This Australian island is looking for people to babysit Tasmanian devils this winter

Time Out

26-05-2025

We've just found the dream job you never knew you wanted… babysitting Tasmanian devils. And that's just one of ten quirky jobs up for grabs on Australia's only island state this winter. As part of Tourism Tasmania's annual 'Winternships' campaign, those eager to brave the cold could score gigs doing everything from shredding down mountain bike trails and foraging for wild mushrooms to sizzling away in a floating sauna. Bliss!
Having all your travel expenses covered for these once-in-a-lifetime opportunities sounds almost too good to be true, and that's because it kind of is. Only ten Aussies will be chosen for these exclusive winter jobs, designed to turn even the biggest sun-seekers into bona fide 'winter people'. Fun fact: Tourism Tasmania found that only one-third of Aussies currently call themselves that.
Our favourite role is the devil sitter gig at Devils@Cradle, where the lucky wintern will clock in at a cool 4pm to keep an eye on the cheeky little devils, who'd rather pull an all-nighter than nap through their social lives. Maybe steer clear of the bedtime kisses, as they've got some pretty sharp teeth.
Animal lovers can throw their hat in the ring to be a goat doofer at Hideaway Farmlet in Penguin (yep, that's legit the name of the town), where they'll be tasked with putting on a mini music festival for a herd of vibe-seeking goats. Honestly, this could be the first goat bush doof in the world! Meanwhile, Borradale Stanley is hiring a calf concierge to stay on maternity watch in case of any grand calf arrivals. You'll be on bottle-feeding duty, too!
Those who crave warmth can apply to be a sauna skipper at Kuuma Nature Sauna, where you'll be responsible for keeping Australia's first fully mobile sauna pontoon boat nice and toasty. And for those fearless of heights, there's the scenic seat-warmer role at the famous Cataract Gorge Scenic Chairlift – so get those butts ready for some serious defrosting!
Other jobs up for grabs include as a fragrance forager at Undersong Perfumery; a splinter specialist at Huon Pine Shop and Creative Paper Tasmania; a tunnel-to-table taster at the award-winning Tunnel Hill Mushrooms; a barrel butler at Australia's southernmost distillery, McHenry Distillery; or a trail trialler at Blue Derby Pods Ride.
Think you've got what it takes? You can apply for one of these ten winternships from May 27 to June 17 via the Discover Tasmania website. All you need to do is tell them in 50 words or less why you want to become a winter person. The lucky winterns will have all their travel expenses covered and will also score a selection of Tasmania's best seasonal produce and goods, handpicked by their hosts. You can find out more here.