Work at Kinloch Wilderness Retreat

01

About you

Full name*

Nationality*

Email address*

Phone / WhatsApp

Are you currently in New Zealand?*

Current location (if in NZ)

02

What you are applying forPick one. The right details and questions will appear below.

Which suits you?*

Full-time — ongoing roleFull-time hours year round, with the option of extended leave over the quiet winter. Seasonal — paid summer seasonA full season with us, through to the end of April. Staff accommodation available by the night. Casual — accommodation exchangeAround 17.5 hours a week in exchange for your room, with extra paid hours when we have them.

How casual works. You give around 17.5 hours a week in exchange for your accommodation (shared accommodation with one other, or one of a limited number of small single rooms, with all utilities, lodge facilities and wifi included). When we are busy there are usually extra paid hours on top if you want them. The accommodation arrangement improves the longer you stay with us.

Available from*

Available until*

Any flexibility or other possible dates?

Comfortable with around 17.5 hours a week in exchange for accommodation?*

Yes No I would like to discuss

Interested in extra paid hours when available?

The season. Seasonal roles start any time from now through November and run through to 30 April, or later by arrangement.
Accommodation. Staff accommodation is $36 per night, per person — shared accommodation with one other, or one of a limited number of small single rooms. Fully inclusive: all utility bills, lodge facilities and wifi.
Pay. Seasonal pay starts at $25 per hour and rises to the Living Wage, back-paid to your start date once you reach three months with us.

Does the season (starting from now to November, through to 30 April or later) work for you?*

Yes, the full season works I am a university student, available uni holidays only I am only looking for casual / contract work, not the full season Most of it, I would need some flexibility I would like to discuss the dates

Your earliest start

Your latest finish

Would you want staff accommodation at $36 per night?*

Yes please No, I have my own Maybe, I would like to discuss

Full-time, ongoing. A year-round role with full-time hours, and the option of extended leave over the quieter winter months by arrangement.
Accommodation. On-site staff accommodation is available. We are happy to talk through the options with you.

Preferred start date*

Would you want on-site staff accommodation?*

Yes please No, I have my own Maybe, I would like to discuss

03

RolesTick your roles and the right questions will appear below

Roles you are interested in*

Select all that apply

Housekeeping Cleaning Kitchen (prep / cook) Front of house Bartending Reception / Hosting Maintenance / Other Activities Guide, Driver and Maintenance Seasonal, 40 hours a week. Kayak guiding, track transfers, bikes, grounds and maintenance. Akin Café Supervisor Permanent role in Glenorchy, 30 to 40 hours a week. Includes housekeeping at our Glenorchy Lake House. Accommodation available.

04

Housekeeping & cleaningBecause you ticked housekeeping or cleaning

Your housekeeping / cleaning experience

Our standard is a room left perfect for the next guest. When you are working fast, how do you make sure nothing gets missed?

Any relevant training or qualifications?

Mostly we hire on experience and care here. Desirable but not required: any commercial cleaning, housekeeping or hospitality training.

How do you keep your pace up on a full changeover day, without standards slipping?

04

KitchenBecause you ticked a kitchen role

Your kitchen experience

Tell us about a busy service you worked. What was your part in it, and how did you keep things moving?

What does good food safety and hygiene look like to you day to day?

Our winter kitchen is mostly prep, heat and clean, so steady habits matter more than fine-dining flair.

Relevant qualifications

Desirable: Food Safety / Food Control Plan certificate, a cookery qualification (e.g. NZ Certificate in Cookery), safe food handling. Solid experience counts too, so tell us if you have no formal papers.

What is your favourite thing to cook, and why?

A guest tells you they have a dietary restriction you are not familiar with. What do you do?

Tell us how you would handle it, and anything you know about nutrition that is relevant.

How would you rate your own speed and neatness of work, and why?

Be honest, not modest. A short explanation is more useful to us than a number alone.

Kinloch's food and kitchen has an established philosophy and standard set by the owners. Tell us about a time you joined a team with existing systems, and how you went about finding your footing and suggesting improvements.

04

Front of houseBecause you ticked front of house, bar or reception

Customer service

Barista / coffee ability

Tell us about a time you turned a difficult guest interaction around. What happened, and what did you do?

Relevant qualifications

Desirable: a hospitality qualification (e.g. Hospitality Management), LCQ / Manager's Certificate, barista training, Responsible Host / duty manager experience. Experience counts too.

04

Reception & hostingBecause you ticked Reception / Hosting

Tell us about a time you turned a routine interaction into something memorable for someone.

Tell us about your experience with sales or upselling.

How would you sell a guest on a Routeburn day walk if they were not sure they wanted to do it?

How would you describe Kinloch and its activities to a guest who has never heard of it?

Relevant if you are applying to work front of house at Akin Cafe, our Glenorchy sales channel for Kinloch.

04

Akin Café SupervisorBecause you ticked Akin Café Supervisor. This is a permanent role in Glenorchy, with accommodation available.

Barista ability*

Confident, trained barista Some experience None yet

Tell us about your café or coffee experience. Where, for how long, and what was your part?

Have you led a small team, or opened and closed a café on your own? Tell us how you ran the day, including cash-up.

What experience do you have with stock ordering, cabinet food or retail?

What food prep experience do you have, such as sandwiches, salads or baking?

Desirable, not required.

Food safety

Can you work weekends? Café life is busiest then.*

Yes, weekends are fine Some weekends No weekends

Do you hold a full driver licence?*

A full licence is essential. We provide a vehicle for getting to and from Glenorchy.

