i-to-iWallaby rehabilitation in Queensland, Australia
Project details:
Believed to be extinct until the 1970&rquo;s the Bridled Nailtail Wallaby is one of Australia&rquo;s most endangered species. During 2004 volunteers and Queensland Parks and Wildlife captured over 130 Nailtails 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.
What kind of skills you need to go on this type of project:
Volunteers will be hands on people who love the outdoors. You should be in good health and reasonably fit. Be prepared to take part to the best of your ability and work well in a team. You will need to be willing to get stuck in and get your hands dirty. You will need to be flexible and be prepared to work strange hours to fit in with the animals. The animals are the priority and you must be willing to do what is needed. You must have a real love of 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 accomodation. 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.
US$ 1555.00 for 2 weeks, US$ 205.00 for every week thereafter
Not available.
Early airport pickup available: US$ 95.00
If you are arriving before your designated arrival date, we can arrange for an extra meet and greet service for you. For an extra supplement we will be there to meet you at the airport and take you to the orientation accommodation. Accommodation payment for any extra nights will then be made in country directly to the accommodation.
No. Enhance your experience with a TEFL course - Save 10% with our Combination Deals
Flight, insurance and visa costs In-country transport (except airport pickup on arrival date)
Various activities from camp: feeding animals, cleaning pens, preparing food, general maintenance and collection of animals. You will be required to help keep the accomodation and farm clean.
A flexible schedule, dependent on the needs of the project. Wallabies are nocturnal so early mornings and late evenings with a break in between.
Basic, but all necessary resources provided.
Included in placement fee. Basic, rural shared accommodation at the project site. Be prepared for insects and bugs the project is in an outback location.
Included within placement fee. Groceries are supplied but you are required to make your own meals.
What exactly do i-to-i provide?
It may seem like a strange concept to pay for your volunteer experience. You'd be right if you think you shouldn't and the truth is you actually don't! Your placement is free; it's the benefits around it that you pay for. It's important to note that i-to-i is a travel company and not a charity. We provide a professional travel service. We are responsible for finding and assessing worthwhile projects across the world, preparing you for the volunteering experience and supporting you whilst you're there.
Here’s some more information about what your placement fee covers….
Project sourcing and assessment
We work with hundreds of locally run partner projects around the world and are constantly sourcing new opportunities. We visit all projects to check that they are worthwhile and legitimate and we also conduct a thorough safety assessment before we'll send volunteers there. More
Expert help-desk
Almost everyone who works for i-to-i has traveled extensively or worked overseas. This means we're a goldmine of information; we're always available to offer support and guidance before, during and after your trip.
Thorough project briefing materials
Once you book on to a project you'll receive a Welcome Pack that contains loads of general information about volunteering, about your chosen country and project, and a DVD about how to have fun and stay safe. We'll also give you advice on visas and inoculations.
TEFL training
If you are volunteering on a Teaching or Community Development project then a 40-hour Online TEFL course is included in your placement fee. This is an internationally recognised and accredited certificate that will help you to make the most of your time overseas. More
Airport pickup
It can be pretty daunting arriving in a different country for the first time… especially after a long flight! If you arrive on your project start date, there'll be a welcoming face at the airport to pick you up and take you to your accommodation.
Arrival orientation
Soon after you arrive you will attend a thorough orientation with our in-country team. This is to cover important safety and security information. You'll also get some tips about sight-seeing options for your time off and maybe even learn some of the local lingo!
Accommodation and meals
Accommodation is included with all projects and meals are even included with some. We only use locally-owned and operated accommodation so that part of your placement fee is filtering back into the local economy. Most projects offer homestay, guesthouse or shared volunteer houses as standard accommodation, but some offer the chance to upgrade to a more comfortable living standard. More
Local in-country coordinators
Your in-country coordinator (ICC) will pick you up from the airport and conduct your orientation upon arrival. All ICC's are English speaking and are locals of your destination country. They won't be at your project every day, but will be on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week if you need them. More
24/7 emergency support
Aside from the local support from your in-country coordinators you'll be given access to a 24/7 emergency phone line manned by i-to-i staff in case any problem should arise while you're overseas. We also hire crisis management professionals Docleaf to be on hand in case of a situation that requires additional expert support. More
Ongoing training
The safety and security of our volunteers is paramount. For this reason we provide ongoing crisis management and emergency response training to our local teams around the world. At the end of 2006 we flew all our in-country coordinators to the UK for thorough training to help them offer the best safety to the thousands of volunteers they support each year. More
Supporting our projects
We don't fund our projects directly, but once a year they are all invited to apply for funding for special projects or resources from our registered charity arm, the i-to-i Foundation. i-to-i funds the operation of the i-to-i Foundation and is the largest single donor. Along with the generous support of our volunteers, we have distributed over US$200,000 in funding in the last two years alone! More
Recruiting people like you
We make no secrets of the fact that part of your placement fee is reinvested in to recruiting volunteers just like you! The volunteers recruited in one week will typically deliver over 2000 man-days of service. The difference this makes to projects overseas is immeasurable. Many of our overseas projects rely on assistance from international volunteers, so it's necessary for us to put together brochures and websites to find the people who can support them. This recruitment process is vital to ensure programs have a constant stream of reliable volunteers.
