Island Sitting
WILDCARE members voluntarily assist the Parks and Wildlife Service on Maatsuyker Island (south of Tasmania) Deal Island (Bass Strait) and Schouten Island (East Coast) as Island Caretakers. WILDCARE members have provided this assistance since the lighthouse islands were handed to the Parks and Wildlife Service in around 1995. Caretaking "shifts" range from a couple of weeks (on Schouten Island) to three or four months in duration, during which time the volunteers are self-sufficient, but in regular contact with Rangers.
Special training in weather reporting is provided for Caretakers on Maatsuyker Island, as the volunteers provide 3-hourly weather reports to the Bureau of Meteorology. The Bureau pays a small stipend for this work.
Deal Island Caretakers carry out quite a bit of visitor information and assistance work as the island is a popular stop-over for cruising yachts and kyakers playing around in Bass Strait or crossing between Victoria and Tasmania. There is also a small museum on the island.
Schouten Island Caretakers provide information and advice services to boating visitors.
Caretakers on Maatsuyker Island and Deal Island carry out a variety of maintenance work on the houses, lighthouses and other buildings. Caretakers on Schouten Island interact with boating visitors and undertake activities such as weeding.
The Parks and Wildlife Service has a number of requirements, relating to skills and experience, that are considered by them when selecting Island Caretakers.
WILDCARE's Friends of Maatsuyker Island and Friends of Deal Island (Community Action in Reserves (CARes) groups, in cooperation with the Rangers, undertake a variety of on-ground management projects at various times of the year. The Friends groups also raise funds through grants, donations, sponsorship, and sales of merchandise, to support management of the islands.
To register your interest in becoming a member of one of our island Friends groups join WILDCARE, and register for the island of your choice (or all of them). You will then receive information about volunteer projects and programs on the islands.
If you are already a member of WILDCARE, simply contact the WILDCARE Office (office@wildcaretas.org.au or phone 03 6233 2836) to alter your membership details to include the island of your choice. Alternatively, you can change your details on-line.
Are you a Lighthouse or island fan? The Island Friends groups prepare a very special calendar each year. This year it features the lighthouse islands of Swan and Goose Islands Click here for an order form.
Further information
Friends of Deal Island … view the Friends of Deal Island page
Deal Island Cartekaer Program .... contact the Northern Regional PWS Office on (03) 6336 5328 or email volunteersnorth@parks.tas.gov.au
Schouten Island Caretaker Program... contact the PWS Northern Regional Office (as above)
Friends of Maatsuyker Island ...view the Friends of Maatsuyker Island webpage
Maatsuyker Island Caretaker Program - Southern District PWS Office on (03) 6264 8460 or email PWS Volunteering South
Other enquiries about island volunteering opportunities with WILDCARE Inc Email: islandvolunteering@wildcaretas.org.au and keep an eye on the Calendar of Events
Have you ever wanted to spend a few months alone on an island, spend time getting to know a piece of wilderness better, take part in protecting rare wildlife in the wild, feel the joy of caring for and releasing a wild animal or bird or head to the back country and do some real work?
WILDCARE Inc, in cooperation with our government partners, undertakes a number of large scale, ongoing, annual projects and programs. Information about these programs can be found below. Special projects and programs may require specialist skills and often ask for extended commitments, but they are some of the most intriguing and exciting volunteer projects around.
See program contact details above for more information.
