ORRCA Rescue Training Workshops, an overview;

These are a critical service that ORRCA offers to likeminded people and groups in our community across Australia. 

Importantly, we take the health and safety of our valued members seriously. For this reason, from time to time, we may need to postpone our rescue workshops until they are safe to be held. We will assess each event situation to ensure we can continue to operate as safely and effectively as possible. In the event of any changes the ORRCA Training Team will keep you updated once you are enrolled.

In NSW, it is a legal requirement that any person or group interacting (rescuing, rehabilitating, or monitoring) with marine mammals must be licenced. 

ORRCA has an annual authority issued by the National Parkes and Wildlife Service of New South Wales (NPWS) to rescue and rehabilitate marine mammals. It is under this license that our rescue members volunteer their time to help save the lives and manage situations along our coast lines.

It is important to note that members must be 18 years old to attend an ORRCA Rescue Training Course to become an ORRCA Rescue Team Member. 

An overview of an ORRCA Rescue Training Workshop:

The day is set out as follows;

  • Meet in the morning and sign in

  • The class meet and greet with the trainers

  • The first part of the day is theory and educational based in a class room environment

  • There are breaks for morning tea and lunch (BYO)

  • The second part of the day is practical and a more hands on experience on a beach

The benefits you gain from an ORRCA Rescue Training Workshop:

  • Meet likeminded individuals

  • Participate in higher learning from a team of experience rescuers

  • The ability to respond to marine mammal situations as needed

  • Being able to be a first responder and able to report back observations to the Rescue Hotline Team

  • Become a peace keeper between the animal and the public, building awareness and educating

  • Feel comfortable in answering questions about the rescue situation

  • Make a difference in the life of a rare and sometimes endangered marine mammal that is visiting our coastline

Things to consider:

You must to be a member of ORRCA to undertake our Rescue training. ORRCA offers different membership options:

  • Only Rescue trained members can attend incidents.

  • The Rescue training course fee is $120. Once you are a member, you only pay that once!

  • All future refresher courses are FREE to current members.

  • You can register now for an upcoming training course. See the link below;

  • Please note that some workshops are in high demand and numbers may be limited. In these situations, priority will be given to those who register first.

  • If you need more information, please email is via the Contact Us page.

Building awareness through respect

Many ORRCA members enjoy sharing information with members of the public when on location at a stranding or seal haul out. It helps bring the community together as the kindness and compassion of humans shines in these sometimes, intense situations. 

It is also important to note:
Improper interaction with marine mammals is not only a criminal offence, you could hurt or distress the marine mammal and even put yourself in harm’s way. These mammals are wild, dangerous and highly unpredictable. They may also carry diseases. 

Finally, please exercise extreme caution when around any marine mammal and keep at least 40 meters away.