When I started my first role at Outback Spirit as a Camp Attendant, part of me came back to life. I knew this kind of work would be it for me. Over the last few years, I’ve also worked as a tour guide, grounds keeper and caretaker at several of our Outback Spirit camps and lodges. I’m currently a Marine & Nature Guide at Murwangi Safari Camp in Arnhem Land.
As a guide, I love taking people out on country and sharing cultural and ecological information about the land. I have a strong interest in Indigenous land management systems and really enjoy sharing this with our guests.
A typical day for me starts quite early, around 4:30 or 5 am. I’ll do my checks on the vehicles and organise everything we need for the day. By 7 am I’m taking off for a tour. I’ll spend the day taking guests through the area and highlighting local plant and animal species, what the Indigenous usages of those species are and whether they play a role in Dreamtime stories. My goal is to have our guests walk away with a new appreciation of the area they have just visited and a stronger connection to the land.
When we return to camp in the afternoon, I’ll do a pack down and then debrief with our guests, checking in on how they’re feeling. We practice a very high level of care with our guests at Outback Spirit. We’re interested in how they’ve pulled up and what their favourite part of the day was. It’s a good opportunity for us to get feedback as well.
My advice for anyone thinking about coming to work out for us at Outback Spirit is to come in with an open mind and a willingness to accept new perspectives. The best starting point is a healthy love for this country and all of the experiences it has to offer. You will also want to have an explorative mindset and enjoy new challenges.
Working out at the camps, your team becomes like a small village. You build strong friendships with people in this career and meet people from all different walks of life. It’s impossible to work a season and not be changed by the people that you’ve worked with. This is easily the best job I’ve ever had. I can’t speak highly enough of the people that you’ll meet, the experiences you’ll have, and the beauty of the locations we operate in.
Looking for your next exciting career? Check out our available positions here.
