Celebrating our volunteers
Published on 16 May 2024
Pictured right: Bushcare volunteer Ahlani
Each year, we stop to say thank you to our amazing team of volunteers during National Volunteer Week (20-26 May 2024).
Woollahra Council is incredibly fortunate to have more than 200 active volunteers who give back to our community in a number of ways at our libraries, the Woollahra Gallery at Redleaf and at our Bushcare sites. We also have a range of groups volunteering their time to help us collect litter from our beaches as part of our HarbourCare program.
We are so grateful for the time, skills and energy our volunteers give our organisation and our community.
Our volunteers come from a range of different backgrounds and ages – our youngest is 14 and our eldest is in their 80s. Some have been with us just a short while, others have provided more than 20 years of service. They tell us they like volunteering for the social aspects, because it allows them to give back to their community and it gives them the chance to learn new skills.
Watch this video to hear some of volunteers, like Judith, talk about why they volunteer and what they get out of it
Woollahra Library volunteers
Woollahra Libraries would not be the same without our brilliant team nearly 100 volunteers and we can't thank them enough!
There are a number of volunteer opportunities available at Woollahra Libraries, including assisting with our events and programs, home library service, maintaining local history records, general library services, IT support and more.
Bushcare volunteers
Our team of 100 Bushcare volunteers help regenerate and preserve Woollahra's bushland, with the assistance and support of Council staff. As a Bushcare volunteer you can learn about our local environment and get involved in managing and maintaining our native bushland across Cooper Park, Gap Park, Parsley Bay, Trumper Park and Signal Hill.
The support we receive from our volunteers is invaluable and last year volunteers collectively worked 3375 hours – that’s a huge amount of weeding and planting!
Woollahra Gallery at Redleaf
Woollahra Gallery at Redleaf is lucky to have 10 friendly and knowledgeable volunteers who welcome visitors to our arts destination, share the stories of the artworks on display and act as ambassadors for the gallery and its programs.
Read more about volunteering at Woollahra Gallery at Redleaf. No previous gallery experience is required, just a love of art and culture and a willingness to be part of the rich and diverse history of creativity in the local area.
A corporate group from IFS doing a beach clean up at Rose Bay
HarbourCare
Each year businesses, community groups and schools host more than 50 beach clean up activities at our harbourside beaches. Volunteers enjoy our beautiful harbour views whilst protecting marine life and coastal birds from plastic litter. We support groups with clean up gear such as gloves and bags and spread their efforts across our beaches with the most litter.
Read more about how you can get involved.