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AWC Volunteer Project  -    Pilliga Western Barred Bandicoot Trapping April 2026 

Project description:  

The Pilliga project is a joint partnership between Australian Wildlife Conservancy (AWC) and NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) located in the Pilliga State Conservation Area, approximately 1 hour south of Narrabri in NSW. The project involves the reintroduction of six regionally extinct native mammals to a 5,800 fenced area in which feral predators (foxes and cats) have been removed. AWC closely monitors all reintroduced species annually using a variety of methods including live trapping.  

The science team in the Pilliga are looking for two capable and keen volunteers to assist with an upcoming trapping survey of the reintroduced Western Barred Bandicoot. This survey will take place for one week from Monday the 13th of April - Friday the 17th of April. 

Volunteer tasks:   

The volunteer will carry out tasks at the direction of their AWC Team Leader. Tasks will include: 

AWC Provides:  

Accommodation is located at the Pilliga Operations base and shared with the Science team, consisting of single person’s quarters in a demountable block. This includes a single bed and ensuite, which has shared cooking and laundry facilities. Transport between Narrabri and the Pilliga forest can be provided however, driving your own vehicle to the operations base is encouraged if you have a capable vehicle (eg. comfortable driving on dirt roads with some corrugation etc.) The survey will be fully catered (breakfast/lunch/dinner/snacks) with preparation of meals and clean up shared amongst all survey participants, including Volunteers. Dietary requirements will be accommodated for, but if you prefer to self-cater please let the project coordinators know in advance. 

Volunteers Provide:  

The volunteer is required to arrange their own transport to and from Narrabri and any accommodation before and/or after survey dates. You will need to bring their own bedding (e.g. single sheets, sleeping bag, pillow and towel). They will also need to bring their own field work gear including: 

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

The volunteer is required to arrange their own transport to and from Narrabri. It is recommended to arrive and depart Narrabri the day before and after fieldwork if possible, to help manage fatigue and to settle in. If arriving early or departing late (i.e. before the 13th or after the 17th of April) accommodation for these dates must be arranged by the Volunteer. Volunteers are not permitted to stay at the Pilliga Operation Base without AWC staff.  

If you have any questions or concerns, please discuss them with the project coordinators before applying. While there are no specific requirements for previous experience, some relevant skills are always appreciated. 

Project Coordinator:  

Lewis Loncar  
email: lewis.loncar@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 these roles attract we regret that we are not able to contact unsuccessful applicants