About usVolunteer with us

Volunteer with us

Help the National Trust of Australia (Victoria) to inspire the community to appreciate, conserve and celebrate its natural, cultural and Indigenous heritage.

Volunteers play a vital role at the National Trust of Australia (Victoria). The National Trust relies on the support of talented, hard-working and committed volunteers to support the operations and maintenance of properties and events across the state.

Without the significant contribution from our volunteers the National Trust of Australia (Victoria) would not be recognised as the premier heritage and conservation organisation.

The Trust is in regular need of committed volunteers to generously give their time, expertise and experience to assist with maintaining its many activities. A variety of roles are available including front of house staff, tour guides, gardeners, collections management and administration and marketing.

We promote diversity and practice equity. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are encouraged to apply

Download your Volunteer Enquiry Form Here

Current Volunteer Opportunities

An exciting opportunity exists to volunteer for Australia’s premier heritage and conservation organisation. Opening up to the public for the first time, we need a dedicated volunteer team to assist showing the wonders of Napier Waller House.
Napier Waller House 
Napier Waller house was the home of the noted Australian muralist, mosaicist and stained glass painter Mervyn Napier Waller. Napier Waller’s most prominent piece is the Hall of Memory at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra and much more of his art is spread across Victoria.
The property encapsulates his spirit, a projection of his work, as well as holding many of his draft pieces and the work of his wives, Lorna & Christian, who were both respected artists in their own right.
In more recent times it has been used as the residence and surgery in the Dr Blake Murder Mystery series.
What’s involved
We are searching for volunteers to build a team in the following areas:
  • Tour guiding – training provided
  • Gardening
  • Collection Care
  • Admin
If you have an interest in one or more of theses areas we would love to have you aboard to volunteer team.
By volunteering at Napier Waller house you not only get to know the personal and artist history in this property but learn new skills, meet new people and have lots of fun.
The National Trust of Australia (Victoria) is dedicated to advocating for social, cultural, environmental and Indigenous heritage across Victoria. We are an independent, non-profit organisation supported by a large community base.
Sound like you?
As part of the application process, we will ask you to agree to register/sign up as a National Trust Volunteer.
Thank you for considering helping the National Trust of Australia (Victoria). The National Trust is built on the power of the community. Volunteering with the National Trust of Australia (Vic) will be subject to a satisfactory Police Records check and/or Working with Children check.
We promote diversity and practice equity. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are encouraged to apply.

An exciting opportunity exists to volunteer for Australia’s premier heritage and conservation organisation. Guided by our experienced staff, you will join our team of volunteers.

We are seeking Volunteers to assist at Labassa in the following areas:

  • Tea room volunteers
  • House volunteers

Brief overview of Labassa:
Labassa is a stunning Victorian era mansion. Originally called ‘Sylliot Hill’, it was renamed ‘Ontario’ in the 1880s reflecting its new owner Alexander William Robertson’s Canadian heritage. Robertson was a founder of the Cobb and Co. coach company that successfully ran mail services throughout Victoria. He had the mansion redeveloped in the French Second Empire style by commissioning the German born architect, John A. B. Koch, to remodel the house into a thirty-five roomed mansion.

We are searching for volunteers to become apart of the volunteer team at Labassa.  Assisting on Open days, once a month 3rd Sunday of each month.

Labassa’s friendly volunteer team operates all aspects of the tearoom including set up, table service, food preparation, drying dishes and general cleaning.

By volunteering in the house, volunteers provide customer service to our visitors and gain knowledge of Labassa’s history and architecture.

In return, you can extend your experience, learn new skills and enrich your life by becoming involved as a volunteer with the National Trust.

 

If you are interested in helping preserve our heritage please contact

[email protected]

EXCITING NEW VOLUNTEERING OPPORTUNITY

The National Trust is excited to be opening to the public one of the oldest properties in the Port Fairy district. We are seeking keen and driven volunteers to help open up Mills Cottage to the public and share its unique local history.

Mills Cottage nestles in the historic town of Port Fairy and is one of the oldest buildings in the district. Captain John Mills resided here and is a significant figure to the district, working as the Harbour Master in Port Fairy from 1853 to 1871. Mills Cottage is further significant as it highlights various early building methods and materials, including containing some of the oldest standing timber.

