Animal Conservation in Australia

Arrive at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) where you’ll meet your Rustic Pathways Flight Leader, who will help get you checked in and through security before traveling with your group to Australia. Get acquainted with fellow Rustic travelers before boarding your flight.

Today is lost as you cross the international dateline, but don’t worry. You’ll get it back on your way home!

Arrive at Brisbane Airport (BNE) and meet your Program Leaders who will be with you for the duration of the program. Head to our beautiful base house on the Sunshine Coast and settle in, relaxing after your long flight. Join the group for an orientation discussion about the week ahead, expectations for your adventure, and an introduction to the local culture.

The Base House accommodates 6 students per room, divided by gender. You will spend the first seven nights enjoying these shared rooms with your fellow Rustic travelers.

Today will involve a full day of environmental service. When caring for and learning about animals it is important to have an understanding of conservation and the environmental habitats of species. Your activities today will include tree planting, collecting native seeds and removing invasive plant species.
Get ready to work hard and learn lots of interesting facts!
This afternoon you will have your first debrief discussion as your program leaders start to unpack some of the information you are learning.

Today you will spend the day in the beach town of Noosa. Located on the northern end of the Sunshine Coast, this tropical beach town is picture-perfect. Take a walk in the national park to spot koalas, relax on the beach, or browse the shops in Hastings Street. Your day will also include a thrilling jet boat ride. You will then have dinner at the surf club before returning to our base.

Today is your first day at Australia Zoo. Today you will have free time to explore and introduce yourself to the incredible magnitude of this world-renowned zoo! Wander through the different enclosures, meet zookeepers and get excited for your next 2 days of volunteering!
In the afternoon you will take a tour of the Wildlife Hospital. The Wildlife Hospital is truly a special place, and although it runs solely on donations, it has never refused a patient.

Start your training with an introduction from one of Australia Zoo’s Volunteer Coordinator. They will help prepare you for your two days at the zoo, officially making you part of the team! Learn about caring for animals, captive breeding programs, and the enrichment activities they provide for animals. Watch the famous Wildlife Warriors show in the Crocoseum, make enrichment items for echidnas, then finish the day with a group task to help the zookeepers.

Spend the day shadowing a Zookeeper and volunteering at the zoo. Arrive at 8:00 am to help prepare the enclosures before the zoo opens to the public at 9:00 am. Start by helping clean enclosures, scoop poop, prepare food, and feed the animals. The afternoon tasks will vary and may include assisting with maintenance projects, working with the public relations team at the Wildlife Warriors show, or more unusual activities like taking a wombat for a walk with its keeper! Our time at Australia Zoo concludes today as we transition to the next phase of the journey. Your experiences as an Australia Zoo volunteer will leave you speechless and give you lifelong memories. You’ll participate in a post-service debrief in the evening, discussing what you experienced and learned through hands-on work in the community.

Today we road trip to Byron Bay, one of the most well-known beach towns on Australia’s East Coast and the most easterly point of Australia. Spend time hiking the headland and spot humpback whales as they migrate along the coast, exploring the markets of this charming town and soaking up the laid-back coastal lifestyle.
Your days will also include visits to waterfalls and participating in a community service project at a local sustainable farm.

For the next three nights, you’ll be in shared rooms with 4-6 students separated by gender.

Head out onto the ocean for a kayaking adventure. Today you’ll paddle out past the headland to spot dolphins and whales. Join your group for a mid-trip discussion where you will begin to reflect on what you’ve experienced and learned so far.
You will then finish off your time in Byron with a beautiful beach yoga session as the sun sets.

This morning you will bid farewell to Byron as you drive to the country town of Toowoomba. This is where you will start the next phase of your journey.
Once you arrive you will have an orientation with Trish the local volunteer who founded and continues to run the Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre (WRREA).

You’ll spend the next three nights in shared rooms for 4 students divided by gender.

For the next two days, you will use the skills you learned at Australia Zoo to assist Trish and the volunteers. WRREA is a grassroots organization that relies on the support of volunteers, so your contribution to cleaning enclosures and caring for animals will be greatly appreciated! The days will include bottle feeding baby joeys, preparing food and cleaning enclosures and babysitting echidnas as they get their daily feed and walk time outside of their enclosure.

Head to Brisbane in the morning, check into your hostel accommodation, and tour the city by bicycle. Then 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.

Your Program Leaders will take you to the airport for your flight home or to your next Rustic program as you say goodbyes and reflect on your adventure.
If you’re continuing on to another Rustic Pathways adventure in Australia, you’ll transition between programs by spending the day on Australia’s famous Gold Coast with other students and leaders also joining new programs.
If you’re returning home to the United States or traveling on to Fiji or New Zealand, your Program Leaders will take you to the airport for your departure as you reflect on your adventure in Australia.