The intangible benefits
Volunteering through a company like i-to-i has a lot of intangible benefits to developing overseas communities and the individual projects that we work with. To find out more about our placements. click here
What we will do after you've booked:
- Once booked on you will instantly receive a welcome email confirming your booking with access to your online account
- We will send a Welcome Pack in the post containing further information and a t-shirt, the information in this pack should answer most things you need to know
- Community Development and Teaching customers will receive an email introducing them to their Online TEFL course
- Community Development and Teaching customers will be requested to complete a police check (where relevant) or send through a reference
- We will contact you if we require anything else e.g. CV/resume for some projects, doctors note for medical conditions etc.
- We will hound you to complete your forms and pay your final balance when they are due
- We are available for any questions you may have on 800 352 1794 or operations@i-to-i.com
- We will prepare for your trip and send you an email with final project and accommodation confirmation 21 days before you go
What you need to do after booking your place with us:
- Book your flights
- Arrange suitable travel insurance
- Fill out some extra details through our online interface:
- application from
- travel details
- insurance details
- medical information
- emergency contacts
- Complete your police check or request your reference (where relevant)
- Do your Online TEFL Course (where relevant)
- Make final payment at least 60 days before you go
- Make sure you have a visa for your trip if its needed
- Visit a nurse or travel clinic for advice on inoculations and malaria prevention
- Read all details and prepare as much as you can for your trip
- Take contact details of the in country team and where you're going in your hand luggage - just in case!
- Get on the plane!
Orientation Information
Orientation will vary depending on your project. All orientation takes place at the project site apart from Nature Conservation projects where you will be at the local CVA office.Insurance
It's important that you get adequate travel insurance for your i-to-i experience and as many of you will be working this often means standard policies won’t work. The good news is that no matter where your coming from we have already found a policy to suit you.
The best time to get your insurance is when you book your project as this means you can get a fully tailored policy exclusive to i-to-i, just ask your consultant for further details at the time of booking.
If you have already booked but still need insurance then you may still be able to take our tailored policy. If, however it was more than a few days ago then try the links below:
Australian customers - find out more here >>
All other customers - find out more here >>
Flights
As with insurance we advise you get these booked as early as possible to avoid high prices and to make sure you arrive on the right day. The i-to-i team is right up to date with the best deals no matter where you’re flying from; their insider knowledge could save you some time and money.
Country Guide
Australia
A little bit of history...
This extraordinary land gave birth to one of the worlds most diverse peoples – the Aborigines. It’s estimated that when the British settled in Australia in the 18th century there were over 300,000 Aboriginal people speaking as many as 250 different languages. Aboriginal society largely consisted of tribal groups living in harmony with nature. These remarkable people were self-confessed wanderers taking only what they needed and sleeping beneath the stars as they continually moved across this vast land.
But all this changed in 1778 when Captain Arthur Phillip established the first settlement in Australia. The fleet of 11 ships that arrived at Sydney Cove carried with it a host of petty criminals as well as four companies of marines to watch over them. The convicts sent to Australia usually had relatively short sentences but as the chance of returning to England was near impossible, transportation was viewed as a life sentence. Despite the presence of vast number of indigenous people, the new settlers considered Australia to be unoccupied.
The concept of ownership was completely foreign to the aborigines and as a result the new settlers took their land from them without signing any treaties or providing any compensation. The Aboriginal people, with their small tribal groups, were in no position to coordinate an effective resistance and were unceremoniously driven from their land by force. Over the next one hundred and fifty years the Aboriginal population declined steeply, partly because of this forceful invasion and partly because the British carried diseases that the Aborigines were completely unprepared for.
The Aboriginal people had successfully adapted their way of life to suit their changing environment for 40,000 years but the European colonisation of Australia hit them hard. Despite this, the Aboriginal culture survives still, and one would hope, will forever. In 1972 Australia’s indigenous people were given back limited rights to their own land and the situation has been steadily improving ever since.
