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Welcome to your program
G'day mate! You'll spend two weeks right outside the Gold Coast of Australia at the Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary, where you'll have the opportunity to shadow and learn from veterinary professionals involved in the rescue, rehabilitation, and release of Australian wildlife. On the weekend, you'll visit Moreton Island with a full-day boat and island tour, including snorkeling around the Tangalooma Wrecks. Following that, get excited to volunteer at the Walkabout Wildlife Park in Calga Springs, just outside Sydney, where you'll work with koalas, kangaroos, echidnas, wallabies, and more! On your off day, you can relax at the beach and visit the world-renowned Taronga Zoo in Sydney Harbor.
You will also have a "Free Day" to explore Sydney. You can read more about your "Free Day" here!
Program Announcements:
ETA Visas are required for all students.ETA visas can take up to a month to be approved. This is due April 1 with CampDoc. ETA visa directions can be found here.
Housing
At Crummbin Hospital and YHA hostel, students stay in dorm-style hostel rooms shared with Loop Abroad students or staff of the same gender. Bathrooms in public areas may be shared with other guests staying at the hostel. Rooms have lockers (bring your own lock), fans (no central AC), and access to a pool.
At Walkabout Wildlife Park, housing is in a shared dorm-style house with bunk beds and same-gender roommates.
WiFi is available, but can be slower larger groups
Food
Breakfast is your typical American breakfast including cereals, bread, fruit, yogurt, spreads, and bagels. You will also have the option to stop at a local coffee shop each morning. Lunch typically consists of burgers, sandwiches, chips, variety of bowls. Dinner is on your own there is multiple restaurants within close proximity or can buy groceries and cook at the hostel. We advise against bringing food into Australia due to strict customs regulations and high fines.
Breakfast at Walkabout Wildlife Park is contential style. For lunch, you will have “make your own” cold-cut sandwiches, wraps, soup, sausage sizzle, savory pie, etc. Then dinner is made by staff on sight which you can expect food like pizza night, tacos, BBQ, and lasagna.
We advise against bringing food into Australia. Any food you carry into the country with you must be declared on your customs forms on arrival. Failure to declare food items, even if they are permitted, can have large fines from the customs department at the airport, so please be sure to clearly declare any food you are carrying.
Flights:
Taking the group flight is mandatory unless you live outside of the continental US. Solo fliers are subject to additional fees. If you choose to fly off the group flight, you must first contact admissions@loopabroad.com.
Packing
The only items you are required to bring are those on the “required” lists. General required items (like your passport) are found on the ALL PROGRAMS packing list above. Program specific required items are found below under the REQUIRED section. For the rest of the items, you are welcome to use your discretion. There may be items missing from this list that you’d like to bring, and there may be items on this list that you don’t want to bring. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask!
Required for this program
A locker lock. There are lockers outside the ‘front’ of the hospital where you will keep your backpacks here daily.
Closed toe shoes
Long-sleeved dark green shirts with no writing/pictures – logos under 1 inch are permitted (we suggest 2-4) This is another example of an acceptable shirt.
Short-sleeved dark green shirts with no writing/pictures – logos under 1 inch are permitted (we suggest 3-5) This is another example of an acceptable shirt.
Canvas work pants (we suggest 2-3 pairs) or similar (any solid, neutral color)
Hiking boots that cover your ankles (and appropriate socks). You may want to use waterproofing spray to waterproof your boots. Wear your boots for a few days before your trip to make sure they are comfortable!
1 box of exam gloves
A pair of work gloves or gardening gloves
Hat for sun (wide-brimmed hat is suggested; baseball cap is okay)
A rainproof jacket (and anything else you need to work in the rain, such as rain pants and/or travel umbrella)
Bath towel (one is provided at Walkabout, but not at the hostel in Sydney). (Some students prefer a microfiber travel towel.)
20 masks (or enough to comfortably wear every day if needed due to COVID cases) and 5 COVID tests. They are still taking COVID quite seriously at Walkabout and they're trying to protect their staff.
Money for dinners. This program does not include dinners for two weeks. You can bring cash or card, but watch for international fees and make sure your card company knows you are traveling so they do not lock your card. The cost of dinner will depend whether you choose to eat at a restaurant or cook (food is more expensive than in the US).
Suggested for this program
Shower Shoes- A cheap pair of flip-flops will work fine.
