Visitor Experience Officer - Botanic Areas

Mackay Regional Council; Mackay Regional; On-site; AUD 78,000 - 96,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Nine-day fortnight with rostered day

Up to 18% superannuation contribution

Work in Mackay Regional BotanicGardens

Job summary

Mackay Regional Council is seeking a Visitor Experience Officer for the Mackay Regional Botanic Gardens and Queens Park. You will greet visitors, share stories about plants and place, support daily operations, events and communications, and guide visitors across varied spaces with a welcoming, informative approach.

The role is permanent full-time, based in West Mackay, with a nine-day fortnight and rostered day off, working 8:30 am–5:00 pm on rostered days.

Qualifications

• Blue Card or ability to obtain prior to starting.
• Current Queensland class C driver licence.
• Five+ years in a similar visitor services role.
• Knowledge of horticulture/plants and interpretation for broad audiences.
• Experience in media/communications: social media, websites, newsletters, posters.
• Excellent customer service across face-to-face, phone, written and digital channels.
• Strong organisation and detail orientation; manage enquiries, bookings and ops.
• Creative, proactive, tech-savvy with ability to develop promotions.
• Rostered 8:30–5:00 availability; occasional weekends/after hours.

Responsibilities

• Greet visitors and provide engaging information about Gardens and Queens Park.
• Respond to enquiries and manage bookings for spaces, activities, programs and events.
• Assist with visitor activities, programs, resources, exhibitions and events.
• Create and update newsletters, posters, website content and social media posts.
• Assist with retail sales, POS transactions, merchandise presentation and stock monitoring.
• Gather visitor feedback and identify marketing and engagement opportunities.
• Collaborate with Gardens, volunteers, stakeholders and Council teams.

Skills

Customer service

Communication

Public engagement

Visitor services

Media and communications

Digital content tools

Teamwork

Problem solving

Education

Blue Card (Working with Children)

Class C driver licence

Tools

Social media templates

Website content

Newsletters (design)

Job description

Visitor Experience Officer - Botanic Areas

Bring plants, people and place together in a hands-on, public-facing role surrounded by the green spaces of the Mackay Regional Botanic Gardens.

Permanent full-time | Mackay Regional Botanic Gardens, West Mackay | Nine-day fortnight with rostered day off
Required availability: 8:30 am-5:00 pm on rostered workdays
Stream A, Banded Level 2-4 | $77,828.08-$95,769.76
Closing date: 29 October 2026

Do you enjoy working outdoors, welcoming people and finding fresh ways to share stories about plants and place? Mackay Regional Council is seeking an experienced, positive and proactive Visitor Experience Officer to deliver memorable, inclusive experiences at the Mackay Regional Botanic Gardens and Queens Park.

Set across 51 hectares, the Gardens feature themed plant collections, wildlife-filled lagoons and connections to Mackay's natural and cultural history. Queens Park is an 11 hectare park with unique heritage values, centred around the Ken Burgess Display house which features stunning orchids and foliage plants. This is a varied, hands-on and forward-facing role based in nature and surrounded by green spaces. As a friendly and knowledgeable first point of contact, you will work with visitors of all ages, volunteers, stakeholders and the wider community while supporting daily operations, activities, events, communications and the care and presentation of visitor information and plant interpretation resources.

Visitor Experience Officer - PE0208

Bring plants, people and place together in a hands-on, public-facing role surrounded by the green spaces of the Mackay Regional Botanic Gardens.

Permanent full-time | Mackay Regional Botanic Gardens, West Mackay | Nine-day fortnight with rostered day off
Required availability: 8:30 am-5:00 pm on rostered workdays
Stream A, Banded Level 2-4 | $77,828.08-$95,769.76
Closing date: 29 October 2026

Do you enjoy working outdoors, welcoming people and finding fresh ways to share stories about plants and place? Mackay Regional Council is seeking an experienced, positive and proactive Visitor Experience Officer to deliver memorable, inclusive experiences at the Mackay Regional Botanic Gardens and Queens Park.

