Party like a vollie
See all bands for free, by helping out at a festival. All major festivals need volunteer workers for all sort of positions, just check out you favourite festival’s website well in advance. One massive festival coming up is the arts and music festival Peats Ridge Festival one hour north of Sydney.
“Volunteering at Peats Ridge Festival provides people from all walks of life with a way to be creative and give back to society and our mother earth, and to do this outside of the sometimes restrictive parameters that usually control much of our working lives. Volunteeringis also a fabulous way to get to meet with like-minded people, and feel that satisfaction of people enjoying and appreciating ‘your’ festival. Volunteers at Peats Ridge Festival become a ‘family’ who return each year to be a part of the heart of this great event,” says Ona Lawrence, Volunteer Manager at the Peats Ridge Festival.
Conserving it
Conservation Volunteer Australia (CVA) offer you the chance to get out in the fresh air, feel the sun on your skin and do something challenging yet satisfying work in the outdoors. Work includes tree planting (and hugging), endangered species protection, environmental monitoring, maintenance of walking tracks, and planting of native species and habitat restoration. For more, Freephone: 1800 032 501 or visit www.cva.org.au.
Australian Volunteer Search also list hundreds of available positions all over Australia onvolunteersearch.gov.au.
WWF Australia has plenty of programs listed in accordance to seasons. Say, if you planning a trip to WA, you can’t miss the amazing Ningaloo Reef, and whilst there, you can save some cute turtles. Some programs offer food and accommodation.
Wwoof, wwoof
WWOOF (Willing Workers On Organic Farms) offers a good opportunity to stay with Australian families and help out in exchange for food and somewhere to rest your weary head. You can get the complete listing of 1,500 host properties throughout Australia in the wwoofing book sold on wwoof.com.au. The book costs for $55 or $65 for two people (an online version is available too) and it includes 12 months membership, plus insurance.
Karma Police
Although you don’t earn dollars, you’ll be able to save lots of them, and you’ll feel like a million dollars anyway good when you leave Oz in a better condition than when you arrived!
