Cooktown Museum - National Trust Volunteer Program

Museum Host Volunteers welcome guests from diverse backgrounds, answer questions about the Cooktown Museum and conduct tours to share the history of the collection. The primary aim is to ensure guests to get the maximum enjoyment possible from their visit.

You will enjoy this role if you have a warm and welcoming nature and can  successfully work both independently and in a team environment. 

WHAT ARE THE TASKS?

• Support the Museum staff to assist with duties such as provide short tours for our visitors and share stories about the collection.
• Provide general information about Cape York and Cooktown region.
• Communicate the vibrant history of the area, which will include First Nations histories. 
• Answer guest queries - fact sheets and training materials will be provided.
• Perform Front of House duties, including Point-of-Sale transactions.
• Light cleaning duties including dusting, sweeping, and polishing glass encasing exhibits and artefacts.
• Assisting children with their treasure hunts as needed.
• Communicate clearly with the NTAQ staff about potential issues, hazards, disruptions to guest experiences, or risk to the property or collection.
• We may also request that you assist with other duties such as may be require such as tidying, and other light duties and selected administrative tasks.

WHAT SKILLS AND CHARACTERISTICS DO I NEED?

• Be comfortable and confident with talking to people from all walks of life in a friendly and welcoming manner, treating everyone with respect and courtesy.
• Demonstrate excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
• Be physically able to perform the role outlined.
• Be willing to follow company policies and procedures, and undertake any required training.
• Have basic computer literacy to use the Volunteer software, and agree to regularly access email communications from NTAQ.
• Be committed to represent the values and support the causes of the NTAQ.

WHEN CAN I VOLUNTEER?

Ideally, we request a commitment of one shift per shift each week, subject to operational requirements. Induction and training will be provided. Your friendly  Museum Manager will provide more details. 

Museum Behind the Scenes Volunteers contribute to make sure the Cooktown Museum provides an inspiring, interesting, safe and informative environment to ensure our visitors get the maximum enjoyment possible from their visit.

If you have an interest in learning about what goes on behind the scenes in a professional tourism organisation and assisting with collection care duties, then you will enjoy this role. 

WHAT ARE THE TASKS?

• Under direction from staff, ensure the Museum collection is properly displayed and organised.
• Light cleaning duties including dusting, sweeping, and polishing glass encasing exhibits and artefacts.
• Assisting with cataloguing and photographing artefacts from the collection for input into our collections data base software; ‘Vernon’.
• Report any concerns to the Heritage Site Manager.
• Answer guest queries using fact sheets and training materials provided.
• Communicate clearly with the NTAQ staff about potential issues, hazards, disruptions to guest experiences, or risk to the property or collection.
• We may also request that you assist with other duties such as may be require such as tidying, and other light duties and selected administrative tasks.

WHAT SKILLS AND CHARACTERISTICS DO I NEED?

• Be willing to work as part of a friendly team but also to work independently. 
• Be comfortable volunteering alongside people from all walks of life in a friendly and welcoming manner, treating everyone with respect and politeness.
• Have cooperative and courteous interpersonal and communication skills to enable you to perform the duties of this role.
• Be physically able to perform the role outlined- to care for the artefacts you will require a steady hand, good eyesight and eye for detail and ability to work with selected cleaning products.
• Be willing to follow company policies, and procedures and directions , and undertake any necessary training.
• Have basic computer literacy to use the Volunteer software, and agree to regularly access email communications from NTAQ.
• Be committed to represent the values and support the causes of the NTAQ.

WHEN CAN I VOLUNTEER?

Ideally, we request a commitment of one shift per shift each week, subject to operational requirements. Induction and training will be provided. Your friendly Museum Manager will provide more details. 

Garden Group Volunteers undertake general garden and grounds maintenance with the aim of beautifying the historic gardens of Cooktown Museum.  We are creating a dedicated and fun group of specialised volunteers who are avid gardeners who wish to showcase the historical significance of the Museum grounds.

WHAT ARE THE TASKS?

• Undertaking a variety of general gardening tasks.
• Light gardening maintenance such as watering; weeding; leaf blowing and assisting the groundskeeper as needed.
• Light building maintenance such as using the leaf blower for veranda’s, walkways, and windowsills.
• Maintain the historic nature of the property’s gardens and grounds,
• Communicate clearly with the Heritage Site Manager and NTAQ staff about potential issues, hazards, or disruptions to guest experiences, or risk to the property.
• Pending your ability, we may also request that you assist with other duties such as tidying, reporting maintenance issues, and other light domestic and administrative tasks.

WHAT SKILLS AND CHARACTERISTICS DO I NEED?

• Enthusiasm and skills in gardening and garden maintenance,  and the ability to work with other volunteers to swap relevant skills.
• To be polite and respectful towards NTAQ staff and volunteers and visitors to the property.
• Confidence to work independently as well as in a team,
• Be physically able to perform the role outlined.
• Willingness to undertake any associated training.
• Agree to comply with all company policies and procedures.
• Have basic computer literacy to use the Volunteer software and regularly access all company communications.
• Be committed to representing the values and supporting the causes of the NTAQ.

WHEN CAN I VOLUNTEER?

We request a commitment of one shift each week or fortnight, subject to operational requirements.  Induction and training will be provided.