National Parks and Wildlife Service
South Australia

Volunteering at Cleland Wildlife Park

Our volunteers are invaluable. They help to conserve our park’s beautiful natural surrounds and assist in the care of our animals. Often our volunteers are working hard behind the scenes, while at other times they are the public face of Cleland – either way, their work never goes unnoticed by the staff and the many local, interstate and international guests that visit the park.

Volunteering at Cleland Wildlife Park provides an awesome opportunity to learn new skills, meet new friends and make a difference to the Park and broader community.

Our volunteer programs attract a very diverse age group, and everyone can contribute according to their abilities. While we love youth and enthusiasm, please note that this program is only available to those who are 18 years old and over, and there is no animal handling involved.

Cleland Wildlife Park Volunteers are members of the Friends of Parks, a state wide community based volunteer group who work in partnership with DEW staff to help protect and conserve some of SA's natural and cultural heritage.

Our dedicated group of volunteers assist park staff in the care and maintenance of the parks wildlife and natural habitats, and support environmental education to visitors of CWP and the Mount Lofty Ranges.

What will I be doing?

Volunteers work closely with staff assisting in the care and husbandry of captive wildlife, delivery of tourist information and visitor engagement activities, and the care and upkeep of the parks gardens and environments.

Please note - there is no handling of animals in our volunteer program

Please see below for the various volunteering opportunities.

  • Visitor Engagement
  • Green Team
  • General Duties
  • Plantation Maintenance
  • Bush Care
  • Food Bagging
  • Animal Management
  • Koala Management

Find out more here.

What skill are needed?

  • A friendly and calm demeanour
  • A professional and positive attitude, being responsive to the needs and interest of visitors
  • The ability to work in a team of volunteers and independently
  • A passion for the environment, conservation and connecting people to nature
  • The ability to relate to people from all walks of life and cultures
  • The ability to take direction, follow instructions and communicate information to others
  • A good sense of humour!

What are the benefits?

  • Enjoy working in a friendly team environment with likeminded people
  • Make new friends and create wonderful new memories
  • Utilise existing skills
  • Learn and apply new skills and knowledge
  • Learn more about SA's unique flora and fauna
  • Share your passion and knowledge with visitors to CWP and other volunteers
  • Spending time in nature boosts your mental and physical wellbeing
  • Get a glimpse of the 'behind the scenes' of CWP

Minimum Requirements

  • Be 18 years of age or over
  • Be a financial member of CWP Volunteers ($10.00 annual membership fee)
  • Wear the CWP Volunteer uniform (polo shirt, windcheater), enclosed shoes and long trousers while on duty
  • $40.00 refundable uniform deposit
  • Undergo a Working With Children Check (WWCC) through Dept. Human Services (DHS) before commencing volunteer duties
  • Attend an induction and any training requirements pertaining to the volunteer role
  • Be able to make realistic commitments in time and fulfil these commitments
  • Have your own email address and be comfortable using a computer/tablet/smart phone (or willing to learn) to access our online roster and sign in/out system.

To find out more about Working With Children Check's (WWCC) go to screening.sa.gov.au.

Commitment

Hours are negotiable dependent on the volunteer role you are undertaking. However, in general we require volunteers to have an ongoing commitment of at least 6 months and be able to be rostered on a set day for a minimum of 2 shifts per month.

Enquiries

For any questions, please email the Volunteer Coordinator at DEW.CWPVolunteers@sa.gov.au.

Register you interest here.

Cleland Blitz

The Cleland Blitz is an annual community volunteer day, where families (including supervised children) and individuals can roll up their sleeves and get back to nature. Activities can include cleaning up our kangaroo paddocks (raking, weeding and clearing debris), maintaining our pathways and garden beds, re-mulching enclosures, and pruning / planting native vegetation.

Applications for the Blitz are now open please click here to apply!

For more information please contact our Coordinator of Volunteers:
DEW.CWPVolunteers@sa.gov.au