Friends of Melaleuca Working Bee

Calling for expressions of interest for volunteers at the Melaleuca working bee – Wed 11th through to Wed 18th March.

Funds have been granted for 7 flights from Cambridge to Melaleuca, enabling our working bee for 2020. Return journeys need to be paid for by volunteers. Note that sometimes planes are unable to make scheduled flights due to weather, even in summer. Also note that inward flights currently depart Cambridge Airport at 2:30pm not 9am as in previous years.

Volunteer need to be capable, have a reasonable level of fitness, be prepared to work in a remote area and work in a team. Inclement weather can sometimes impinge on outdoor jobs so we need to be flexible. Accomodation is in bushwalkers huts, campground and a few beds at private leases. Volunteers bring their own breakfast and lunch. Evening meals are shared in one of the private houses, with volunteers taking turns at cooking and catering. OR a volunteer can put their hand up to cater and cook all meals.

Skills sought for the working bee:

Brushcutter (2 persons)

First aid (2 persons)

Coxwain (2 persons)

Building skills

Safe work at heights certificate (2 persons)

Painting (many hands and brushes!)

Safe chemical use certificate

Maintenance

Document working bee (writing and photography)

Museum cataloguing

Jobs include:

Build a stand for twin tanks at Claytons

General maintenance, including paint barge-boards and chimney flu (Claytons)

Museum exterior, trim, paint cladding and window frames

Touch-up paint (Red shed)

Brush-cut fire breaks

Fish-oil heritage machinery

Interior maintenance (Bushwalkers hut)

Mould-treat plywood (Claytons and bushwalkers huts)

Maintenance on private leases

Clear drains

Weeding (pull foxgloves, cut and paste rhododendron seedlings)

Stocktake

Planning and proposals for next time.

(Jobs are subject to change with discussions later with PWS.)

If you are interested in joining the working bee, please respond with your name, contact details, skills and current relevant certification to the secretary Helen Statham hlmstatham@gmail.com

Note: we try to vary our participants from year to year and include a proportion of first timers where possible.