Volunteering
No seafaring experience required, just a passion for history and community.
Volunteering at the Victorian Maritime Centre in Crib Point offers a unique opportunity to preserve Australia's rich seafaring history while making a tangible impact on the local community. Operated by the dedicated members of the Western Port Oberon Association, the museum relies entirely on the passion and time of its volunteers to keep its vibrant attractions afloat.
One of the most compelling reasons to join the team is the chance to interact with a wonderful collection of maritime artefacts. The centre is steeped in history, showcasing intricate ship models and extensive memorabilia connected to the Royal Australian Navy and the Australian Merchant Navy.
As a volunteer you can step into dynamic roles such as providing guided tours, sharing historic narratives with visitors, and helping research or catalogue an ever-expanding collection. You don't need previous maritime knowledge to get started. The museum welcomes people with a diverse range of skills, from handymen and trade professionals needed for building maintenance and display setup, to retail-minded people for merchandise sales.
Beyond history, volunteering provides a powerful sense of social connection and community purpose. The centre is a lively social hub where volunteers enjoy meaningful interaction and a strong sense of camaraderie. The Victorian Maritime Centre also works closely with veterans to serve as a Wellbeing Centre, so your time as a volunteer directly helps ex-service personnel.
Located in the scenic Western Port area of the Mornington Peninsula, the museum is dedicated to establishing the region as a premier tourism destination. By giving your time, you play a vital part in keeping this history accessible to families and school groups.
How you can make waves with us
- Gallery guides. Share legendary tales of the sea with visitors from around the world.
- Restoration crew. Get hands-on preserving historic maritime artefacts.
- Behind the scenes. Help curate exhibits, manage archives, or support community events.
We are all volunteers and a not for profit association, and we are registered with Centrelink for those who need to do voluntary work. Current needs include reception, admin and computer work, carpentry skills, and handymen.
Volunteering on the Wyuna
If you would like to help restore the Wyuna in Tasmania, there are a few requirements:
- Become a member of the Western Port Oberon Association.
- Do the Tasports induction (opens in a new window), which is free and online.
- Fill out a separate form listing your connection to the Wyuna and your work experience.
- Be available when we are there. We will give you plenty of notice.
- Pay your own fares to Launceston. We can pick you up from the airport if needed.
Come and talk to us
Call in to the museum at Crib Point for a chat on a weekend, or ring Rosey on 0476 109 223. You can also send us a message through our contact form.
Volunteers at work
What our volunteers have done
The Western Port Oberon Association's volunteers have given their time to causes well beyond the museum.
2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami
A major disaster occurred with the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami, often referred to as the Boxing Day Tsunami, which struck Sri Lanka on 26 December 2004. Because the catastrophe occurred at the very end of the year, its devastating aftermath, humanitarian crisis and recovery efforts dominated all of 2005. The tsunami remains one of the worst natural disasters in Sri Lanka's history.
During Christmas in 2005 the volunteers and friends of the Western Port Oberon Association collected, sorted and packed over one thousand boxes of clothing and had them sent to Sri Lanka.
Typhoon Haiyan, Philippines
The Western Port Oberon Association raised funds to buy a truck load of rice and had it shipped to the Philippines.
The Hastings Gift
Association volunteers assisted in the creation and continued staging of the Hastings Gift. Held at the Thomas Barclay oval, the event has attracted over two hundred and fifty competitors from all over Australia.
The Hastings Gift is a premier athletic event, and a family fun day sporting event. Its intent is twofold. One is to create an event which will bring large numbers of visitors to the Western Port region. The other is to broaden awareness of professional running, which is cemented in Australia's history. By staging a professional premier athletic event, we give the public the opportunity to see some of the best runners in Australia compete for the honour of being the Hastings Gift winner.
Restoration of the Wyuna
The restoration of the former Port Phillip pilot ship MV Wyuna began in 2015 and is still in progress to this day. Association volunteers travelled to Tasmania and began the ship's first restoration works at Kings Wharf in Launceston.
Many of our local Tasmanian volunteers did an outstanding job bringing Wyuna back to life. It was decided to change Wyuna's hull colour from the Australian Maritime College blue back to her original buff.