We are looking for volunteers for areas such as tour guiding, welcoming visitors to the house and conservation.

Help the National Trust conduct group and individual guided tours. Interpret the contents of the house and provide an interesting and accurate account of the social history to visitors.

In return, you can extend your experience, meet new people, learn new skills and enrich your life by becoming involved as a volunteer with the National Trust.

Join us at the magnificent Portable Iron Houses!

With gold discovered in Victoria in 1851 accommodation was needed for the many migrants flocking to the colony. Iron houses met that need.  Constructed in Britain, the houses were dismantled, every component labelled then packed into crates and shipped abroad to be reassembled in their new location.

Bell House, Patterson House & Abercrombie House are among the last pre-fabricated houses left and we are in need of volunteers to tell the stories of these houses

We are looking for volunteers to hep with:

  • Tour Guiding
  • Conservation
  • Customer Service

If this sounds like you..(or someone you know), please get in touch for more information and please share this with your networks.

As part of the application process we will ask you to agree to register as a National Trust Volunteer.

Thank you for considering volunteering with us. We believe in inclusiveness, diversity and equality and are committed to ensuring that our workplaces are a reflection of that. We encourage talented people from all backgrounds, abilities and identities to apply to our vacancies.

If you are interested in these volunteering roles please contact [email protected]

 

Learn a new skill in 2019!

We’re revitalising the much loved Polly Woodside by undertaking conservation works to the rigging and masts.

During 2019 the Polly Woodside will be undergoing extensive conservation works to her masts and rigging. The purpose of this major project is to restore her to a sound and safe condition; repairing and refurbishing where possible and renewing where required.

Tusk Engineering, Ferdi Darley and the Polly Woodside Volunteer Association will be –

  • removing and replacing the rigging,
  • sanding, refinishing and replacing areas of the masts and
  • repainting or replacing associated elements like the blocks.

We are looking for short term and long term volunteers of any description to join us to help overhaul the rig. This includes learning traditional rigging skills and all aspects of stripping down, repainting, re-serving and re-rigging the lines.

Although Polly requires ongoing maintenance, right now, the large and urgent job is to complete this major overhaul.

To apply and for more information on volunteering, please contact [email protected]

Volunteer in 2019, new year, new challenge 

Mulberry Hill is an American Colonial style house, set on 29 acres surrounded by the beautiful countryside and Western Port. It was the home of artist Sir Daryl Lindsay and his wife Lady Joan.The Lindsay’s left their beloved Mulberry Hill, and its significant collection of Australian art, fine Georgian furniture and glassware, and Staffordshire ceramics – to the National Trust of Australia so that others could share and enjoy the collection.

We are currently seeking energetic and motivated Volunteers to help us look after Mulberry Hill:

  • Gardening Volunteers
  • Conservation and cleaning Volunteers
  • Tour Guide Volunteers
  • Event Volunteers
  • Exhibitions Volunteers

Help the National Trust conduct group and individual tours through the house and/or grounds. Interpret the contents of the house and provide an interesting and accurate account of the social history to visitors. Help keep Mulberry Hill looking great.

Orientation and training is provided

In return, you can extend your experience, learn new skills and enrich your life by becoming involved as a volunteer with the National Trust.

If you are interested in helping preserve our heritage please contact [email protected]

Volunteer in 2019, new year, new challenge 

Constructed of local sandstone and timbers, Portarlington Mill is a significant example of the earliest mills.

After conversion for residential use in the twentieth century as flats for holiday makers the building was condemned in 1962 but saved from demolition when it was purchased by the Shire of Bellarine and presented to the National Trust.

We are searching for volunteers to become a part of the volunteer team at Portarlington Mill

  • Gardening Volunteers
  • Customer Service
  • Tour Guide Volunteers
  • Conservation
  • Help with events such as weddings & birthdays

In return, you can extend your experience, learn new skills and enrich your life by becoming involved as a volunteer with the National Trust.

If you are interested in helping preserve our heritage please contact [email protected]

We are looking for volunteer helpers to assist in running our fun history Discovering Our Heritage Program at the National Trust property, Barwon Grange, on the banks of the Barwon River in Newtown.

