Australian Zoo and Wildlife Rehab Project

Arrive into Brisbane Airport (BNE) and meet your Program Leaders who will be with you for the duration of the program. Head to our Glass House Mountains Base House and settle in, relaxing after your long flight, and join the group for an orientation discussion about the week ahead, expectations for your adventure, and an introduction to the local culture and projects you’ll undertake with native wildlife.

Arrive early at the zoo for an induction session to prepare you for the next few days when you’re officially part of the team! Enjoy a half-day guided tour of Australia Zoo, join the afternoon tiger show to learn about big cat conservation, and join an introduction to the world-famous Wildlife Hospital. This will prepare you for your time shadowing a zookeeper for the next few days. Spend the afternoon at the Glass House Mountains Base, hiking the trails and enjoying this beautiful location in nature.

These next two days will be spent at the zoo! Split into groups to complete tasks with the Keepers in different departments and in hands-on involvement in enrichment activities for the animals. Participate in maintenance projects, cleaning of enclosures, and preparing food for the animals to help the zoo to run smoothly. Have lunch watching the famous Croc show at the Crocoseum. Attend educational presentations on a range of key environmental, ecological and husbandry-related topics such as groundbreaking crocodile research, the Steve Irwin Wildlife Reserve, and topics related to animal behavior and training. Spend evenings in the mountains, hiking and exploring.

Explore the golden beaches of the Sunshine Coast. Take a surf lesson, swim in its turquoise waters, walk through a coastal national park, and take an ocean jet-boat ride to see the beautiful coast from the water. Have dinner along the coast watching the sun set over the water, and join your group for a mid-trip discussion where you will begin to reflect on what you’ve experienced and learned so far.

Head to Toowoomba to support a grassroots wildlife rehabilitation center. Join a wildlife caretaker who has dedicated her life to nursing injured wildlife on her 40-acre property with echidnas, kangaroos, and native birds. Learn about her project and the ecosystems she supports, and apply the skills and context you’ve collected from the Steve Irwin Zoo to this grassroots operation. The evening in Toowoomba will be a glimpse of small-town life and a quiet evening before the big city tomorrow.

Drive to Brisbane in the morning and grab a bike for an urban tour of this big city, catching lunch at a neighborhood restaurant and exploring the city. Celebrate your final night in Australia along a river promenade under the bright city lights. At the end of each program, students reflect on their experiences and the issues they engaged with, and talk about how to apply this new understanding to their own worlds. During or after their closing discussion, groups participate in Rustic Ties, a unique and powerful activity that allows students to capture the memories and learning moments of their program to process and share with their communities back home.

After a morning in Brisbane, your Program Leaders will take you to the airport for your departure as you say goodbyes and reflect on your adventure.