Rail Tour Guide Full Time

About the company

We’re seeking an enthusiastic person to join our team as a  Rail Tour Guide at Driving Creek in a permanent role.

Driving Creek is a leading tourism organisation and renown pottery that began as a grass-roots pottery in 1973, and organically became one of the most popular tourist destinations in The Coromandel. We offer immersive visitor experiences within a beautiful native forest that includes New Zealand’s only mountain railway tour, an eight zipline canopy tour, and pottery classes and workshops.

As a not-for-profit organisation, we protect and enhance our native environment through impactful conservation programmes, and enrich the artistic community by offering free artist residencies to inspire shared learning and support for the artistic community.

About the job

A Rail Tour Guides’s role is essentially to safely operate a rail vehicle, deliver an authentic narrative of biodiversity and the creation of Driving Creek, and provide an exceptional customer experience.

You will take groups of customers for a 1 hour 15 minute rail tour on a unique railway that winds through a regenerating kauri forest with 10 bridges and 2 tunnels. Along the way you will share stories of how Barry Brickell created Driving Creek as a place of innovation, creativity and conservation. Although there are central themes to the tour, you will be expected to add your own creativity and character.

In addition to the Rail Tour Guide role, a secondary role in fields such as conservation, engineering, construction, or pottery is beneficial, as it will allow you to contribute to the diverse and innovative environment at Driving Creek.

Skills and experience

We’re seeking an engaging, proactive and adaptable person who thrives when engaging with others and possesses exceptional communication skills. 

While experience in tourism and guiding, along with a strong knowledge of New Zealand’s flora and fauna and the clay arts is advantageous, what we value most is natural rapport-building abilities, charismatic storytelling, and the capacity to multitask while maintaining a calm and friendly demeanor. 

Experience in conservation, engineering, construction, or pottery is also beneficial but not essential.

Our Offer

In addition to being a welcoming and supportive workplace, we provide a range of valuable benefits to enhance your experience. Our offerings include EAP services, generous discounts for our pottery store, and free activities and pottery workshops for you, and your family and friends.

We also promote work-life balance and provide opportunities for flexible unpaid leave in addition to your annual leave entitlement. From your very first day, you’ll have access to 5 days of sick leave to ensure your well-being. At Driving Creek, we are committed to creating a fulfilling and enriching work environment for our team members.

When you start

We are looking for people to start in July/August with a flexible start date to suit you.  

Your first three weeks will involve intensive training so that you learn all the technical skills required to be a Rail Tour Guide and be competent and confident in delivering a premium tourism experience to visitors from around the world.

To learn more about us please visit www.drivingcreek.nz