ISV - Volunteer Conservation Projects in Australia

In Summer 2015 I embarked on the ISV Australia 4-Week Program, and it was undeniably one of the best decisions of my life. I would happily do it again and would recommend the program to anyone looking to have the time of their lives.
The first two weeks of this program were devoted to the Volunteer Project. My particular project assignment involved forest management and beautification in Coffs Harbour. This portion involved lots of hard work but felt incredibly rewarding, and the evenings and weekend off allowed for exploring a truly amazing location in the world that not many tourists are able to experience.
Following the Volunteer Project, the next two weeks involved the Adventure Tour. This portion of the journey involved traveling down the Australian East Coast from Cairns to Sydney. I must have packed more activities into these two weeks than at any other time in my life. From scuba diving the Great Barrier Reef to skydiving and bungee jumping in the same day to surfing the refreshing waters of Byron Bay to exploring the streets of Sydney, there was never a dull moment.
I also participated in the one-week Fiji Excursion following the Adventure Tour. This provided an amazing opportunity to relax and unwind after the Australian experience. Snorkeling the warm waters of Barefoot Island with the manta rays, visiting local Fijian villages, and standing on the beach of Mondriki Island (where Tom Hanks was stranded in the movie Castaway) were some of the highlights of this portion.
Overall, this was an incredible journey, and the memories and friendships will last a lifetime. I recommend this program to anyone with an open mind, sense of adventure, desire to make a positive impact on others and themselves, and willingness to step out of the comfort zone to try new things (foods, activities, etc.) I am looking into participating in another ISV program in the near future.
One final note: Maybe it's just me, but Vegemite is not as bad as a lot of people say it is. I actually liked it. I definitely recommend giving it a chance-you might be surprised

I had the most amazing experience in Australia with International Student Volunteers, I wouldn't trade it for the world! I was able to complete 80 hours of community service and take away some life long friends from my experience. The most memorable moment, looking past all the amazing sites we saw, was after a long day of volunteering being sorrounded by the most genuine and kind hearted people that were there for the same reasons as I was. To learn, make a difference and educate others! Not only did I learn more about Australia's wildlife but I was able to learn more about myself through the my journey. I would highly recommend doing the 4 weeks, once your there you won't want to leave!! I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to do the 4 weeks in Australia and add a week on in Fiji, adventuring touring which I absolutely recommend as well! I got hands on with wildlife that I never would have been able to experience if I hadn't traveled with ISV!

I traveled with ISV to Australia where I volunteered at Walkabout Wildlife Park for 2 weeks! (I also signed up for the activity package and was able to travel down the East Coast for an additional 2 weeks).

Absolutely everything, starting from the plane ride across he Pacific to the flight coming home, was absolutely incredible! Not only did I Interact with animals including kangaroos, koalas, echidnas, and wombats on a daily basis, but I also stepped out of my comfort zone and had an adrenaline rush of a lifetime when I went skydiving, white water rafting, snorkeling, surfing, and abseiling!!

My project leaders were the friendliest people I have ever met and I made lasting friendships along the way!

I wouldn't trade my experience for anything in the world.

Words cannot even describe how incredible my ISV Australia experience was. I was able to gain hands-on experience with several native Australian animal species, including kangaroos, wallabies, koalas, flying foxes, and much more! During the Adventure Tour, I was able to cross off snorkeling the Great Barrier Reef from my bucket list, and it truly exceeded all of my expectations.

ISV organized everything so that we were able to work hard, have fun, and learn as much as possible.

I brought a friend with me on my program, and to this day we still reminisce about how much that summer changed our lives.

This trip changed me as a person. I've learned so much about myself in Australia. I couldn't recommend this trip more. I met amazing people that will be life-long friends of mine for sure. It was the best experience of my life and I reminisce constantly.

This was my first time going overseas, and I do not regret, for a second, going with ISV. When I was deciding to go abroad, I knew I didn't want to sit in a classroom like you would with study abroad. With ISV you get hands-on experience, immersing yourself in the country's culture, gaining more knowledge than you ever could gain just by sitting in a classroom. Instead of listening to someone lecture, I actually got out and experienced these places first hand, seeing wallabies, baby sharks, and even holding a koala bear! For two weeks, you will volunteer in the project of your choice (if you apply early!). These two weeks are tough, and towards the end, you will be close to your breaking point. On my last day, I could barely lift a shovel! But you just have to keep pushing yourself, and know that what you are doing will be a great help to conservation in Australia. The last two weeks are the adventure tour, where you will participate in fun, but, sometimes, extreme activities! You will see The Great Barrier Reef, a bunch of wildlife, pet a koala bear, explore Sydney, white water raft in the rainforest, bungee jump etc. The locals were extremely friendly, helpful, and accepting. In addition, the ISV and CVA staff were the best! They truly appreciated what you were doing for them, making you more proud of all the work you were doing. ISV will force you outside your comfort zone more times than you can count, but you will come out as stronger individual: both mentally and physically. I recommend applying early in September, so you can visit the country you want, and get the program you want! Yes, this program is very expensive, but I couldn't put a price on it because there's nothing like it.

ISV Australia has provided me with experiences that I will cherish for the rest of my life! The ISV staff are incredible and the individuals I met within my volunteer group have been some of the greatest people I've met in my entire life. The conservation work my group did was so fulfilling it made me change my major of study once I completed the ISV program. We worked at Walkabout Wildlife Park for 2 weeks and had amazing opportunities every single day that you can't get while just being a tourist. Anything from cleaning animal enclosures, getting up close and personal with kangaroos and Dingoes, to clearing brush were all made possible due to my involvement with ISV. Australia is renowned for its shear beauty and with ISV you not only get to experience the beauty of Australia but you play a crucial role in the conservation of Australia's unique ecosystems. This program has changed my life in so many positive ways. Between the 2 weeks of working in the wildlife park and the other 2 weeks traveling the East coast of Australia I can say I have done more "once in a lifetime" things in a 4 week time span than majority of people do within an entire lifetime. Scuba diving and snorkeling in the Great Barrier Reef, white water rafting on the Tully River, skydiving in Cairns overlooking the ocean, getting licked to death by dingoes, swimming next to Sea Turtles and the list could go on for ages! Don't let anything hold you back from joining ISV on a volunteer program because you 110% will not regret it!!

I have been waiting to take my first ever out of country travel experience with ISV Australia since I was a freshman in college and I was beyond happy to finally make the trip happen the summer before my senior year! I went back and forth on it so many times, but ultimately I am so thankful I made the decision to participate in the program. I met some of the most incredible people on the volunteer project who shared my passion for learning and volunteering in order to make a difference in the world and I truly believe we did. Wild Mountains was an amazing place and I would never trade my time there for anything in the world. The adventure tour was also beyond anything I could have imagined. It forced me outside of my comfort zone more times than I could count, but the friends I made, laughs we had, and memories I now carry everywhere with me were 100% worth it! International Student Volunteers is a wonderful program and I would recommend it to anyone and everyone even the slightest bit interested! :)