In the 1851 gold was discovered just west of the Blue Mountains and when the discovery was made public that same year it provoked a mass influx of settlers. By 1952 over 1,800 Europeans were arriving every week. This mass influx of migrants coupled with a couple of large discoveries successfully boosted the Australian economy and led the way to a new social order.
On January 1 1901 the Commonwealth of Australia was born as a dominion of the British Empire and thirty years later the Statute of Westminster saw its rise to independence (though it wouldn’t completely sever its ties with England until the Australia Act was passed in 1986).
After World War II, Australia encouraged mass immigration from Europe, and after the White Australian policy was abolished in the 1970’s, the rest of the world as well. Thus Australia today is a multicultural society with huge Greek, Italian and Asian populations.
Best time to go...
Australia is a great place to visit all year round and many travellers decide to spend a year or more travelling across the country. If you don’t want to go away for that long then you need to decide exactly what you want to do before you go.
If you’re looking for an all-round trip and plan to experience a little bit of everything then you’re going to want to travel in the autumn (March-May) or the spring (September-November) when the weather is mild and the land particularly beautiful. You can do anything and go anywhere at this time of year without any discomfort or inconveniences.
If your trip to Australia will see you relaxing on the beach, riding waves and generally taking advantage of the countries divine climate then you’ll need to head out in the summer (between December and February). Southern Australia is your desired location but whatever you do, don’t forget the sun tan lotion! In the northern regions of Australia these are the wettest months of the year and it’s extremely humid but also incredibly beautiful. Plant-life flourishes in the north and travellers will be astounded by picturesque countryside and overflowing rivers.
If, however, you’re planning a trip to the outback or a ski holiday then you’ll want to travel between June and August. It’s simply too hot in the summer months to visit the outback but this is one of Australia’s main attractions and you won’t want to miss out! This is also a great time to visit Queensland’s rainforests and coral reefs! For skiing you’ll need to head to the south, Victoria is particularly popular at this time of year.
Getting around...
In a country as vast and diverse as Australia transport becomes a major issue. Flying is the most popular form of travel because the distance between A and B can be as much as 4000km! There are international airports across the country and flights to Australia’s more remote destinations are not hard to come by (though they may prove to be expensive). Qantas is Australia’s main domestic airline and backpackers are likely to become particularly fond of its budget sister-company, Jetstar.
Buses and trains are a desirable alternative to flying and can provide some incredible sights along the way. If you’re swaying toward buses there is one company you are going to need to remember – Greyhound Australia. They have the widest coach/bus network in Australia and will be able to get you from one place to the next with relative ease. Buses are generally faster than trains but if you’re travelling overnight you’ll find that trains are a whole lot more comfortable. Trains can be expensive in Australia and the budget traveller will probably opt for a bus journey to save the pennies.
Renting or hiring a car is a great way to get around Australia especially if you’re travelling in a group. Buying a car may seem a tad extreme but considering the size of the country and the cost of travelling for a group of people it actually works out as one of the less expensive travel options.
Useful links
www.lonelyplanet.comLonely Planet are leaders in the travel guide sector and their website is a great source of travel information.
www.fco.gov.uk
The Foreign & Commonwealth Office’s website provides up-to-date political news, travel advice and information on visas.
www.Australia.com
The official website of the Australian Tourist Commission.
www.qantas.com.au
Australia’s leading domestic airline.
www.about-australia.com
A useful website with a whole load of information about the country, including travel information and advice.
www.australiaadventures.com
Don’t let the simple design of this website put you off, it’s absolutely packed full of information for adventure travellers in Australia.
www.iexplore.com
A great website for information about Australia and it’s many attractions.
www.jetstar.com
Australia leading budget airline.
www.greyhound.com.au
Greyhound has the largest coach/bus network in Australia.
Why i-to-i
We do everything we can to be a truly responsible travel organisation and we believe that everything we do should minimise the negative aspects of foreign travel and make a positive contribution to the places that our travellers visit.
Our achievements
In the last year alone we have assisted over 6,000 volunteers to have a life-changing travel experience in 34 countries around the world. We are very proud of all the volunteer projects we work with, which are sustainable and produce a positive long-term impact and are equally proud of our volunteers who devote their time and efforts into contributing to the projects which continue to develop communities abroad. Click here to see some of our volunteer achievements.
Our benefits to communities around the world
All of our projects overseas are based in the local community and are local initiatives. When you travel with us, you will stay in locally run accommodation and travel on locally owned transport. In this way we can ensure that the part of your placement fee assigned for transport and accommodation goes directly into the local economy. That means that before you've even lifted a finger on your project, you've already made an important contribution to the local economy.