Join us in this fully immersive program where classroom size groups of school children dress up to tour the house, explore the garden and draw what they see and then play all the games that entertained inventive youngsters in the 1850s.

You will be among other volunteers, who will teach you how to manage small groups of children and give you notes so you can answer their inquisitive questions.

These are fun educational sessions run in a very informal manner with children eager to learn the history of this amazing property and to discover some of the aspects of what it was like growing up in early Geelong.

You will be added to a roster of other volunteers and called on, when required, to join these 2 1/2 hour sessions that occur on weekdays randomly throughout the school year. The volunteering commitment is not on a regular basis and is not overly time consuming.

For more information on volunteering and details of requirements for working with children registration required by the National Trust of Australia (Victoria) please contact [email protected]

Get involved in your community heritage in 2019

Are you a Member of the National Trust and interested in becoming more actively involved in the work that we do? Why not join one of our volunteer Branch Committees, currently located at centres across Victoria.

As a Branch Committee Member you would have the opportunity to support and lead local advocacy campaigns, organise historical walking tours and events, and more generally raise awareness for heritage within your community.

The National Trust of Australia (Victoria) is an equal opportunity employer. We promote diversity and practice equity.

Interested? Get in touch: [email protected]

Corporate Volunteering

Get out of the office for a day or two and it can help your staff build better relationships, increase moral, productivity and reduce stress levels.

Businesses can partner up with The National Trust of Australia (VIC) in many ways:

  • Team volunteering days – such as a working bees at one of the National Trust sites
  • Staff can volunteer at one of our community events across Victoria
  • ‘Virtual’ volunteering time via work computers, including research
  • Support for skilled staff members to deliver projects or expand areas
  • A staff secondment program – for example a building company could offer its staff to help out with a community building or refurbishment
  • Group training and workshops – can you help teach our staff and volunteers new skills

We offer a range of one-day conservation activities for groups of 5 to 30 people, all supervised by our operations coordinators and assisted by our ongoing volunteers.

Find out more by emailing us at [email protected]

How to become a volunteer?

Signing up to be a volunteer is simple an easy!

Your application should include:

  •  A completed Volunteer Enquiry Form (please download above)
  •  Copy of your resume

You can submit these via post or email: [email protected]

or

People and Culture Department
The National Trust of Australia (Victoria)
Tasma Terrace
6 Parliament Pace
East Melbourne VIC 3002

For more information please contact the People and Culture Department on 03 9656 9840 or via [email protected] 

Internships

 

At The National Trust of Australia (Victoria) interns are an important part of the team.

Whether you sign on for a summer internship or during the academic year, you can work on critical projects, events, research and properties.

At the National Trust of Australia (Victoria) you’ll get a unique perspective on our process and those who lead it.

Our mission is to inspire the community to appreciate, conserve & celebrate its natural, cultural and Indigenous heritage. Achieving this requires great people who are passionate,  creative, and energetic, and who possess the following values:

  • Passion for innovation and Learning
  • Open and respectful with others and dedicated to making a difference
  • Willingness to take on challenges and see them through
  • Committed to personal excellence and self-improvement

Our values include:

  • Leadership and Inspiration,
  • Celebration and Inclusion,
  • Innovation and Learning,
  • Resourcefulness,
  • Trust and
  • Responsibility

At the National Trust of Australia (Victoria) there are many opportunities and we share knowledge, experience, and resources to help each other achieve our career and grow both professionally and personally.

The National Trust of Australia (Victoria) Intern Program is a flexible program of up to 6 months, for students currently completing studies at an Australian or New Zealand University or Tafe respectively in either and undergraduate, diploma or post-graduate course. Interns may be studying one of many tertiary disciplines including marketing, economics, business, human resources, cultural heritage, museum studies, advocacy, social justice, arts etc 

We promote diversity and practice equity. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are encouraged to apply.

For further information or to apply, please email: [email protected]

All Internships for 2017 are currently full. Applications for 2018 will reopen in the 2nd half of this year. See above for Volunteering Opportunities.

 

Volunteer Intranet

The Intranet contains secure information and services for Staff & Volunteers. Please contact [email protected] if you require a login.

Volunteer Intranet