- VOLUNTEERING -

1. How do I apply to be a Wild Horses Festival 2026 Volunteer?

You will need to complete a Volunteer Application Form by 6pm Tuesday November 10th 2026. There are three separate position types available; 

1. Bump In

2. Event Live

3. Bump Out

Please ensure you choose the correct form by familiarising yourself with the types of roles we have available before applying. Head to Questions 4 & 5 for more information about the different volunteering positions available at Wild Horses Festival 2026.

If, after reading the information available on this page, you have any questions regarding the application process or any issues with your application form, please contact Volunteers@wildhorsesfestival.com.au

 

2. When do volunteer applications close?

Volunteer Applications close at 6pm Tuesday November 10th

 

3. What does it take to be a Wild Horses Festival volunteer?

• You must be at least 21 years of age

• A passion and enthusiasm for Wild Horses Festival!

• A willingness to engage with the public in a friendly and professional manner.

• A desire to be part of a team.

• A commitment to making the festival a fantastic and memorable experience for all our special Wildlings!

Wild Horses Festival is committed to an inclusive volunteer team and welcomes applications from everyone. 

 

4. What’s the difference between Bump In, Event Live and Bump Out volunteering?

Bump In Volunteers 

Required to complete 3x full day shifts. Bump In volunteers are expected to complete up to 7 hours of volunteering per day, excluding breaks. Note; exact timings may vary depending on what is required onsite.

• Tues 10th, Wed 11th & Thurs 12th November - 9am-7pm approx (3 meals provided)

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Event Live Volunteers

Required to complete 2x 6-hour shifts, or 1x 10-hour shift (Overnight only- Traffic team. This may be Friday, Saturday, or Sunday overnight).

These shifts will fall between;

• 8am Friday 13th & 9am Monday 16th of November 2026. Event Live volunteers MUST be available for shifts during the Live Event. 

 

We will endeavour to give each volunteer at least a 12 hour break between shifts; however, keep in mind that if you aren’t available to volunteer on Friday, your shift times may fall closer together. You may be required to volunteer during the night, overnight and/or into the early hours of the morning.

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Bump Out Volunteers

Required to complete 3x full day shifts. Bump Out volunteers are expected to complete up to 7 hours of work per day, excluding breaks. Note; exact timings may vary depending on what is required onsite.

• Tuesday 10th, Wednesday 11th and Thursday 12th November 

• 9am - 7pm Approx (3 meals provided)

 

5. What duties will I be doing as a Wild Horses Festival volunteer?

We have a variety of different volunteering opportunities available. We will always do our best to assign you a position of your choice however, unfortunately due to the nature of running a live event, we cannot guarantee this.

Roles include (but are not limited to);

Gate Crew

• Greeting patrons, checking electronic & hard copy tickets, checking ID, checking car passes, handing out wristbands & festival merchandise etc.

Traffic Team

• Guiding traffic to manoeuvre and park safely on the festival grounds, ensuring they don’t drive or park outside of the designated areas etc.

Green & Clean Team

• Cleaning and restocking toilets, picking up rubbish around the campsite and dance floors, exchanging full rubbish bins, tidying dancefloors, chill areas and campsites

Info Tent

• Tending to the info tent, collecting lost property, assisting patrons with their needs. You may be asked to assist in other roles. 

Bump In

• Building, decor, site set up, running stock, digging, heavy lifting, manual labour. Some bump in roles may include gate duties.

Bump Out

• Packing down the site, heavy lifting, manual labour

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Crowd Care

Festival Wellbeing Ambassadors are peer-based volunteers who perform crowd care and help create a safe and supportive environment for festival patrons. Working alongside health and emergency teams, they staff the chill-out space, offer calm and non-judgmental support, share harm reduction information, and facilitate warm referrals to medical staff when needed  

Requirements: 

- Hold a current First Aid Certificate
- Attend pre-event and onsite training sessions
- Commit to the Code of Conduct specific to the role
- (Desired) Experience in peer support, harm reduction, health, or community services, and/or lived or living experience related to alcohol and other drug use in event settings. 

  

​6. How long is each volunteering shift?

Event Live: 2 shifts of 6 hours in length

Bump In and Bump Out: 3 full days of approx 7 hours

 

7. Do I have to buy a ticket to volunteer at Wild Horses Festival?

Yes. All volunteers must purchase a full price festival ticket in order to be approved as a volunteer. This ticket will be refunded to you upon the successful completion of all your volunteering hours. The ticket must be under your full legal name and can only be refunded into the banking account which purchased the ticket. See our Volunteer Refund Policy at the bottom of this page for more information.

 

8. Do volunteers get a discount code or link for cheaper tickets? 

No. All volunteers must purchase a full price festival ticket priced at whichever round we have currently reached online. 

 

9. When will my ticket be refunded?

Once you have completed all your volunteer hours, the team at Triniq will begin processing your refunds. Note that refunds can take up to 3 weeks to land into your account after the culmination of the event. This is due to administrative and safety measures implemented by Wild Horses Festival, Triniq and the payment processor Stripe. 

