Volunteering at Kiwiburn
Kiwiburn is 100% volunteer run!
Our temporary community does not exist without the hard work and kick-ass dedication of volunteers offering their time, resources, knowledge, and skills. When something needs doing, it gets done – by you, by me, by the community. This is what we call a do-ocracy and it’s how everything gets done around here.
Kiwiburn is always hungry for volunteers and there are so many different ways to contribute. We are also always trying to improve the process to make it as easy as possible for everyone! Read about the exciting changes to volunteering for Kiwiburn 2025 here.
On-site Roles
On site roles include a huge variety of shifts pre, during, and post event. Some require training; others you can be trained for on the job.
- Shifts with Gate, Greeters, Depot, Parking, Traffic, Artery, etc.
- Wellbeing Support Services such as Rangers, Sanctuary, or Medics.
- Site Management (requires significant training and experience)
- Pre-event site construction with the Ministry of Public Works (MPW).
- Post-event MOOP sweep and restoration.
- Burn Perimeter.
Year-Round Roles
Volunteering year-round is a great way to really make a difference at Kiwiburn. Some examples of our year-round roles include:
- Executive Committee Officers & Department Facilitators (Arts, Comms, Crew, etc) and their 2ICs.
- Team Leads, who take responsibility for an area of each department (Theme Camp Lead, Art Registration Lead, Ticketing Lead, etc) and their 2ICs.
- Team members, who help run one of the above teams or departments.
Volunteering at Kiwiburn, you’ll get a chance to help create this community. You’ll get to experience the joy of helping others and bringing the Paddock to life. You’ll also:
- work with an amazing group of people from all over the world.
- learn a wide range of skills which you can apply to life in the default world.
- gain insight and experience volunteering on a unique (non-commercial) festival, working alongside our awesome long-standing volunteers.
Every single person who helps organise Kiwiburn is a Volunteer and works for free. Without volunteers there is no Kiwiburn! A huge thank you to those who give their time and energy to making Kiwiburn happen for all of us.
Want to help out on-site at the event?
Check out our volunteer team descriptions below to see if anything piques your interest. Training for most of these roles will be provided. If you would like to volunteer, please complete the application form in the Kiwiburn Portal to let us know what role(s) you’re interested in as well as your availability, and we will get back to you with which teams have space available.
Once you have registered to Volunteer, you’ll be able to review the status of your application, and once approved access rosters via the Kiwiburn Portal.
Volunteer Teams
Kiwiburn is a volunteer-run event.
Volunteering at the event is known to produce a sense of belonging, pride and generally enhance your aura. So why not join us and hang out with some interesting characters, make friends and influence the party? Check out some of our volunteer teams below to see what kind of role suits your skills and personality. If you are interested in any of the positions currently available, please complete the application form in the Kiwiburn Portal.
Gate
The Gate crew are the first people you’ll meet at Kiwiburn, and they are there to get you out of the default world and into Kiwiburn as quickly as they can. Save the hugs for Greeters; just give your lovely Gate volunteer your ticket, let them check your vehicle to ensure you are prepared for the event and not harbouring any stowaways, get your wristband and get inside! Gate volunteers are onto-it and responsible, with a mean sense of humour and constitutions of steel.
Greeters
Greeters welcome new arrivals home to the Paddock and help them adjust from the everyday default world to the extraordinary world of Kiwiburn. If you haven’t volunteered at Kiwiburn before, this is a good place to start. Whether you are an extrovert with a sparkly personality who just loves hugging everyone or a shy silent type who is learning to push your boundaries, Greeters has a role for you. As a Greeter, you have the important job of welcoming people home to the Paddock with an awkward but precious moment, making new arrivals slightly more disoriented and full of warm fuzzies.
