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Volunteer Holidays
& Student Studies at Roo Gully
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Important Notice Roo Gully does not employ any staff
and relies heavily upon volunteer help, Students and Volunteers are expected to pay on the 1st of every month, Any nights away are NOT refunded. You MAY be requested to pay a deposit of Au$800 (1 Calendar Month's
accommodation)
Because it takes quite a few days
to teach each new volunteer the routine,
If the weeks
you want are closed because we have no beds available at Roo
Gully April 2011:
May 2011:
June 2011:
July 2011:
August 2011:
September 2011:
October 2011:
November 2011:
December 2011:
January 2012:
February 2012:
March 2012:
April 2012:
May 2012:
June 2012:
We always advise you apply early, Please
read this page properly before applying. |
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Roo Gully offers volunteer working
holidays to young Australians, overseas visitors travelling around Australia
and students who are studying zoology, wildlife conservation or animal welfare and behavioural science. We have no maximum age limit, and mature volunteers are equally welcome to join us. Roo Gully will be your home during your stay, and you will be in single or twin rooms. Volunteers are expected to help with the work at Roo Gully and live in the house as part of the family, joining us for meals and in the evening to watch TV. |
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We hope
the following information on this page will help everyone thinking about
applying to become a volunteer, This page
has been constructed with the help of many volunteers |
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OUR
DAY AT ROO GULLY
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Although we do have our quieter periods
- thank goodness - and the outside work depends on the season, there are jobs that must be done every day at Roo Gully. |
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Our day starts by feeding
everything. We begin by feeding all the joeys, and other babies and injured species living inside the house. The young joeys also need toileting. |
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| Then we feed the birds
in the aviaries, and other species outside. Then we get fed! There is nothing more boring than housework, but you can imagine how our kitchen looks after the Bush Gang have been in to say hello! So after everyone has been fed, including humans, and babies are settled, its all hands to the pumps. Washing up done, bottles and teats washed, dirty pouches in washing machine, floors swept and mopped, and beds made. |
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Now it's time to start
outside. Roo troughs at all feeding stations are checked and refilled
if necessary. All water buckets are washed out and filled with fresh water.
The roos leave special 'presents' everywhere - roo dobbies! So next we
sweep outside the kitchen and front door and under the verandas. In summer,
when green feed is scarce, the roos keep our lawns trimmed, but they also
leave plenty of roo dobbies on the grass. To help prevent disease we rake
the lawns three or four times each week. Feeling tired yet? Well this is where we usually begin our real tasks for the day. |
| There is always outside work to do,
and as you can imagine it's also busy in the office trying to keep on
top of all the mail that arrives, the web site and the administration
work to do with the charity. Throughout the day all babies are fed at
the required hour and toileted. Later in the afternoon when the roos leave
their shady sleeping places we have some roo cuddles and fun before the
youngsters venturing out at night with the big kids are fed their last
bottle of the day. Then we sit on the bank and, as we enjoy the sunset, we watch the roos hop down to the bush by the creek. |
| By now its evening,
and we have usually eaten dinner, but work has not finished. Bottles have
to be made before the joeys join us to watch TV, cuddled up on the couch,
experimenting with their bowls of nibbles. And of course they must have
their supper too, and be toileted, before going to bed. Last job at night
is to feed and check all the nocturnal wildlife in our care. Then it's time for bed, and hopefully some sleep, but if we are caring for very young babies then we continue to feed them 2 hourly throughout the night. |
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A
VOLUNTEER'S DAY AT ROO GULLY
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No one at Roo Gully is expecting you to work all day and all night, but this is not a place to continue your holiday, somewhere comfortable to stay during your travels around Australia, although we hope you will feel comfortable here. Just please know you will be expected to work, and when we are very busy with animals needing 24 hour care, and those needing early and late feeds, you will be asked which hours suit you best, so you do one shift. Those doing the late shift sleep in late. Others that get to go to bed early are expected to get up early. At Roo Gully YOU will be one of the team, and your input will be vital to smooth running of our very special wildlife sanctuary. However do not panic, it is not slave labour. There will be some hours during the day where you can relax and chill out, and of course you can take some days away. Not too many though, because you will be an essential part of Roo Gully. And please know, everyone agrees, the more you put into your Roo Gully experience the more you get out of it. So if you have not been put off by our honesty and wish to still continue
with your wish to be a volunteer read on. We look forward to hearing from those who do not drop out at this point! |
