Star Seeker

Star Seeker

Host

Rathmore

Location

Hollow Tree, Tasmania

Highlights

• Learn to navigate the southern stars in this incredible dark-sky setting.
• Assist the experts from the Astronomical Society Tasmania in celestial observations.
• Scribe the movements of the many magnificent stars, planets, and galaxies visible in Tasmania’s dark skies.

Your new Odd Job

Night owl: needed. Swap your regular evening routine for this nocturnal Odd Job observing the Tasmanian night sky. Astronomy buffs gathering at Rathmore House require a Star Seeker to assist them with celestial observations, telescope tweaking, and astro-imaging. On-the-job training will be provided; you only need enthusiasm and a warm puffer jacket. So quiet your mind, unplug from civilisation, gaze into the endless night sky and connect to the cosmos.

Responsibilities

• Telescopic tweaking – including setup, angling, and focusing for pin-sharp viewing of some of the darkest skies in the world.
• Assistance navigating the night sky to ensure you’re pointing at the right stars.
• Keeping an eye on the weather forecast for sudden changes that may impact visibility (it’s Tasmania, after all).
• Pouring and drinking copious amounts of coffee, tea, and hot chocolate to keep toasty.

Skills and attitude

• A nocturnal soul who comes to life when the days grow dark.
• A keen starry-eyed astronomy enthusiast to spot the nuances of stars and planets in the night sky.
• Skilled at layering clothes to achieve the perfect temperature in winter.
• A stoic attitude towards the weather. These clouds, too, shall pass.
• A sense of humility at your tininess, compared to the vast cosmos.

In return

• A unique, one-day volunteer experience where you will get to spend your evening soaking up the twinkling lights of the Tasmanian night sky at Rathmore.
• This experience will give you a break from the daily grind and a well-deserved wellbeing boost that Odd Jobs are set to provide.
• The successful applicant will be compensated with flights to Tasmania, car hire, two nights’ accommodation, and a bounty of local artisanal goods for their time.

About Odd Jobs

Ever hit those mid-year months and long for something different? Do you crave a break from the rinse and repeat of the daily grind? Well, a change is even better than the rest, so switch it up this Off Season.

Swap your day job for an Odd Job: a uniquely Tasmanian experience designed to shake you by the shoulders and wake you up to the wonders of winter.

Each job has been designed to give you what you might miss in your regular life: creative stimulation; connection to local communities, culture, and nature; and making things with your own two hands. The stuff that makes us feel alive. So what are you waiting for? Apply now.

By applying for this Odd Job you agree to the terms and conditions of this Odd Job.

Submit application