Our support for our volunteers
We appreciate how special our volunteers are and offer our full support every step of the way. Our in-country coordinators are on-hand for you while you're in-country, providing airport pick-up and arrival orientation while we also provide 24/7 support for all our volunteer travellers.
Against aid reliance
We do not give direct funding to the projects we work with. Many experts believe that the constant flow of financial aid into the developing world causes an over-reliance on foreign aid, which harms the long-term stability of developing economies. It is your time and effort (rather than cold hard cash) that makes a difference. We truly believe that by working together and forging relationships with the developing world, we can make a real and lasting difference.
Your experience
When you travel with i-to-i, you'll experience a truly unique travel adventure which will change your life forever. We're all different, which is why we'll all experience a unique voyage. In addition to gaining a deep immersion into a new culture, you'll learn valuable skills for life which will open-up your eyes to the world and warm your heart in the knowledge that you're giving something real and lasting back to the places you visit.
Why Volunteer through a travel company?
The reason there are so many volunteer providers is not only because volunteering abroad is growing so popular, but because there is a genuine need for companies who can organise your trip for you. Volunteering on your own can be very difficult. Especially if you haven’t travelled very much or are a little soft spoken and arriving in a foreign country without a plan can be rather stressful. Volunteering with a company like i-to-i offers many benefits.
Pre-arranged
You can try searching for a volunteer opportunity on the internet, but you won’t find much that doesn't involve a volunteer travel provider such as i-to-i. Think about it: the places that need volunteers are likely to be poor and underdeveloped - they probably won't even have access to the internet. I’m sure if they had internet access they’d post a volunteer position, but that hardly seems feasible.
It’s virtually impossible to pre-arrange a volunteer opportunity abroad by yourself. Many people don’t want to take the risk of going overseas on their own, with no guarantees of work. An organisation has been there in person and worked out all the finer details for you. They've checked that it's safe, made sure that it's worthwhile and taken the time to make your arrangements for you.
Support
Most organisations offer you support both before and during your trip. Even though you probably won’t have any problems on your trip, it’s reassuring to know that someone is there if you need them. This is particularly comforting for younger volunteers’ parents.
Something as little as meeting you at the airport can really mean a lot. Those first few hours in a foreign country can be really disorienting, and having someone there that can speak the language, knows where they’re going and can help you with your bags is will take a huge weight off your mind.
Time saving
If you decide to just go to Ghana and see what comes up, you could - and probably will - spend a considerable amount of time wandering around looking for volunteer positions. This is not very effective and you could waste a lot of time and money this way. By travelling with a volunteer organisation you avoid all the confused and aimless wandering, and can get straight to work.
Information
If you volunteer with an organisation, they’ll provide you with information about the country you’ll be going to and the project you’ll be working on, as well as general pre-departure information. Some organisations, like i-to-i, provide an in-country orientation. This is a good way to learn about an area and get answers to any questions you might have.
Guaranteed Placement
If you decide to jump on a plane and look in you could find yourself spending hundreds of pounds without actually doing what you can to do - volunteering. Going with a volunteer organisation guarantees you a volunteer position when you arrive, so you won't go home disappointed.
Can I really make a difference
There are good reasons why you pay a placement fee when you volunteer with i-to-i. As a travel company our responsibility to you is wider than if we were a charity. Our focus is not only on the benefits to the project but also on your safety and satisfaction.
The common question and the understandable doubt on the lips of every volunteer before they choose to embark on a volunteer trip is: "Will my contribution actually be worthwhile?" The answer when you volunteer with us? Yes, it definitely will! Whether you volunteer for one week or six months, you will make a difference to communities abroad. After all, what is the point in making the effort to volunteer overseas if you can't be assured that your contribution will really make a difference and have a profound effect on the communities and environments they are aimed at benefitting?
Experts in providing overseas volunteering projects
As an international volunteer organisation with over 12 years experience in sending volunteers abroad to work on vital overseas community and environmental development projects, we are experienced volunteer travel project providers.
Long-term impact
The trouble is that many 'short-term' volunteers can't see the bigger picture or the difference their contribution is making. When you volunteer with i-to-i, you are part of a much greater picture and can rest assured that your work will be continued by future i-to-i volunteers as we make sure all our volunteer projects are sustainable and worthwhile.
Your help is appreciated and really does help!
When you volunteer with i-to-i your contribution will make an immediate and lasting difference which will be thoroughly appreciated by overseas communities.
Why is there a Placement Fee?
There are good reasons why you pay a placement fee when you volunteer with i-to-i. As a travel company our responsibility to you is wider than if we were a charity. Our focus is not only on the benefits to the project but also on your safety and satisfaction.