Ministry of Public Works
The Kiwiburn Ministry of Public Works (MPW) is the group that plans, surveys, builds, and takes down the basic infrastructure of our temporary community. MPW work hand-in-hand with other departments to ensure the site for Kiwiburn is prepared and ready to receive the participants on arrival, as well as ensuring the maintenance of Kiwiburn facilities throughout the burn. This includes marking and maintaining access roads, clearing camping areas, building Gate and the Depot, installing all the lighting on gates, restocking and cleaning portos, and placing all signage all over the site! If you have building skills and experience, like to work hard, party hard and listen to power ballads, and have time before the event to set things up, MPW might just be your natural volunteer habitat.
Black Sheep Rangers
Modelled on the Black Rock City Rangers, Kiwiburn’s Black Sheep Rangers are volunteers who help ensure the safety of the site and participants, and can be identified by their hi-vis vests and friendly demeanour. Previously known as Paddock Relief, Black Sheep Rangers are not law enforcement. They work within our community to help participants navigate the Paddock and promote awareness of how to have the best Kiwiburn experience possible! If you see a medical emergency, a fight or any other dangerous situation, alert your nearest member of Black Sheep Rangers or anyone else with a radio. If you are a kind, caring, responsible type of person, who has a lot to give, Black Sheep Rangers might be the volunteer role for you. Check out more information here.
The Depot
The Depot is our centralised community information centre. Buy a bag of ice, check Lost and Found for your camera or favourite earring, find out the latest of what’s going on on the Paddock, sign up for a volunteer shift, become a Paddock Postie. In theory, they know what’s going on everywhere! Open 10am–5pm every day. If you are organised, efficient and like selling ice, why not sign up for a shift?
The Artery
The Artery is back – a hub for all things art on the Paddock. It will be filled with info on the art of Kiwiburn (past and present) and our Art Grants processes, so you know how you can get some of those dollars to bring your vision to life! They’ll be fun events like art tours and an “official opening” gallery night (giving you the chance to dress up, drink wine and prattle on about art like a fancy wanker!).
We need volunteers to “man the desk” from 2pm–5pm each day, and help run events. You will need to be a people person, passionate about art, and reliable. Interested? It’s a bonus if you have done projects before, have an understanding of the Art Grants processes or have a willingness to learn. Get amongst it!
Site Office
Site office is the administrative hub of Kiwiburn. This is where documents are kept, printed, signs laminated and First Aid kits kept. Site Office also manages the on-site radios ensuring the right teams have freshly charged radios and batteries are always topped up.
There is also sunscreen to dispense, Health and Safety inductions to conduct, and general help and questions to yield and answer. The Site Office is open everyday from 8am till 8pm and will be run by a 2IC/Lead as well as a volunteer for 3×4 hour shifts every day. Volunteers should have some computer literacy, familiarity with Google Suits a plus, ability to think on their feet and be self-starting.
Traffic Crew
Listen and understand your fellow burners expectations, fears and curiousness, and assist them in touch their fate by leading them safely to their Final Camping Destination (in accordance with general Town Planning’s intention, terms and conditions apply).
Burn Perimeter
Without a Burn Perimeter Crew, there is no burn – simple. These amazing humans ensure that the Effigy and Temple Burns are conducted safely and in conjunction with FAST (Fire Art Safety Team) controls. No one gets past them until the ropes drop and they keep all revelers at a safe distance to enjoy the main event(s) any Burn has to offer. Each Burn requires a separate crew and you must remain sober until after the Burn is completed. You may miss the burn but you can experience all the happy faces of the crowd and you’ll have a very warm back.
Year-Round Volunteering
Are you an admin or finance wiz? Does IT float your boat? Are you mad keen on social media? Kiwiburn has a bunch of volunteers that work year-round to make things happen. Perhaps you could join our Art Grants Committee and help to bring art to the Paddock or maybe coordinating volunteers sounds like your future Kiwiburn role? If you love relaxing with no responsibilities during the event but still want to help out at other times of the year, check out current year-round volunteering roles here: Volunteer Opportunities