Join our team of volunteers
If you’re ready to become a valued member of our team and to enjoy forming new friendships while keeping the history of the Zig Zag Railway alive, we’d love to welcome you aboard!
No prior skills or qualifications are required to start your journey with us.
Whether you have dreams of being a train driver, guard, in the workshop or a station master, we’ll provide all the training you need. There are even non-operational roles that require no formal training – the choice is yours.
Your Membership journey starts with completing the online application form.
Volunteer roles
The Zig Zag Railway relies on the support of dedicated volunteers to help with various aspects of its operations. There are several volunteer roles available that help us keep this heritage site alive, and give you the chance to gain valuable skills and experience in the process.
GUARD
Guards are responsible for ensuring the safety of passengers and assisting the driver with the … learn more
Shop Volunteer
Working in our retail outlet at Clarence provides an opportunity for members to assist our … learn more
Signaller
Our Signallers control the movement of our trains within yards. At Zig Zag Railway we … learn more
Train Controller
The Train Controller is responsible for managing the train movements on the network. They do … learn more
Train Driver
This role involves operating the locomotives and driving the trains along the railway line. Train … learn more
Strong History of Volunteering
Around the Zig Zag Railway’s 100th anniversary in the1960’s, a group of train enthusiasts were looking to establish a tourist steam railway in NSW and negotiations commenced with the Zig Zag Trust.
In June 1972, the Lithgow Switchback Railway Co-op was formed (later renamed the Zig Zag Railway Co-operative Ltd in 1974) and on Saturday 18 October 1975, the running of the first passenger service of the Zig Zag Tourist Railway commemorated Zig Zag’s 106th anniversary.
Since the formation of the Zig Zag Railway Co-operative, passionate volunteers have preserved the history of the great Zig Zag Railway while making lifelong friendships along the way. Our volunteers are the lifeblood of the Railway and ensure the smooth and safe operation of our services to the public by fulfilling a range of exciting roles.
We welcome new volunteers who are ready to continue this legacy by becoming an integral part of our team and contributing to the community’s enjoyment of this prized piece of living history. Our experienced volunteers will support you along your journey as you learn new things and form great friendships.
The amount of time you commit is up to you – you can do as little or as much as you want!
We welcome you to join via our Membership Application form.
To complete this form successfully, you will need to ensure 3rd party cookies are enabled on your device. Additionally, Apple users will need to uncheck the setting "prevent cross-site tracking" or complete the form using an alternative device.
If you have any trouble with this, please email volunteers@zigzagrailway.com.au and we will help you out.
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