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Greenpeace activist Milo Dahlman in snowstorm during action against
Japanese whaling in the Southern Ocean.

Greenpeace activist Milo Dahlman in a snowstorm during an action against Japanese whaling in the Southern Ocean.

Greenpeace depends on committed volunteer activists to bring our global campaigns to life in their local area through consumer activism, letter-writing, lobbying, local research and non-violent direct actions.

Greenpeace local groups help Greenpeace's global and national environmental campaigns through public outreach, letter-writing, lobbying, research and participation in non-violent direct actions. Local groups meet regularly to share campaign updates, plan activities and participate in training.

Interested? Volunteer now

Who are they?

Local group volunteers come from all walks of life. Some are seasoned environmental activists, but for many, joining a local group is their first step. They attend regular meetings to plan activities and share campaign information. They are also trained in activist skills, from non-violent direct action to campaign strategy and social change theory. All local group members are volunteers, and each group includes a voluntary local group coordinator.

Where are they?

Greenpeace currently supports eight local groups in the Australia Pacific region, with a group in Brisbane, Sydney, Canberra, Melbourne, Hobart, Adelaide, Perth and Suva, Fiji Islands. All the groups meet regularly in a central location in their city.

What do they do?

Since the launch of the Local Group Network in 1998, local group volunteers have spearheaded letter-writing campaigns, kept watch on Greenpeace ships, lobbied local politicians and collected thousands of signatures from the public. And, after completing Greenpeace's non-violence training program, many local group volunteers have joined in our trademark non-violent direct actions to protect the environment.

And they've made a difference!

Thanks to the efforts of local group volunteers, Greenpeace has made significant gains for the environment and communities. These include:

Alerting thousands of consumers to the risks of genetically modified foods
Challenging the development of a polluting shale oil industry on the Great Barrier Reef
Helping local communities stop toxic waste incinerators in Western Australia and Tasmania

Who can join a local group?

To join a local group you must be at least 18 years of age and be able to attend regular meetings in the metropolitan area of one of the cities listed above. We encourage people who are under 18, or who are unable to attend meetings, to become cyberactivists.

How do I get involved?

We are currently improving our volunteer network and support structure. Unfortunately, during this time we are unable to take new applicants for the local groups program. In the meantime, visit our Get Involved pages for more ways to help out Greenpeace Australia Pacific.