Welcome to our AWC Volunteer Community

Bowra Bird Survey Volunteers

June to September 2026

Bourke’s Parrots and Pink Cockatoo; Bowra Wildlife Sanctuary (David Jones/AWC; Cameron Whiley/AWC)

Project Title and AWC Sanctuary

Bird Surveys at Bowra Wildlife Sanctuary

Volunteers required from June to September 2026, for a period of two weeks at a time. For safety reasons, we are only able to accept volunteers in pairs

• Survey hours will be 6am-10am

Project Description and Dates

Bowra Bird Surveys

Located in the semi-arid Mulga Lands of western Queensland, Bowra protects a patchwork of Mulga and eucalypt woodlands, shrublands, grassland and flood plains, with Gumholes Creek flowing through the sanctuary. Bowra is famous for its diverse birdlife, with more than 200 species confirmed, including iconic species such as the Pink Cockatoo, Bourkes’s Parrot and Hall’s Babbler. In addition to birds, Bowra provides refuge for small mammals including dunnarts and planigales, more than 50 different reptile species, and several unique and charismatic frog species.

The northeast science team are looking for volunteers to assist with our monthly bird surveys, an important component of our ecohealth monitoring program.

The Bowra Fixed Route Bird surveys involve travelling around the sanctuary conducting 20-minute, 2ha bird surveys at designated checkpoints. This trip presents a unique opportunity to contribute to a long-term citizen science dataset, as well as a fantastic opportunity to see some of the renowned birdlife Bowra has to offer (Pink Cockatoos, Mulga Parrots, Crimson Chats, to name just a few!).

We are currently looking for volunteers from June to September 2026, for a period of two weeks at a time. For safety reasons, we are only able to accept volunteers in pairs

Volunteer tasks

Volunteers will work as a pair, directed by AWC Wildlife Ecologists and Sanctuary Managers, to conducted 20-minute 2ha bird surveys at multiple locations across Bowra Wildlife Sanctuary. Tasks include:

• Conducting bird surveys in a range of habitats
• Survey data entry (using a tablet or laptop)

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

• Good bird identification skills
• Must have a 4X4 vehicle to be used on the survey
• A reasonable level of fitness (some tracks are walking only)
• Ability to withstand hot (daytime) and cold (night) temperatures

AWC Provides

Camping throughout the survey, with communal kitchen facilities, showers and bathrooms. Please contact us for further information on available facilities.

AWC will provide a weekly stipend and fuel for the survey. Please contact us for further information.

Limited mobile and Internet services is available on site.

Volunteers Provide

• Binoculars
• Mobile phone
• Tent and sleeping gear (or RV/camper trailer)
• Sun-protective clothing including long pants, long shirt, fully-brimmed sun-hat, comfortable shoes/boots which are suitable for walking over rough terrain, daypack for personal items, water containers for carrying at least 2 litres of water per day.

Project Coordinator Contact:

Please contact Sanctuary Ecologist Helena Stokes for any further information about the Bird Survey Program at Bowra at Helena.Stokes@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 placementr volunteer opportunities we regret we cannot respond individually to unsuccessful applicants. We thank each of you for your keen interest and ongoing supp