Volunteering

The Archie Graham Community Centre is a friendly and relaxed environment where people of all ages and abilities can join in with community activities — keeping them fit, healthy, independent and socially connected.

Archie Graham Centre offers many fun and social volunteer opportunities including Café roles, Garden programs, IT support volunteers, Walking Groups, and Craft/Art and creative projects.

Flagstaff Hill welcomes volunteers with a wide range of interests, skills and experience.

Use your people skills and love of history to bring the Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village & heritage precinct to life.

There are many village roles available - including welcoming members of the public, wearing heritage costumes and being part of living displays, providing heritage tours, assisting at events, participating in the school holiday programs, gardening around the village, or working behind the scenes in documenting & researching the museum collection items.

Flagstaff Hill also includes the Visitor Information Centre, where volunteers can share local knowledge and provide valuable information to visitors. 

Meals on Wheels provides support to those in the community, delivering pre-packed meals 5 days per week in Warrnambool.  This is a great opportunity to volunteer  – to meet others, share a smile and a chat, and assist in the delivery of this essential community service.

Volunteer opportunities exist for Meals on Wheels individuals, family & friends teams and corporate groups.

The Lighthouse Theatre includes a terrific theatre space, plus meeting and function rooms.  This is home to many different performances, events and functions in Warrnambool.

Volunteers at the Theatre are rostered as “ushers”, which has been a tradition since the opening of the Performing Arts Centre in the 1980s.  Ushers at the Theatre provide support to staff, audiences and performances during day and evening sessions.

Volunteering at the Lighthouse Theatre is popular. Volunteer intake occurs a couple of times per year only. Please submit an enquiry to register your interest.

The Wbool Art Gallery began in 1886, and has developed and grown into the current site next to the Civic Green. Today it is home to a large permanent art collection as well as hosting a large array of touring exhibitions.

WAG volunteers have assisted on the site for many years, and this volunteer role provides opportunity to share a love of arts and working with the public, in a team effort to provide great service.

The Library offers a number of public programs that are enhanced by the contributions of volunteers. 

Volunteer opportunities include: providing homework support, facilitating english talking groups, delivering english literacy programs, using creative skills for new programs and events, offering family history support, delivery services for Home Library, and more.

The Library has a “wait list” to volunteer. Please submit an enquiry, which will register your attendance at a group information session to find out more.

Beginning in 2016, Gardens for Wildlife for Victoria is a network of volunteer community members and council/shire officers who support each other to involve local residents, schools and businesses to care for the native plants and animals of our communities.

Volunteers will be supported and trained to become environmental mentors, who will provide community with support in creating better habitat on private land, including in residential backyards.

Volunteers are valued for their contributions to improving habitat, sharing knowledge and resources, and supporting community to engage with the environment.

Children’s Services have a range of Kindergarten and Childcare groups across many locations in Warrnambool, who would love more volunteers to support their daily activities with young people.

This is a fun opportunity to volunteer in a supervised environment - to engage in play, storytelling, day trips, art and craft, gardening and cooking.   

The Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Foundation program is also a great inspiration to attract keen volunteer gardeners and volunteer helpers.

Council has opportunities for youth to volunteer across all sites.  Minimum age is 15 years with parent/guardian written consent.  Youth volunteering must take place outside of school hours.

Contact Volunteer Connect to find out more about Youth Volunteering.

Council Youth Services also offer other community events and projects that are available here: https://www.warrnambool.vic.gov.au/youth

West Warrnambool Neighbourhood House is looking forward to their new home in Pecten Avenue in 2024!

WWNH volunteers are involved in a wide variety of activities and projects in the community. Some of their weekly activities include school holiday programs, playgroups for children, art and craft, music and information webinars, health and fitness, and environmental awareness.

WWNH is also a registered distribution agency for Food Share. 

There is always a project or two on the go at WWNH, and if you have skills and interests to deliver activities independently or within a group – there is opportunity here to volunteer.

Council have a new volunteer program commencing in 2024, with opportunities to join the Animal Shelter team as an Volunteer Animal Attendant Assistant.

Volunteers are an integral part of the Animal Shelter team. They play an active and vital role in helping to improve the welfare of animals.

Animal Attendant Assistants contribute to the daily operations of the shelter by providing the animals in care with a comfortable and enriching environment. Animal Attendant volunteers assist to maintain animal hygiene, provide daily socialisation and enrichment helping to prepare the animals for their forever home.

Position Description

Volunteer Reference Group Expression of Interest form

SWVN Membership is FREE

SWVN meets every second month, on alternate TUE, WED, THUR from 1.30 - 3.00pm.

Meetings are hosted across various VIO sites close to Warrnambool. Hosts have the opportunity to provide a presentation of their services, or a tour of the organisation.

Members will be added to the SWVN contact list – to receive information about current programs, events, newsletters, training and industry updates.

To register or request further information, please contact:

Volunteer Connect on 5559 4919 or [email protected]

Volunteer Connect also hosts an annual South West Volunteer Expo for SWVN members and the wider community, as an opportunity to showcase community organisations who are looking to recruit volunteers.

SWVN members are Coordinators, Managers and Supervisors of volunteers from Volunteer Involving Organisations (VIO’s) across the South West of Victoria. 

All types of organisations are welcome to join the Network, and we share common experience of working with volunteers, with many members also being volunteers.

The aim of the SWVN is to provide a professional group network, to support VIO’s in the management processes of volunteering, including:

• PEER SUPPORT
• INFORMATION & SHARING OF RESOURCES
• PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
• PROMOTION OF VOLUNTEERISM
• ADVOCACY

South West Volunteer Network Meeting Schedule 2025

• Commonwealth Volunteers Protection Act 20023
• The National Standards for Volunteer Involvement
• National Strategy for Volunteering 2023-2033
• National Volunteering Guide
• WCC Volunteering Strategy 2021 - 2024

Warrnambool and District provides great opportunities to engage with volunteering, across many different sectors and industries. 

Volunteering includes casual, short and long term positions – to suit your availability and interest area.  Consider joining groups and clubs, offering support through schools, volunteer programs at hospitals and community services, fundraising opportunities, emergency services, lending a hand at events, environmental work, op-shops and charities – the list is endless.

To look for Community volunteering opportunities, please approach business, industry and not-for-profits to enquire about volunteering. 

There are also volunteer opportunities on Seek Volunteer, community noticeboards, and social media sites.

Warrnambool Council hosts a SouthWest Volunteer Expo every year, which features volunteer involving organisations. This is a great opportunity to meet groups, volunteers, and find out more about the work that they do. 

Seek Volunteer