How to apply

Fill in the TBH Volunteer application online. Take as much space as you need, and feel free to ask questions. Before you apply, please read the Basic Info page — it answers most common questions.

Your application documents

Work through these in order. Documents 3–6 are especially important, since a thorough understanding of Australian Bat Lyssavirus (ABLV) is essential before you arrive.

  1. TBH Volunteer application — Create an account, then answer every question as fully as you can.
  2. Volunteer Information Folder — Read this before you travel. It will make more sense once you’re here, so bring it with you. (Check your Downloads folder.)
  3. Workplace Health & Safety — vaccinated volunteer or unvaccinated volunteer — You’ll sign this when you arrive. (Check your Downloads folder.)
  4. Queensland Health — ABLV guidance — Recommendations for people who work with bats.
  5. General Biosecurity Obligation (GBO) — If you handle bats, you need to know the risks of ABLV and how to reduce them for yourself, other people, and the animals.
  6. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) — Read this carefully. Correct PPE use is critical.
  7. Constitution — Tolga Bat Rescue and Research Inc

Vaccination and health requirements

To handle bats, you must be up to date with your rabies vaccination. Please send us proof electronically before you arrive, or bring it with you. Even though the risk of ABLV transmission is very low, you also need to know what to do if you are bitten or scratched — the Queensland Health guidance in document 4 covers this clearly. More information is available here.

There is plenty of work at the Hospital that does not involve handling bats. However, we encourage all volunteers to get vaccinated — most people find it very hard to resist the young orphans!

Meet Guiree and Milla the 2 kelpies that are full time volunteers at the Bat Hospital. Kelpies are Australian working dogs usually with sheep.

What to expect

Tick paralysis season varies each year, so we can’t predict exactly how busy we’ll be until around November. Because of this, we recommend having a back-up plan in case demand for volunteers is lower than expected. In most seasons, though, you can expect to be kept very busy caring for bats with little time for much else.

We have built a beautiful working environment for our volunteers. Watch a short video here.

We also work with several international volunteer placement agencies who have visited the Bat Hospital and can vouch for us: Animal Experience International (Canada), Oceans 2 Earth (Australia), and Volunteering Travels (Sweden).

We have created a beautiful working environment for our volunteers, enjoy a short video here.