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Jack’s Story

Birds and my love of the Australian bush have inspired me to be a volunteer for conservation and involved me in many projects over the last two decades. Most of my volunteering has been through Birds Australia and the University of Wollongong. I’ve been handyman , student supervisor, guest speaker, steering committee member and 7 years as BA Councillor. I’ve fixed composting toilets, translocated birds and chaired the Sydney Airport Bird Hazard and Cowra Woodland Birds Programs.

Conservation work is altruistic and there will always be a need for volunteers. But being a volunteer for conservation works both ways; you can get out as much you put in. At the same time that you are helping, you will be gaining knowledge, experience, skills and networks to help you in all your life’s endeavours. Volunteering is fun and worthwhile - it fits my favourite adage: it is up to me.

Recently I helped to organise a Black-eared Miner survey at Australian Wildlife Conservancy’s Scotia Sanctuary in outback New South Wales. Together with nine other volunteers we walked a total of 173km over eleven days and found three lots of the Miner.