Scotia - Tarrara Homestead Rescue 2026

  

Project Title and AWC Sanctuary  

Scotia Wildlife Sanctuary’s Tarrara Homestead Rescue 2026 

Project Description and Dates  

Tarrara is a beautiful old homestead located 10 kilometres South-East of Scotia’s headquarters. Tarrara has not been lived in for many years and is in dire need of attention. Tarrara currently does not have electricity but thanks to 2025 volunteers has started having running water once again! Volunteers will be based out of accommodation at Scotia’s main housing area. 

 

Objectives: 

Bring Tarrara homestead up to liveable conditions and halt the degradation of the site. 

Scotia Wildlife Sanctuary is located on the New South Wales-South Australia border and is home to a vast and diverse conservation area. It is home to almost 65,000 hectares of vital habitat consisting of majestic old-growth mallee woodlands and stunning red sand dunes.   

 

 Opportunities for this position will run from 01/03/26 - 30/11/26 availability for two weeks or more is highly favourable. Average hours per day will be approx. 5- or as determined and discussed with Project Coordinator. 

 

Volunteer tasks 

Volunteers will work as a team lead by the Project Coordinator and AWC Sanctuary staff to carry out tasks including:  

  • General Homestead maintenance and repairs, including but not limited to, basic site inspections, structural reinforcement, cleaning, painting, plumbing, wall repairs etc. 

  • Electrical assessments and works with compliance and certificates supplied 

  • Plumbing assessments and works with compliance and certificates supplied 

  • On the ground problem solving 

  • Outdoors yard work, including manual weed removal 

  •  

Things to be aware of when considering applying for this volunteer role/key requirements:  

  • REMOTE WORK: We are a team of four. Our sanctuary is just under 65,000ha, and is 2.25hrs/180km from Mildura (nearest town). If this is in anyway cause for concern for you, please consider carefully before accepting this role. 

  • Manual Labour: tasks will require physical work including lifting and carrying objects, use of a wide range of tools, off-road driving; potentially with trailers.  

  • All volunteers must read and abide by the AWC Code of Conduct and Volunteer Agreement before engaging in volunteer activities. 

  • Check the weather! Please be aware of the seasonal differences and pack accordingly. Our winter night temperatures go into the negatives, and while the sanctuary is closed to the public over the summer months, Autumn and Spring could still present days of 30 degrees Celsius and higher.  

 

AWC Provides  

  • Accommodation facilities 

  • Cooking and washing Facilities 

  • Communication and navigational tools 

  • Free Wi-Fi 

  • On-site vehicle access 

  • First Aid Equipment 

  • Safety Equipment (PPE) such as safety glasses/goggles, dust masks, hearing protection, gloves, Spot Tracker, satellite phone 

  • Tools 

 

A small stipend allowance to assist with meals/fuel costs will be offered to volunteers who stay past 2 weeks- please discuss this allowance with the Project Coordinator.  

 

Volunteers Provide  

  • Appropriate clothing (including sun protection gear (broad-brimmed hat, sunglasses, long-sleeved shirts, long pants, sunscreen, etc.), 

  • Food supplies 

  • Water bottles 

  • Optional: torch for spotlighting, binoculars, camera, etc. 

 

 

Project Coordinator Contact:  

Emily Youngberry: Emily.youngberry@australianwildlife.org 

 

Recruitment Process- AWC Project Coordinators will assess volunteers’ profiles upon application (signup). Suitable candidates that meet project requirements will be contacted directly for a follow up discussion before final decisions are made. Once successful candidates have been offered a position volunteers will be assigned to the project and should expect to receive all relevant onboarding documentation soon after and before deployment. Please ensure your MyImpact profile is complete with contact details and all supporting information to provide you with the best opportunity for a successful placement.  

Please note- due to the high-level of interest we receive for our volunteer opportunities we regret we cannot respond individually to unsuccessful applicants. We thank each of you for your keen interest and ongoing support.  

Qualifications Required

  • I have read and agree to the Code of Conduct (see info icon for file link) Must be I Agree
  • I have read and agree to abide by the Volunteer Agreement (see info icon for file link) Must be I Agree
  • I understand that both the 2025 AWC Volunteer Agreement and Code of Conduct must be accepted prior to engaging in volunteer activities Must be YES

Schedule Summary

The next 10 shifts (out of 276 total shifts) for this activity are as follows


Date Start Time End Time
Sunday, March 01, 2026 8:00 AM 4:00 PM
Monday, March 02, 2026 8:00 AM 4:00 PM
Tuesday, March 03, 2026 8:00 AM 4:00 PM
Wednesday, March 04, 2026 8:00 AM 4:00 PM
Thursday, March 05, 2026 8:00 AM 4:00 PM
Friday, March 06, 2026 8:00 AM 4:00 PM
Saturday, March 07, 2026 8:00 AM 4:00 PM
Sunday, March 08, 2026 8:00 AM 4:00 PM
Monday, March 09, 2026 8:00 AM 4:00 PM
Tuesday, March 10, 2026 8:00 AM 4:00 PM