A group of eight Conservation Volunteers from Hong Kong, South Korea and England got off the beaten tourist track and made their holiday in Australia a little different to most – removing bitou bush and planting koala food trees.

As part of Conservation Volunteers Australia the group was employed by the Myall Koala and Environmental Support Group to preserve Hawks Nest’s valuable koala habitat.

Vince Cheung and Diby Lau said they joined the program because it provided an opportunity to experience something they couldn’t in their home country.

“We saw a promotion for it in Hong Kong.” When asked why she got involved in the program Diby laughed and pointed to Vince, “because she wanted to.”

“It’s good to meet different people and helping out with the environment is something we could have never done in Hong Kong or as tourists.”

The pair of 21-year-olds, who spent two weeks in Australia, shared some regular experiences that many of us take for granted.

“The koalas were good to see but another thing was a rainbow. You can’t see rainbows in Hong Kong.”

Over their week-long visit the group worked on removing bitou bush and lantana from the edge of Blackbutt forest, Jimmy’s Beach Caravan Park and Tuloa Avenue Wetlands.

The group’s team leader, Phil Shearman said the volunteers make their way into the program for various reasons.

“Most of the time they’re uni students who come over here for various reasons. Some have to go to an English-speaking country. Simon, who is here from the UK, is over here for 12 months helping out while others might come for a week, some a few months, it just depends.”

Mr Shearman said the program is a benefit to both sides with the community receiving a helping hand with environmental work and the volunteers gaining experiences different to any other regular tourists may receive.

“Its not just about the work though these guys have been enjoying themselves we take them out to Dart Point so it’s a cultural learning as well we took them out to the Midden Site, it’s great for them to see and know this place has been here for 40 thousand years.”