Swimsuit- The pool is not heated but if the weather is warm enough students will be able to swim. You will also want a swimsuit for the island tour.
"Head torch" aka a head lamp!
For free time, casual clothing is appropriate. You may want at least one “city” outfit
Padlock (you will need this if you want to lock your locker)
Small backpack or zip-able travel tote that you can pack for day trips (can use your carry-on backpack)
Winter jacket or coat for evenings/mornings (it can be below freezing and previous students often wish they brought warmer clothes)
Gloves, a hat, and other warm gear for evenings/mornings
Slippers or slipper socks to wear in the house
A second pair of shoes (boots, sneakers, hiking sandals; whatever you find comfortable)
A fleece jacket or similar
Students can purchase mosquito repellant and sunscreen at the Walkabout if prefer.
FAQ
Housing at YHA is close quarters and there is not a lot of room for extra stuff. We ask that you pack lightly. We advise against bringing food into Australia. Any food you carry into the country with you must be declared on your customs forms on arrival. Failure to declare food items, even if they are permitted, can have large fines from the customs department at the airport, so please be sure to clearly declare any food you are carrying.
WIFI: Students will have WiFi at the program location but in larger groups can be slow. If you are interested in a travel phone plan, please talk to your phone provider before your program starts.
Bedding: We will provide you with sheets, pillows, and blankets.
Towels: 1 Towel is provided at each housing location but will not be provided at the YAH hostel. Washcloths are not provided, we recommend bringing a washcloth.
Laundry: You should not plan to do excessive laundry. There will be Laundry available for around $9 USD. You will need to bring coins and laundry detergent. Some students have brought laundry sheets to wash clothes in the sink in between washes.
Outlets: Outlets are different - you will need an adapter. This global one is a popular style and can be used in almost all locations around the world. You can also get a set of these small adapters and just bring the one you need if you prefer.
Dress Code: You will have two different dress codes. The dress code at Crummbin Hospital is "smart casual." You will be working with animals in a hospital during the winter in Australia. This means: long pants, closed-toed shoes, and scrub tops would be great but are not required. NO tank tops, spandex shorts, or sandals will be permitted in the hospital. The hospital is set up with large glass windows so that guests can see the hospital's operations. You will be visible to the public and in a sense, represent the wildlife hospital to all the public who walks by. Most keepers and vets wear boots but the requirement is just closed-toed shoes.
The Dress code for Walkabout is very strict, please be sure to read over it thoroughly. On Monday – Friday at Walkabout during the day (not including down-time in the evenings), you will be expected to dress as a Ranger/staff member, as you have staff-level access to the animals and are representing Walkabout to guests and other volunteers. The dress code is rather strict and failing to meet the dress code may make you unable to participate in certain activities. Hiking boots and certain styles of pants are also essential for staying safe in animal interactions and helping to avoid snake bites (no one has ever been bitten by a snake at Walkabout, but we still want to take appropriate safety precautions).
During dress code hours, you must wear:
Hiking boots (with socks; we suggest hiking socks)
Durable pants (any neutral single-colored canvas work pants or neutral work denim, NOT blue jeans; nothing tight and nothing low-rise)
Long-sleeved dark green shirts or short-sleeved dark green shirts (one such shirt will be provided for you for free from Loop Abroad; other Walkabout options are available for purchase for approximately $15 USD if you prefer). Shirts should be without writing or images but may have a logo less than 1 inch.
Hair tied out of your face and nails trimmed short
During dress code hours, you may wear:
Jacket comfortable for work (fleece jackets are suggested)
Hat and gloves (generally not needed during the day)
During dress code hours, you cannot wear:
Leggings or tight pants (such as “skinny jeans”)
Shorts
Shirts with writing (small embroidered or pocket logos are fine)
Bare midriffs or shirts that show your stomach when you lift up your arms
Tank tops or other sleeveless shirts
Shirts with low-cut necklines
Dangly jewelry (small, close-fitting jewelry is fine)
Money: Most students spend around $200 USD on a two-week program. We HIGHLY recommend contacting your bank and ordering Australian Dollars before leaving for the program. There will be an ATM where students can withdraw money, and there is an ATM transaction fee each time. Almost everything we do in Australia is included in your tuition, with the exception of dinners and activities/meals during the "free day".
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