Unlock New Adventures As A Tour Guide In Beautiful Australia

The Perfect Post Retirement Job?

Are Australia’s stunning landscapes, bustling cities, and distinctive experiences something you’re passionate about? Do you enjoy telling stories and would you like to meet with tourists from Australia and around the world? If that’s the case, there are opportunities for people to become tour guides in Australia. There’s currently a national shortage of tour guides.

Becoming a tour guide may just be the thing for someone approaching retirement or in retirement.

Tour guide Russell Boswell of Savannah Guides has years of experience. ‘Tour guiding is the perfect job for people approaching retirement. The life and people skills that people have acquired by that stage equip them well. Many guiding jobs are casual or seasonal, so you can choose your work level. It’s a great way to see Australia (and beyond) and be paid to do it, as well as make new friends’.

Russell says that the majority of people probably start guiding later in life when they are considering a new chapter, possibly as a a sea or tree change move.

Other people may be in semi-retirement, or returning to the workforce after retirement, to have some fun and make some more money.

We asked Russell to tell us more about his life as a tour guide and his travels

How Did Russell Become A Tour Guide?

Russell was originally a secondary English teacher. After backpacking adventures, he ‘fell in love with tourism’.
Displaying entrepreneurial spirit, he started a backpacker bus tour in Sydney alongside two of his school friends. Russell ‘then chased my now wife of 34 years to Cairns when her family began a 4WD safari business traversing Cape York and outback Australia. It was all so much fun. I never made it back to school teaching and Sam and I now manage Savannah Guides.

I have been lucky enough to tour to the Blue Mountains, Hunter Valley and NSW south coast and take 4WD safaris through the Wet Tropics rainforests, Cape York and Thursday Island, the Queensland outback and Gulf Savannah, throughout the Northern Territory and also the Kimberley region’.

Happy Tourists and Tour Guides, Photo: Russell and Sam Boswell

According to Russell, ‘it’s surprising at times how valuable people’s life skills — working with people, being organised, and taking on new challenges— are in tour guiding’.

What’s The Attraction Of Tour Guiding?

‘Working with happy people on their holidays was very appealing and I have always enjoyed learning new things.

Of course being outdoors for much of the time, seeing some of Australia’s most spectacular places were great aspects as well. Tourism is a happy industry full of wonderful people.

Cooling Off On A Savannah Tour, Photo: Russell and Sam Boswell

What Skills Do You Need?

‘A wide range of life experiences and skills are relevant to tour guiding. Many skills can be picked up on the job and through organisations like Savannah Guides.

The most important things to bring to the role are a positive attitude and passion for your subject matter. Good tour guides are always building on their knowledge and skills.

Many guides look around their location on tour and pinch themselves that this is their “office”. Being immersed in natural and cultural experiences is inspiring and encourages a fascination with the world. Engaging with interesting people on tour and spending time with happy guests and workmates is a privilege. If you do it well, no two days are the same and the appreciation from guests is very rewarding’.

What Are Some Of The Challenges?

Occasionally the unexpected happens and guides need to problem solve or come up with a contingency, although good operators have these support mechanisms arranged in advance and assist their guides from the base. Once in a while there is a miserable guest, but that is a genuine challenge to turn them around.

Socialisation

Longer tours offer the opportunity to really get to know guests and many guides stay in touch with these new friends. Some guests return to take another tour with the same guide.

Qualifications And Requirements

Russell says, that In Australia the only regions that require a qualification to guide in are Kakadu National Park and Uluru / Kata Tjuta National Park. Otherwise a First Aid certificate is very worthwhile. To drive guests a State/Territory based driver authorisation is required involving medical, driving record and criminal record checks.

If you contract as a guide (as opposed to being employed by the operator) you will need your own Public Liability insurance.

Savannah Guides runs a range of online courses, workshops and Field Schools that provide a valuable introduction to guiding and builds networks to source employment. Guides can be accredited as EcoGuides or Savannah Guides after a year’s experience and some assessment processes’.

To find out more details, information, the costs involved, and to learn about Savannah Guides

Contact Russell Boswell
E: info@savannah-guides.com.au M: 0408 772 513

Thanks to Russell and Sam Boswell, Savannah Guides Managers for the images

Jill Weeks has been an educator and author for many years. She is the author of 21 Ways To Retire, which gives insights into how 21 Australians from different backgrounds adjusted to retirement. Jill is also the co-author with her husband, Owen, of several editions of the award winning Where To Retire In Australia and one of Retire Bizzi. She is also a contributor to radio and publications.