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CURRENT
AND FUTURE PROJECTS
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OFFICE WORK
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Maintenance and continual
upgrading of the Roo Gully web site. The setting up of a Bush Gang Club for children. Administrating Roo Gully's 'Adopt a Roo' program. Translation of our books into other languages. Translating and narrating our films into other languages. Translating and sub titling films. Expansion of tourist information at Roo Gully |
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OUTSIDE WORK
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| General maintenance and
repairs. Aviary Gardens - designing and creating new garden areas. Building the new waterways and ponds in botanical gardens. Planning and erection of aviaries in Aviary Gardens. Maintenance of the boundary fence, and creek crossings. Erecting new feral and bird proof compounds. Building new roo shelters and feeding stations. Ongoing maintenance of our Bush Cemetery. |
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THE
SEASONS AND THE WORK WE DO
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| Although we can never guarantee the
climate, we hope this section will help you decide the time of year you
would like to visit and will assist you in choosing the correct clothing
you need to bring with you. Please note that sturdy boots are essential all year in the Aussie bush. |
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SPRING
September, October & November |
| Spring is a pleasant time of the
year. Day temperatures normally vary between the low 20's (centigrade)
to the mid 30's. However sweaters are needed for the cooler evenings.
We also recommend a waterproof jacket because we can experience late rains,
and some showers. Bush flies are an irritating nuisance, and only abate when the dung beetles become active in late spring to early summer. Spring is usually a very busy time of the year. Apart from working on major projects there are also many essential tasks that must be carried out. |
| Grass must be cut as
a fire prevention for the summer, and also because long grass is a snake
hazard, especially around the house and near the roo shelters. By the end of November all our fire precautions must be completed. Fire breaks must be finished and any debris, near the house and sheds that would fuel a bush fire, must be cleared away. This is our busiest season for joeys, with many new arrivals. |
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SUMMER |
| Unless it is urgent we try not to
work on any major building projects during the hottest weeks of our summer,
but there is always some outside work to be done. Temperatures are usually
in the mid 30's (centigrade) and can occasionally rise above 40C. Evenings
are cooler, and we are fortunate to suffer only a few hot and uncomfortable
nights each year. The only room with air conditioning is the office, but rooms have fans. Hats are essential this time of year, and light clothing. Sunscreen or sun block must be worn if working outside. Because the Australian sun is harsh, due to the lack of the ozone layer, we recommend you purchase your sun block, and sun glasses in Australia. You might also consider bringing some long sleeve shirts, because mosquitoes are more active in the evening. |
| During summer we must
remain vigilant against all fire risks. Because of the heat the roos drinking troughs must be filled with fresh water several times each day. To reduce the risk of disease, all areas where the roos congregate, usually the lawns must be raked clean of all roo faeces 3 or 4 times each week. This is the season we teach the joeys how to become kangaroos, slowly building their confidence outside, and with the older roos in the mob. |
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AUTUMN
March, April & May |
| This is another pleasant time of the year, and we take advantage of the cooler temperatures working on any major outside projects. Day temperatures normally vary from the low 20's (centigrade) to the mid 30's, but we have experienced extremes in autumn, from very hot to quite cool. We recommend you bring sweaters for the cooler evenings. The rains begin any time from May onwards, so it would be wise to pack a light waterproof jacket. |
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During these months we
begin preparing for winter. Gutters are all cleaned out ready to collect as much water as possible once the rains start. We begin wood cutting, building up our supply of logs for the winter. All maintenance is increased on the roo shelters and huts, making sure all are waterproof before the rains begin. Depending on the weather grass cutting begins. Autumn is usually our quietest time for new joeys. Most of the young roos are now outside with the mob, but many still have bottles each day. |
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WINTER
June, July & August |
| This is our rainy season, and it can get quite cool, although we usually get nice sunny warm days in between spells of rain. Day temperatures normally vary between the low 20's (centigrade) to about 16C. Nights can be very cold, and being inland we even have slight frosts, where the temperature drops to 1 or 2C. Cold nights, mean no cloud, and so are usually followed by sunny days. During our rains the nights are warmer because of cloud cover. |
| During the rain season
we must keep the grass cut, and we must maintain our supply of wood for
