Welcome to our AWC Volunteer Community

Project Title and AWC Sanctuary 

Survey Title:  Mallee Cliffs Spotlight Survey October 2026 Sanctuary: Mallee Cliffs National Park, NSW

Project Description and Dates 

Dates: Monday 5^th October – Saturday 10^th October 2026.

Sanctuary Details: Mallee Cliffs is located approximately 30 km from Mildura, in the south-west of NSW. Established as a national park in 1977, it covers 57,969 hectares of open grassy plains, spinifex covered dunes, Belah woodlands and old-growth Mallee. Australian Wildlife Conservancy (AWC) works at Mallee Cliffs under a historic partnership with NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS). Key features of the partnership include the establishment of a 9,570-hectare feral predator-free fence (constructed in 2019) and the reintroduction of 9 locally extinct mammals.

Project Details: Please note you will be submitting an expression of interest only. You will be contacted by an AWC staff member to confirm your position on the survey. 

In October 2026, AWC will be undertaking a mammal spotlighting transect survey of the reintroduced Greater Bilby (Macrotis lagotis) and Bridled Nail-tailed Wallaby (Onychogalea fraenata), as well as rabbit and kangaroo across the fenced area at Mallee Cliffs National Park, NSW to enable long-term monitoring of population trends. 

We are seeking enthusiastic and capable volunteers to assist AWC Field Ecologists in conducting nocturnal spotlight surveys. This survey involves two observers standing in a protective frame on the tray of utility vehicles (ute) whilst driving along 1 km transects at low speeds (~12km/hr) at night, with the primary aim to spot and record Greater Bilbies, Bridled Nail-tailed Wallabies, rabbits and kangaroos to attain population estimates for the species. 

This survey involves undertaking spotlighting activities between the approximate hours of 8:30 pm – 6 am. Please note timing of shifts may be subject to change.

Volunteers are required to work consecutive irregular hours (night shifts) and manage fatigue.

Volunteers will work under instruction from AWC staff and will be required to adhere to AWC’s workplace safety guidelines. As such, only AWC staff will be driving for the duration of the survey.

No animal handling will be required for this survey. 

Previous experience in field work is strongly desired, but not essential. All volunteers will receive a full induction into the project and comprehensive training from AWC staff. We are looking for enthusiastic people interested in learning more about our unique wildlife and their conservation. This opportunity would be great for anyone interested in gaining more experience in field-based skills required for a career in conservation. 

Please note volunteers must have the capability to work consecutive irregular hours (night shifts) for the entire duration of the survey. 

Volunteer tasks

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

Working and observing wildlife from a utility vehicle tray (in protective frame) using a spotlight

Detecting and recording Greater Bilby, Bridled Nail-tailed Wallaby, rabbit and kangaroo sightings along road transect surveys (use of  range finder, GPS unit, kestrel weather units)

Data entry (Fulcrum app on provided tablets)

Assisting with navigation to transect sites

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

You will be required to work long hours overnight (~8:30pm-6am), likely in cold temperatures

You will need to be able to focus for extended periods

You will need to be physically capable of climbing into the tray of a utility vehicle using a tow-ball step

You will need to make your way to Buronga, NSW.

Key requirements: Good eyesight to spot target animals at night with a spotlight. Attention to detail, particularly pertaining to data entry. The ability to work well in a small team in a remote location. Being able to maintain a positive attitude in challenging conditions is essential (particularly cold and potentially dusty conditions, as you will be exposed to this on ute tray).

AWC Provides 

Transportation from Buronga, NSW to Mallee Cliffs National Park, NSW. Food (please advise of any dietary requirements on the MyImpact portal). Accommodation (room with private bathroom, shared cooking facilities). All equipment required to run the survey. Accommodation will be provided at Mallee Cliffs in Single Persons Quarters (SPQs). However, you will need to bring your own bedding (see ‘What to bring’). Facilities include a communal kitchen with all cooking equipment and drinking water. Wi-Fi is available in the main office building, but as it is satellite internet and therefore expensive, we ask that use is kept to a minimum and no streaming services are used. Reception is patchy depending on your provider.  

All meals and snacks are provided. If you have not provided your dietary requirements via the Better Impact portal, please let us know ahead of time. Please feel free to bring any personal snacks if desired.

Volunteers Provide 

Transportation to Buronga, NSW. Bedding (linen or sleeping bag, pillow). Towel. Water bottle (3L capacity minimum). Head torch (with spare batteries). Binoculars, camera (optional). Volunteers will need to make their way to our depot at 15 Silver City Highway Buronga, NSW, at 3:00 pm on Monday 5^th October 2026. If driving, you can leave your car parked securely at our depot. If flying to Mildura, we can organise to pick you up from the airport. We will depart Mallee Cliffs and arrive back at our depot in Buronga on Saturday 10^th October at approximately 4pm.

Note: Due to the nature of field work, surveys can be impacted by environmental conditions and may be rescheduled/cancelled with little notice. We strongly recommend that volunteers who are flying book tickets with flexible dates/cancellation policies. 

Project Coordinator Contact

Kate Moffatt (Field Ecologist)

Email: Kate.Moffatt@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.