Volunteer camp hosts sought
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09/10/2015. 15:18
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Auckland Council is on the lookout for candidates for the best volunteer job ever - camp hosts for some of its northern campgrounds for the 2015-16 season.
In return for helping other campers settle in and keeping an eye on things, volunteers and their families get to wake up in one of the region’s most spectacular holiday spots each day, absolutely free.
Camp hosts are needed at Wenderholm, Tawharanui, Mahurangi and Shakespear Regional Parks.
“We’re looking for people who are self-motivated, enjoy working with the public and have good communication skills,” says senior ranger Sue Hill.
Sue says the ideal applicants are tent or campervan campers who can interact with campers in a friendly manner, and recognise that their function is to welcome, inform and help campers.
“They are not ‘enforcers’ and must summon rangers if they see impending problems, such as noise, excessive alcohol use or fires.”
They are not expected to collect money nor do any cleaning or maintenance work.
Kay and Ian Collins are fully equipped with a solar powered caravan and travel from Hastings to Wenderholm twice a year to be camp volunteers.
“We get to stay at a beautiful New Zealand park for free, plus we meet so many interesting people,” says self-confessed “young oldie” Kay.
The couple say they greet a lot of tourists newly landed in the country, who pick up a vehicle at the airport and drive just north of the city before stopping to rest at Wenderholm. Kay keeps a stock of maps and leaflets on hand to give tips on other parks, facilities and places to visit, as well as advising on everyday practicalities such as whether the water is safe to drink and the sea safe for swimming.
“We also see a lot of regular locals who come from places like Orewa to camp for the weekend, and active retirees who come to hike and kayak during the week when it’s less crowded.”
Kay says having volunteers keep an eye on the place reduces non-paying campers and ensures any problems are picked up early.
“We have regular contact with the ranger, who visits regularly to deal with maintenance or discipline matters, but on the whole we find people respond well to a quiet word,” says Kay.
Training is provided for camp volunteers and a minimum stay of two weeks is preferred. Applicants require references and must agree to a police check. They will also be interviewed. Camp hosts must bring their own food and camping gear and will be supplied with any additional equipment required to carry out their camp host responsibilities.
“Camp hosts like Kay and Ian are the eyes and ears in the campground for our ranger team. They give good local advice and alert rangers about potential issues, making the parks safer and more enjoyable for families,” says Sue Hill.
“We have hosts in place over the peak summer periods from December to February, but we need more to help us with our shoulder seasons – that’s October to November and March to April. Larger campgrounds can have up to 300 visitors each night so the hosts are a helpful presence to support the duty rangers.”
For an application form, please email sue.hill@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz
• Wenderholm Regional Park is near Waiwera, just north of Orewa
• Shakespear Regional Park is at the end of the Whangaparaoa Peninsula
• Tawharanui and Mahurangi regional parks are near Warkworth.