Set across 51 hectares, the Gardens feature themed plant collections, wildlife-filled lagoons and connections to Mackay's natural and cultural history. Queens Park is an 11 hectare park with unique heritage values, centred around the Ken Burgess Display house which features stunning orchids and foliage plants. This is a varied, hands-on and forward-facing role based in nature and surrounded by green spaces. As a friendly and knowledgeable first point of contact, you will work with visitors of all ages, volunteers, stakeholders and the wider community while supporting daily operations, activities, events, communications and the care and presentation of visitor information and plant interpretation resources.

About the role

• Greet visitors and provide accurate, engaging information about the Gardens and Queens Park, plant collections, facilities, trails, activities and local attractions.
• Respond to public enquiries and manage bookings for spaces, activities, programs and events in person, by phone, email and digital channels.
• Assist with the development and delivery of visitor activities, programs, resources, exhibitions and events.
• Create and update newsletters, posters, brochures, website content, social media posts and communication resources that promote the Gardens and Queens Park and tell engaging stories about plants, people and place.
• Assist with retail sales, point-of-sale transactions, merchandise presentation, stock monitoring and general administration.
• Gather visitor feedback and identify innovative marketing, promotional and engagement opportunities that improve accessibility, participation and the overall visitor experience.
• Work collaboratively with Gardens and Queens Park employees, volunteers, community groups, stakeholders and other Council teams.

What we are looking for

• Current Queensland Working with Children Blue Card or the ability to obtain one before commencing employment, in accordance with Council's No Card, No Start requirements. Blue Card application information
• Current Queensland class C driver licence.
• At least five years' experience in a similar role within visitor services, tourism, botanic gardens, horticulture, customer service, community engagement, media or communications.
• Practical knowledge of horticulture, plants, botany or plant collections, with the ability to interpret and communicate information to a broad audience.
• Media and communications experience, including creating content for social media, websites, newsletters and posters, and confidently using templates and digital content tools.
• Excellent customer service and communication skills across face-to-face, telephone, written and digital channels, with the ability to engage with visitors of all ages.
• Strong organisational skills and attention to detail, with the ability to balance visitor enquiries, bookings, transactions, communications and operational tasks.
• A collaborative, positive and tech-savvy approach, with strong teamwork skills and the confidence to work independently, take initiative and solve problems.
• A creative, self-starting mindset, with the ability to think outside the box and develop innovative promotions and engaging ways to tell stories about plants and the Gardens.
• Availability to work the required roster from 8:30 am to 5:00 pm, and occasional weekend and after hours work where operationally required.

Desirable

• Certificate in Media, Communications, Marketing or a similar field.
• Certificate II in Horticulture, Certificate in Botany or a similar field.

Why work with us?

• A competitive salary of $77,828.08-$95,769.76, with the offered level reflecting the successful candidate's qualifications and experience.
• A nine-day fortnight roster and up to 18% superannuation contribution, subject to applicable conditions.
• A unique workplace surrounded by significant plant collections, lagoons, wildlife and more than six kilometres of pathways.
• The opportunity to make a visible contribution to one of Mackay's valued community and visitor destinations.
• Career development, study assistance, employee health and wellbeing programs, Fitness Passport and corporate discounts.
• A values-driven workplace committed to safety and wellbeing, respect, service excellence and integrity.
• Flexible working arrangements where operational requirements allow.

***Important information for applicants:

To be considered for this position, all candidates must have the appropriate working rights for Australia. Your Australian work rights will be verified during the recruitment process.

Applicants who progress beyond the interview stage will be required to undergo a pre-employment process, which includes comprehensive Pre-Employment Medical Assessments (inclusive of Drug and Alcohol testing).

We are an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) employer, where all applicants are treated fairly and respectfully and have equal access to all available opportunities. At Mackay Regional Council, diversity is about creating a respectful and inclusive workplace that recognises our employees' unique contributions and perspectives, working together to deliver extraordinary results.