the log burners inside the house. Depending on the amount of rain, and the ferocity of storms we must make sure the bridges across the creek do not get washed away. Bridges must be rebuilt, so the roos can cross the creek in safety, and a constant check must be kept on the perimeter fence threatened with flash floods. Joeys that arrive during these months are usually unfurred and require intensive care, many needing 2 hourly feeds night and day. |
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All year around people from Australia and overseas like to share our Roo Gully dream when visiting Boyup Brook. As we do not allow unaccompanied tours volunteers also help with day visitors. |
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STUDENT
STUDIES
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We encourage students,
and graduates, to carry out their own studies at Roo Gully, and we always
need help with our observation studies. We are willing to share our information with students, but ask that they also allow us to use their studies, carried out at Roo Gully, to further the knowledge and understanding of Australian wildlife. Students will get full acknowledgement of their work. |
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COSTS INVOLVED
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The accommodation
fee is Au$800.00 per calendar month. All volunteers and students are responsible for your air fare and all travelling costs to and from Roo Gully. You will be responsible for your telephone calls, which are itemised on the telephone account, and for purchasing your own alcohol, soft drinks, snack nibblies and toiletries. Once here you will be treated as a
member of the family. All bedding and towels are provided. |
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HOUSE RULES We try not to have too many rules
at Roo Gully, |
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SPECIAL
NEEDS
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We sometimes get volunteers who require special
diets. Although we have not encountered any real difficulties so far,
and have had vegetarians and vegans staying with us, we do recommend
if you wish to eat only certain foods, especially brand name foods,
you contact our local
supermarket. However please give them plenty of notice of your special
requirements as some supplies are only delivered once a month, and some
might not even be available in Australia.
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HEALTH
& SAFETY
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| We will do everything to
ensure your safety during your stay at Roo Gully, but please know we expect
you to behave in a responsible manner and be aware of your own, and other
people's, safety too. Volunteers and students are required to read our health and safety regulations on arrival, and to abide by these rules for the duration of your stay. You will not be asked or expected to do anything dangerous, but please listen carefully to all instructions given to you before using any machinery and with regards to handling wildlife, and if you do not understand then tell us. You are also expected to use all protective clothing, gloves, headwear and glasses provided. |
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GETTING TO ROO
GULLY
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Overseas visitors need to fly to Perth
International Airport.
There is also accommodation in Perth
to suit every volunteer or student budget.
Please be aware that you will need
to book your seat on the train and coach, especially during school
holidays. Unfortunately we cannot book your tickets for you. Booking your journey back to Perth is much easier and can be done at the local Post Office in Boyup Brook, so you can book that when you are here. Please note that there is definitely a bus that connects with the train, that will bring you to Boyup Brook, and at the time of updating this page the only days you cannot travel directly to Boyup Brook are Tuesdays and Thursdays. |
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BOYUP
BROOK
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We love our small bush town in the south west
of Western Australia. It offers the kind of life style we want, it
is in a beautiful area, and has friendly people with community spirit,
but we like to warn all prospective volunteers it is a quiet town.
There is no MacDonalds, no cinemas and no night clubs! Get to know Boyup Brook. |
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MOBILE PHONE SERVICES |
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Although the majority of mobile phones receive a signal in most of the major cities in Australia, there is limited coverage for digital phones in our area, so your mobile phone might not work at Roo Gully, unless you have a NEXT G mobile phone. Purchasing a SIM card for your mobile phone will NOT give you coverage at Roo Gully, unless your phone is NEXT G. |
PHONE
CARDS |
| Volunteers often wish to make phone calls on our private phone using
a Phone Card. Please be aware that some of these cards make the actual connection to the international line from Perth, which means we get charged for all 1300 numbersl, so we ask you buy a card that gives you a 1800 connection number. |
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We recommend all
overseas volunteers and students visit the
Australian government guide to visitors and also please remember to take out adequate health insurance that covers ambulance travel too. |
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IMPORTANT NOTICE
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Please be aware
Roo Gully produces films, educational and commercial. Because of the
difficulties of trying to exclude a person from camera shot, or microphone
range, Therefore you will be asked to fill in a 'Deed of Release' form when you arrive. |