Celebrating Oakvale's Volunteers

At Oakvale Wildlife Park, Volunteer Week is a chance to celebrate the passionate and dedicated individuals who help make our park such a special place every single day.

From supporting our keepers and caring for animals, to creating memorable experiences for guests, our volunteers play an incredibly important role in the Oakvale family. Their enthusiasm, compassion and willingness to learn help bring our park to life.

To every volunteer — past and present — thank you. Your contribution means more than words can express.

Volunteers are at the heart of wildlife parks and conservation organisations across Australia. They bring passion, positivity, and a genuine love for animals that helps create meaningful connections between people and wildlife.

At Oakvale, volunteers assist across many areas of the park, helping to:

• Support daily animal care routines
• Assist guests during animal activities and presentations
• Gain hands-on experience within the wildlife and tourism industries
• Inspire others through education and animal interactions

For many volunteers, Oakvale also becomes a place to grow personally and professionally — building confidence, developing practical skills, and discovering future career pathways.

That has certainly been the case for volunteers Alison, Dev and Natalie, whose experiences highlight just how rewarding volunteering at Oakvale can be.

For Alison, volunteering at Oakvale was inspired by a lifelong love of animals and childhood memories spent visiting the park.

“I've always loved animals and since I was little, I knew that I wanted to work with them,” she shared. “I have so many memories of coming to Oakvale when I was little — so when I needed to find work placement for TAFE it completely made sense to reach out to Oakvale.”

Since joining the volunteer team at the beginning of 2026, Alison has embraced every opportunity to learn and gain hands-on experience with a wide range of species.

“There has been so many memorable experiences since starting at Oakvale, but one of my absolute favourite moments was learning how to hold and handle a snake for the first time. Volunteering at Oakvale has made me want to further study reptiles.”

Alison says one of her favourite parts of volunteering is being involved in the daily routines alongside Oakvale’s keepers.

“Throughout the day all the wonderful keepers incorporate us in their daily tasks. We help with cleaning, feeding and providing enrichment for different species. During the day we get so many opportunities to learn, gain experience and handle animals.”

When asked what she would say to someone considering volunteering at Oakvale, her answer was simple:

“Do it!”

And of course, no interview would be complete without mentioning her favourite animal.

“Willow the wombat is an icon and definitely one of my favourites.”

Our Keeper Volunteer Program gives volunteers the opportunity to work alongside our experienced wildlife keepers and gain insight into the day-to-day operations of a wildlife park.

Volunteers may assist with:

• Food preparation and feeding assistance
• Habitat cleaning and maintenance
• Animal enrichment
• Guest interaction support
• General keeper duties around the park

The program is ideal for people interested in animal care, conservation, wildlife education or pursuing a future career in zookeeping.

Our Guest Services Volunteer Program focuses on creating positive and memorable guest experiences throughout the park.

Guest Services Volunteers assist by:

• Welcoming guests to the park
• Providing information and directions
• Supporting presentations and animal activities
• Assisting during events and busy periods
• Helping guests get the most from their visit

This program is perfect for people passionate about tourism, education, customer service and community engagement.

Dev has been volunteering at Oakvale for almost two years, gaining valuable experience while pursuing a future career in zookeeping.

“The opportunity to work alongside so many amazing animals inspired me to start volunteering,” he explained. “This provides valuable experience and learning opportunities.”

One of Dev’s favourite memories dates back to just his second shift volunteering.

“My favourite animal at Oakvale is Sunshine, the albino Darwin carpet python. It’s purely sentimental, but I am always taken back to my second shift volunteering, taking Sunshine roaming and meeting guests on World Snake Day.”

For Dev, no two volunteer days are ever the same.

“We have our team meeting, receive updates and talk about plans for the day ahead before being assigned to our rounds. It changes week-to-week, giving us a chance to work across all animals in the park.”

From morning cleaning duties and preparing feeds, to assisting with bottle feeding shows, tractor-trailer rides, keeper talks and animal encounters, volunteers are involved in a huge variety of experiences throughout the day.

Through volunteering, Dev has also developed valuable skills beyond animal handling.

“I’ve learnt a lot about handling and interacting with different animals. I’ve also gotten to work on my time keeping skills and public speaking.”

And his favourite animal fact?

“Koalas aren’t lazy. They sleep for up to 20 hours a day to conserve energy because eucalyptus leaves have so little nutritional value.”

When asked what advice he would give to future volunteers, Dev says:

“Go for it without hesitation. It’s challenging but very fun and rewarding. The team are very welcoming and great at working to your skill level. There’s so much to see, learn and do.”

Natalie has been part of the Oakvale volunteer family for more than four years and says her passion for birds inspired her to get involved.

“I got into volunteering because I wanted to follow my passion — my love of birds, from the tiny finches to the beautiful wedge-tailed eagle and everything in between.”

Over the years, Natalie has experienced countless memorable moments, but a few stand out above the rest.

“When I first went over to Lemur Island and got kissed on the cheek by Bill,” she recalled. “Then when I got to meet the red pandas.”

Although she admits choosing a favourite animal is difficult, a few have definitely captured her heart.

“I have so many favourites, but I have a big soft spot for Louie the Red Tail and Gigi the Gang Gang.”

Natalie says one of the best parts about volunteering at Oakvale is the variety every day brings.

“I love that there is always something to do and every week is different. Some rounds are quite chill like reptiles, or you hit the deck running when doing farm and mammals.”

During her time volunteering, Natalie has also gained valuable practical skills and knowledge.

“I have learned to do health checks on some of the birds, such as the kookaburra and tawny frogmouth.”

And one of her favourite fun facts?

“Echidnas are great swimmers.”

For anyone thinking about volunteering, Natalie says:

“It’s an amazing place to volunteer. All the keepers and the owners are just wonderful people to be around.”

We are always excited to welcome passionate and enthusiastic individuals into our volunteer community.

Whether you are looking to gain hands-on experience, pursue a future career working with animals, meet like-minded people, or simply give back to the community, volunteering at Oakvale can be an incredibly rewarding experience.

Applications for both our Keeper Volunteer Program and Guest Services Volunteer Program can be submitted via the volunteer application form on our website.

This Volunteer Week, we extend our heartfelt thanks to every volunteer who has contributed to Oakvale Wildlife Park over the years.

Your passion, dedication and hard work make a genuine difference every day — to our guests, our animals, our staff and our wider community.

We simply could not do it without you.