a love for nature as well as a genuine desire to make a difference will be perfect for this placement. Make sure you’re in reasonable shape and get ready to work hard, and get dirty in the process! This project rewards volunteers with a lot of initiative who are prepared to work hard individually and in a team.. Travel in Australia has been a favourite for travellers for years, and it’s easy to see why. Not only is travel in Australia relaxed and rewarding, the country itself is one of the most biologically diverse places on the planet. The Bridled Nailtail Wallaby is one of the most endangered creatures in the world today. With only a handful left, volunteers with an interest in animal conservation are required to help towards the future survival of about 130 wallabies at a care facility in central Queensland which aims for wallaby rehabilitation. Daily activities may include preparing food for the animals, cleaning enclosures, checking out suitable release sights and conducting health checks. This project is a perfect addition to a gap year or sabbatical, it requires a genuine love of animals and the outdoors and good team skills. As wallabies are nocturnal, there could be a few late nights and early mornings too! Project details: Believed to be extinct until the 1970?s the Bridled Nailtail Wallaby is one of Australia's most endangered species. During 2004 volunteers and Queensland Parks and Wildlife captured over 130 Nailtail's from a site in central Queensland. The QPWS officers had found the animals were in very poor health due to the unsuitability of the site and were suffering from malnutrition and parasites; they needed expert care and relocation, this is where AACE (Australian Animals Care and Education) stepped in. The conservation volunteers from AACE have the skills needed to ensure these animals make a full recovery and can eventually be released and become a viable wild population. Why the project needs volunteers: While QPWS can provide support and assistance funds for animal welfare projects are at an all time low and the majority of AACES workers are volunteers. The Nailtails are currently more endangered than the Giant Panda but despite this funds, publicity and help are hard to come by. The carers at the project currently work around the clock to maintain and care for the animals as well as raising funding, seeking and monitoring suitable release sights and caring for most of the other orphaned or injured kangaroos and wallabies in the area. The carers need help and willing hands to ensure the fate of these beautiful animals. Your role as a volunteer: As a volunteer you will help with the daily activities involved in caring for the wallabies. Daily you will help prepare food, clean enclosures and water tanks, feed the animals and check on their general health. If there are Joeys that need to be cared for you may find yourself bottle feeding every few hours and even wiping bottoms! Regular health checks need to be made on the animals and you may need to help with trapping, weighing and medicating the animals. During the day you may find a bit of free time or you can get involved with helping to extend the site planting trees, building fences and working on irrigation. The animals are nocturnal so expect late nights and early mornings. Where the project is based: Your project is very rural based about 1 hour outside Rockhampton in Central Queensland you can really get a taste of life in Australia. You will live on the farm site and may get to go into Marlborough about once a week. This is a small local town with a pub and post office about 15 minutes drive away but all other facilities are in Rockhampton. Marlborough is in the outback and you must be prepared for its remote location. The project is full time so please allow time for travel after your volunteer period.This project in an outback location so be prepared for there to be insects and other animals in and around the accommodation. You will be also required to be cautious with water use. Please book your flight to arrive into Rockhampton (airport code ROK) on the advertised arrival date to ensure your airport pickup. "I would say: everybody that loves animals as much i do(living with them-working for them) and is not afraid of working like a farmer SHOULD really go there. It's a needed help for a worthwhileness project and also an unforgettable experience for a volunteer."Anne: Wallaby rehabilitation in Queensland, Australia 0845 344 7592 i-to-i: We pride ourselves in a high level of service to ensure that all our gap year travellers get the most our of their meaningful travel. With Teaching, Community Development, Conservation, Sports, Media and Health placements in 24 countries, we can offer you the meaningful gap year that you want.