Volunteer
Winner of the 2024 Victorian Tourism Award for Outstanding Contribution by Volunteers, celebrating the 200+ volunteers who give over 35,000 hours each year to Sovereign Hill.
A bit about us
Sovereign Hill is living history. We proudly and boldly tell the many stories of the gold rush. Our past unlocks our future as one of the nation’s most significant and enduring cultural tourism sites. We are Ballarat and would love you to become part of us to share in our storytelling adventures where the real treasures are our people.
There are a range of areas to volunteer, view them below. If you are interested, you can use the links to register your interest. Register by entering a unique username and your email address to identify yourself to our system.
Costumed volunteers
Step into another world to play many roles at our museum, wear a costume and attitude that takes you to the 1850s where you shape the stories that visitors take home locally, interstate or internationally. Be a big part of bringing to life the streets, the sights, the sounds and the colours of the gold rush at Sovereign Hill.
Register your interest
Australian Centre for Gold Rush Collections
Get up close to the past and contribute to the important work we do in caring for the amazing objects in our collection sharing them and their stories with the public. From transcription, cataloguing, digitisation and research our collections volunteers undertake a variety of work with our collections to support their ongoing preservation and care. Our volunteer guide team lead our back of house tours of the collections, engaging with the public and sharing the history and stories our gold rush past.
Register your interest
Centre for Rare Arts & Forgotten Trades
Volunteering at this world class facility dedicated to learning and preserving Australia’s rare arts and trades through a series of workshops, masterclasses, events and residencies you will be responsible for greeting our participants, ensuring they get to the right class and generally making them feel welcome.
Register your interest
All the essential information
Volunteer to be part of the team
Step into another world to play many roles at our museum, wear a costume and attitude that takes you to the 1850s where you shape the stories that visitors take home locally, interstate or internationally. Be a big part of bringing to life the streets, the sights, the sounds and the colours of the gold rush at Sovereign Hill.
Don’t like dressing up or down?
No worries, there’s lots of other things to do here, including behind the scenes jobs across our museums. We'd like volunteers to step forward for roles at The Australian Centre for Gold Rush Collections and the Australian Centre for Rare Arts & Forgotten Trades. All different roles, but all of them are fun.
Can anyone be a volunteer?
Yes. We welcome people of all ages, all backgrounds, all abilities. No matter who you are or how much time you have to give, we would love to talk to you about making a difference at Sovereign Hill.
What’s in it for you?
Plenty! Connect with new community of friends to share your new interests at Sovereign Hill. Meet, greet and learn about visitors from around the world. Full access to training, education and social events available to staff. Plus once on board, you’ll receive a free annual family pass for you and 5 others to come to Sovereign Hill anytime you want.
Who do I contact?
Contact - Manager, Volunteer Programmes
Phone: 03 5337 1156
Email: [email protected]