Yes, a full NZ licence Yes, a full overseas or international licence Restricted or learner licence No licence

This role also looks after housekeeping at our Glenorchy Lake House next door, between guests. Are you happy to do both?*

Yes, happy to do both I would like to discuss

Akin is also Kinloch's front door in Glenorchy. How would you turn a coffee customer into a Kinloch guest?

04

Activities Guide, Driver and MaintenanceBecause you ticked Activities Guide. A seasonal role, 40 hours a week.

How this role works. You guide kayak trips on the lake, look after our guest activities and gear, and drive walkers to and from the tracks. Trips come and go with the weather and bookings, so on quieter days you will be maintaining our bikes and motorbikes and working on the grounds. That keeps the role at a steady 40 hours a week.

Which kayak leader qualification do you hold?*

An NZOIA or SKOANZ Kayak Leader qualification is essential to guide our trips.

NZOIA Kayak Leader SKOANZ Kayak Leader Another guiding qualification (please name it below) None yet. I understand I cannot guide until I am qualified

If another qualification, which one?

Tell us about your kayak guiding experience. Where, for how long, and what kind of trips?

Tell us about a time you changed or cancelled a trip for safety reasons. What did you see, and what did you do?

What experience do you have maintaining bikes, e-bikes or motorbikes?

What grounds and general maintenance experience do you have? Give an example of something you sorted out yourself.

Trade qualifications, chainsaw or machinery tickets are a bonus. List any you hold.

Are you happy to spend quieter days on grounds and maintenance work?*

Yes I would like to discuss

For this role, please also answer the first aid, driver licence and P endorsement questions in section 06. A current first aid certificate and a full driver licence are essential.

04

Maintenance & practical skillsBecause you ticked maintenance or other

What practical or fix-it skills do you bring? Give an example of something you sorted out yourself.

Relevant trade qualifications, tickets or licences

Desirable: a building, electrical, plumbing or horticulture trade qualification, chainsaw / machinery tickets, or a first aid certificate. Hands-on experience counts too.

05

A busy shiftEveryone answers this one. Be honest, there are no wrong answers.

Tell us about the busiest, most full-on shift you have worked. What was happening, what did you do, and how did you feel by the end?*

Kinloch has quiet stretches and sudden busy ones. We want to understand how you find a real rush, not the perfect answer.

06

Experience & qualificationsA quick picture of your background

Briefly outline your relevant work experience, most recent first*

A few lines is plenty. We will ask shortlisted applicants for a full CV by email.

Do you hold a current first aid certificate?

Yes, current Yes, but lapsed No

Driver licence

Do you hold a NZ P (passenger) endorsement?

Required only for our guest driving / transport work. Leave as is if it does not apply to you.

07

Practical fit

Please confirm you understand the following* I understand that:

Staff accommodation, where provided, is shared with one other, or one of a limited number of small single rooms, with shared facilities.
Bedding and towels are provided. Rooms are left clean for the next person on departure.
Kinloch is remote, about 1 hour from Queenstown and 26 km from Glenorchy. Transport is recommended.
Everyone pitches in across a variety of tasks, especially in the quieter shoulder seasons.
Staff follow Kinloch's procedures and environmental standards at all times, including recycling and waste sorting.

08

Right to work

Do you have the legal right to work in New Zealand?*

Yes, NZ / AU citizen or permanent resident Yes, on a valid work visa No, but I am willing and able to obtain a Working Holiday Visa / right to work before starting No, and I am not able to obtain the right to work

Visa type (if applicable)

Visa expiry date (if applicable)

09

Mindset and fitBe honest. This matters more than a polished CV.

Why do you want to work at Kinloch?*

What motivates you in life?*

Kinloch is remote and shared. What is your experience of living or working somewhere isolated, and how did you find it?

How would you describe your spoken and written English?*

Clear communication matters for safety and teamwork in a small, remote team. This helps us plan, and we ask everyone.

Native speaker Fluent Conversational Basic

In the quieter shoulder seasons, one day might include housekeeping, dishes, gardening and front of house. Which of these would you least enjoy, and why?*

Tell us about a time you had to follow someone else's way of doing things that you didn't agree with. What did you do?*

What makes shared staff living work well for you, and what makes it hard?*

Do you understand this is a working role with real expectations?*

Kinloch is a business. We value teamwork, accountability, time management, and a high standard of work.

Yes, I understand and I am comfortable with this I would like to discuss further

10

If your ideal role is takenOptional. It widens your chances, it does not count against you.

If you are not successful in your first choice, would you also like to be considered for:

Tick any that you would be open to

Full-time — ongoing role Seasonal — paid summer season Casual — accommodation exchange

11

Anything else?

Is there anything else you would like us to know?

Work at the head of the lake

About you

What you are applying forPick one. The right details and questions will appear below.

RolesTick your roles and the right questions will appear below

Housekeeping & cleaningBecause you ticked housekeeping or cleaning

KitchenBecause you ticked a kitchen role

Front of houseBecause you ticked front of house, bar or reception

Reception & hostingBecause you ticked Reception / Hosting

Akin Café SupervisorBecause you ticked Akin Café Supervisor. This is a permanent role in Glenorchy, with accommodation available.

Activities Guide, Driver and MaintenanceBecause you ticked Activities Guide. A seasonal role, 40 hours a week.

Maintenance & practical skillsBecause you ticked maintenance or other

A busy shiftEveryone answers this one. Be honest, there are no wrong answers.

Experience & qualificationsA quick picture of your background

Practical fit

Right to work

Mindset and fitBe honest. This matters more than a polished CV.

If your ideal role is takenOptional. It widens your chances, it does not count against you.

Anything else?

Thank you