If a project is badly run, volunteers’ hard work can be for nothing. Your fee helps us to source worthwhile projects so you can be sure you’re making a difference. Accommodation is included in our placements and often, so is food, and by staying locally your fee remains in the community you’re there to help.
We also provide you with thorough information about how to prepare for your trip as well as information on volunteering in your chosen country. What’s more, if you are volunteering as a teacher or on a community development project, we will include our 40 hour TEFL qualification!
Don’t think we forget about you once you’re out there! You’ll be met at the airport and introduced to the local area by one of our in-country co-ordinators so there’s no chance of getting lost! As well as providing you with all the support you need, the self-funding nature of i-to-i means we can continue to support more and more worthwhile projects in the long-term.
In-country Coordinators
We have in-country coordinators in every single country we operate in. They’re there to make sure you're getting the most out of your travel experience by introducing you to the country, answering your questions and dealing with any problems that might arise while you're away. They’re on hand 24 hours a day so, in the unlikely event of an emergency, you know there will always be someone beside you to help you through.
So how will you benefit from our overseas teams?
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Face-to-face support
Our in-country coordinators are your first port of call if you have a problem. As well as sorting out the little things, they're available 24/7 to help you through any emergencies that you might encounter while abroad. They'll be right there by your side to provide a friendly face and a reassuring word when you need it the most.
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Airport pick-up
Our in-country coordinators will pick you up from the airport and make sure you get to your project without any problems.
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Orientation
Your in-country coordinators will give you a full cultural orientation on arrival. This will cover everything from health and safety to where you can get an emergency bar of chocolate.
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Local
All of our in-country coordinators are local people with a wealth of information about the land and its customs. They'll be able to advise you on where to go, how to get there and what to do while you're there.
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Friendly
Arriving in a new country can be a daunting experience but our friendly in-country coordinators will be there to settle you in and calm your fears.
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English speaking
Language barriers can be a huge problem when travelling abroad, but not when you travel with i-to-i. All our in-country coordinators speak English so you won't have any trouble communicating with them.
International conferences
From time-to-time, we hold international conferences designed to encourage global understanding within the i-to-i team and improvement from our in-country coordinators, to ensure our travellers receive the best possible support and service while on a project with us.
The conferences are attended by our in-country leaders, who pass on the knowledge they have learned to their in-country teams. Our global conferences are the perfect opportunity for training and offer quality training sessions on topics including extensive customer service skills, to help raise the level of service across the global i-to-i network.
Our international conferences are vitally important because they allow our in-country coordinators and global staff to share their experience and help to build on our success in answering and fulfilling the changing needs of our volunteers.
Crisis Response Plan
With the help of Docleaf, our crisis management specialist, we have developed a comprehensive crisis response plan to prepare for and guide us through any emergency. We operate a 24/7 emergency support service so that this plan can be put into action immediately no matter what time of the day! Our crisis response plan covers:
Our crisis response plan covers:
- Emergency support
All travelers are issued with the UK based emergency support number in pre-departure literature.
Duty officers
The duty officer is the first point of contact. They deal with any incoming calls and initiate the appropriate response to the crisis. In more serious cases the duty officer will then call a senior officer (a member of i-to-i management) for advice, assistance and support. Should the situation require it, they will activate the full global response team.
- In-country coordinators
We regularly bring our in-country coordinators to the UK for crisis response training, so you can rest assured that your in-country coordinators are well versed in our emergency protocol and will know exactly how to react in the unlikely event of an emergency.
- Crisis response teams
All UK staff have been pre-assigned specific roles which they must take up in the event of a major crisis. Should their services be required these staff will be called into the i-to-i office to take up their role in the crisis response team. The team will co-ordinate the emergency response, advise in-country coordinators, contact insurance providers and organize assistance.
- Emergency travel teams
Should the situation require it, we will mobilize an emergency travel team to assist in-country.
- Global communication
We’ve create a 'triangle of confidence' between the UK response team, the in-country coordinators and the traveller.
- Crisis training
We carry out regular training sessions to ensure all staff are fully informed about our crisis response procedures.
- Docleaf training
Every year i-to-i Staff are fully briefed and simulation trained by DocLeaf.
- Monitoring systems
All i-to-i staff are fully informed of any changes to our crisis response procedures through the company intranet.
Note: i-to-i closely follows global travel advice when it comes to deciding the safety of our travelers abroad. We monitor government communications from the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the US State Department and the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs, to ensure that we can make informed decisions about the risks posed to our customers.
Watch our video
For more information, watch our 'i-to-i support network' video.
