How Can I Help?

In volunteering with the Foundation, you will work with others who are passionate about the Track and contribute to the strength and growth of the organisation. You may participate in activities ranging from Track maintenance, guiding, assisting in the Foundation’s office or carrying out data entry from the campsite log books, to helping at community events.

Before undertaking regular volunteer work with the Foundation, you must be registered as a volunteer with the Parks and Wildlife Service. We’ll arrange this for you.

The roles are introduced below.

Refer to our booklet Volunteer With Us! (pdf 1.4MB) for more details including the typical location, time commitment and responsibilities of each role.

You can express your interest in volunteering with us through the form linked at the bottom of this page.

We aim to provide all volunteers with appropriate training and ongoing support to ensure that they are well prepared to carry out their duties confidently, effectively, efficiently and safely.

Track maintenance

The Foundation supports Parks and Wildlife Service’s maintenance of the Track by coordinating maintenance volunteers, who contribute through one (or more) different roles.

Clearing the tent sites and paths is just one task of a campsite maintenance volunteer.

Sectional maintenance volunteers

The Eyes on the Ground Maintenance Program has been the core of our maintenance work since 1998. It is sponsored by Newmont.

The Bibbulmun Track is divided into around 150 maintenance sections that vary in length depending on access points; typically 5 to 10km. About one third of all sections include a campsite. Volunteers adopt a section of the Track and are trained to look after it. Each section is maintained by a team that may consist of one person working on their own, or a pair/group who work together.

This role allows you to feel a real sense of ownership of ‘your’ section – and is essential in ensuring that the Track remains well-kept and well-loved.

“I would suggest that anyone contemplating becoming a Maintenance Volunteer should do so without hesitation. You won’t regret it!”

P Evans, Maintenance Volunteer

Check out an article about our maintenance program by Go Camping Australia.

Support volunteers at work on a coastal section.

Support maintenance volunteers

In recent years we’ve expanded our Track maintenance contribution beyond the core sectional program. The team known as the Support Volunteers were established in 2014 and have been involved helping sectional volunteers with tasks that are beyond their scope, assisting at Field Days, constructing realignments, re-marking the Track after fire, as well as repair, remediation and upgrade projects.

You can find out more about the work of the Support Volunteers in this video.

In our office…

The Bibbulmun Track Foundation office provides a variety of services and resources for walkers as well as being the administrative centre for the Foundation. Office volunteers help with a broad range of customer service and administrative tasks, or specialist work depending on their skills and interests.

Office volunteers in action in our reception.

General office volunteers

The Foundation office (reception and shop) is open Monday to Friday, 10am-4pm, and staffed by volunteers.

If you have a good knowledge of the Track, are a keen and experienced walker, and have a working knowledge of Microsoft Office applications (Outlook, Word, Excel), then you are welcome to apply to become a regular member of the office team. Office volunteers provide front-line interaction with our members and the public, and can expect to meet engaging and like-minded people in a fun and positive environment.

Maintenance admin (MAdmin) volunteers

MAdmin volunteers support our Maintenance Manager with critical aspects of our Track maintenance program. The role is generally computer work – and is easily performed at home (once volunteers are established and trained).

Marketing and communications volunteers

Marketing volunteers support our Marketing Manager to progress our marketing and promotion efforts, particularly on social media.

Guiding

Bibbulmun Track volunteer Guides support beginners to gain confidence and knowledge.

Becoming a volunteer guide is a great way to enjoy the Track, meet fellow walkers, encourage new Track users and promote a love of the Track.

The Foundation conducts approximately 65 events each year.  Each event targets specific sectors of the community to encourage a wider use of the Track by people of all ages, socio-economic groups and fitness levels. One of the main aims is to attract people who have never bushwalked before and who might otherwise not venture out on the Track because of a lack of confidence, skills or motivation.

We aim to keep our events as affordable as possible so that the broadest range of people can participate and benefit from being introduced to bushwalking. The role of the Volunteer Guide is central to this objective.

Information about our regular Calendar of Events can be found here.

Research (data entry)

Data entry volunteers can work at home.

Help transfer the records from the green walker log books (located at every campsite and in every Track town) to a database, where the data can be analysed for statistics and trends.

This role involves computer work and can be completed at home once you have a book.

Promotion

Experienced walkers provide information and advice at community events.

The Foundation has a key role in raising public awareness fo the Track and what it has to offer. Promotion of the Track and the Foundation by enthusiastic members and users is very effective.

Promotion occurs at community events (previous events include the Walk the Zig Zag, WA Hiking Expo, Hyde Park Fair and similar fairs and festivals) or through the distribution of our printed Calendar of Events to various venues and organisations across Perth and around the southwest.

Governance

Foundation members with relevant personal and professional skills may nominate to join the Foundation’s Board of management, by election at the AGM.

You can find out more about the volunteer role of elected Board member on the Governance page.

I’m keen! – What now?

If you would like to join our team in one (or more!) of the above roles, we’d love to hear from you.

Please complete the Prospective Volunteer Form below. Our Volunteer Manager will get back to you with more information.

Any other questions?

Check out our volunteering FAQs.