10. Why do I have to buy a ticket to volunteer at Wild Horses Festival?

Our event is a lot of fun and sometimes volunteers with the best intentions realise they can't make it to their shifts. All volunteers are required to purchase a ticket as an insurance policy that you will meet your volunteering obligations. If you don't manage to meet your obligation, you've already purchased your ticket so you can enjoy yourself without our team having to chase you down.

 

11. I purchased a hard copy ticket and I want to volunteer. Is that okay?

Unfortunately not! All volunteers must purchase online tickets directly through our website. Hard copy tickets will not be accepted. 

 

12. Do volunteers have to purchase car passes?

Yes, Every vehicle entering the festival must have a car pass. 

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13. I have submitted my volunteer application. What happens now?

Thank you! Now that you’ve submitted your application form, we will take some time to review it and decide whether we believe you’d be a good fit for our team. Note; If you’re applying before August, it may take up to 6 weeks to receive an answer.

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14. When will I know if my application is successful?

Applicants will receive an email letting them know if their application has been successful. It may take up to 6 weeks from the date you applied for you to receive an answer regarding your application. 

 

15. I received an invitation to confirm my spot - does that mean my application was successful?

Almost! Successful applicants will receive an email inviting them to confirm their volunteer position within 14 days. Your spot is not confirmed until you have completed the steps laid out in your invitation email. 

 

16. How do I secure my volunteer spot?

To secure your spot, you will need to follow all the steps laid out in your invitation email and confirm your spot within 14 days of your invitation email.

 

17. Why do I have to confirm my spot within 14 days of my invitation email?

Wild Horses Festival volunteering positions are highly competitive and sought after. Unfortunately we are not able to hold positions however, if you need a little longer than 14 days please let us know once you receive your invitation email. We may be able to accommodate you. 

 

18. What should I wear/bring when I am volunteering?

Please ensure you wear comfortable clothing and close-toed shoes and that you bring a full water bottle, food, a hat, sunscreen, sunglasses, lip balm, mosquito repellent and any relevant tools you may require. For evening, night or overnight shifts, ensure you bring a torch and warm clothing such as a jacket, scarf, beanie and gloves. 

 

19. Can I volunteer with my friends?

Absolutely! Volunteers are permitted to select one (1) friend with whom to volunteer. If you are a group of three, we may be able to accommodate you. Please email us directly with your request once you have confirmed your spot. Be sure to apply for volunteer positions within the same week or we may not be able to accommodate your request.

 

20. Will Wild Horses Festival arrange my accommodation?

No. Volunteers must arrange their own onsite accommodation in the form of a tent, campervan or caravan, along with sleeping arrangements such as a sleeping mat, pillow and a warm, cosy sleeping bag.

 

21. Will Wild Horses Festival reimburse my expenses?

No. Any expenses incurred by you in getting yourself to or from the festival will not be covered by Wild Horses Festival. Wild Horses Festival does not provide event live volunteer meals. Volunteers must arrange all their own meals. Food will be available to purchase at our various market stalls in the marketplace. Water will be provided for volunteers at the gate and will be available from drinking taps within the festival grounds.

 

 

Volunteer Refund Policy

In order to receive your ticket refund, you must successfully complete ALL your volunteer hours. Your hours must be signed off by your volunteer manager. Another volunteer cannot do this for you. You are responsible for ensuring this occurs.
Your ticket must be purchased under your full legal name and can only be refunded into the banking account which purchased the ticket. If your card is expired, cancelled or otherwise not able to receive the refund, please ensure you let us know as soon as possible by emailing us. 

What if I can’t make it to one or more of my shifts?

If you cannot make it to one or more of your shifts, please either email us or locate a Volunteer Manager onsite BEFORE your rostered shift time to let us know. Depending on your circumstance, we may be able to reschedule your shift. 

If you cannot make your shift/s due to change of mind, personal preference, intoxication, being hungover, not being aware of the time, misreading the roster or any other reason, we will not be able to reschedule your shift and you will be ineligible to receive a ticket refund. Tickets are strictly non-refundable to volunteers who do not complete all their volunteering hours.

What if I’m sick, injured or have a family emergency?

If you cannot attend the festival due to illness, we would appreciate it if you could let us know at least 24 hours before your first shift. While we are sympathetic towards anyone who cannot make their shifts due to sickness, tickets are strictly non-refundable to volunteers who do not complete all their volunteering hours.

What if I have a change of circumstance?

We understand that life happens. If you sign up to volunteer but have a change of circumstance or change of mind, we ask that you let us know as soon as possible. Tickets are strictly non-refundable to volunteers who do not complete all their volunteering hours, but they are transferable - i.e; you can resell your ticket and car pass via Triniq, our ticketing partner. Ticket resales close on Wednesday November 12th.

 

Car Passes

 

Volunteers driving to the festival will need to purchase a car pass. Please note that car passes are non-refundable this year. This change helps reduce our carbon footprint, lower emissions, and protect our beautiful site. We strongly encourage carpooling, feel free to post in the Wild Horses Festival Community Page on Facebook to arrange a lift and connect with others.