Stay with us at the southern most tip of the Great Barrier Reef, in Bundaberg, Australia

Details

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  Description

  Hi! My name is Natalie and my husband’s name is Damien. We are a youngish couple who have bought our first house just outside Bundaberg, in Queensland. Together with our daughter, Holly and dog, Banjo we live on 34 acres of a partially cleared 'bush block'. Most of the acreage is still natural bush with endless gum trees and kangaroos!
  
  Important things to know:
  1. We are mostly vegetarian but we do on occasion eat meat or fish. If you don't like veggies, are a fussy eater or expect to eat meat every day, sorry but this is not the place for you.
  2. We are on tank water and we don't get regular rain, so it is essential that you adhere to short showers and water saving techniques.
  3. Please only apply if you are currently in Australia.
  
  If you are cool with this, please read on! Thanks
  
  On the part that is cleared, we are starting to set up a sustainable lifestyle. While we are not experts, we try to employ permaculture principles to all of our building and design processes and our way of living.
  
  Our house is a 75-year-old Queenslander in a semi-rural area. Both the house and the property need a bit of TLC and we would absolutely love some help!
  
  We would love someone who is a good worker, quick to learn and is good at visualising (or even better, someone who has experience with home renovations or a possible tradie such as a builder, carpenter, electrician, plumber, or landscaper) to volunteer with us.
  
  We also welcome those who have no or limited experience as there is always plenty to do cooking, cleaning, weeding, digging holes, planting plants, possible painting, gardening, mowing, whipper snipping, etc.
  
  In addition, Damien is a wonderful and patient teacher who is always happy to teach you new things like driving a tractor, fencing, basic building, etc.
  
  We are passionate travellers and have travelled to over 50 countries together. We both love to explore new cultures and to meet people from a variety of backgrounds. We would describe ourselves as hardworking but also easy going and adaptable. We have been Helpers ourselves in a few countries so we have experienced what it’s like to be a helper (and have some ideas on how to make your stay more memorable).
  
  Damien is a fitter and turner and I am a primary teacher (Year 6). We work hard but when we are not working, Damien likes to go mountain bike riding and go to car shows. Whereas I like to practise yoga and meditate. We both like being outdoors and often go for walks, go to the beach or river or go for a bike ride. You are more than welcome to join us for any or all of these activities!
  
  Smoking severely affects Damien’s health, so for that reason, we will not be able to accept smokers at our property. Sorry!
  
  Please message us if you think this is something that would interest you with some information about yourself and dates that you are available.
  
  Thanks for your interest in our property, Nat and Damo

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  Types of help and learning opportunities

  Language practice

  Help with Eco Projects

  Gardening

  DIY and building projects

  Animal Care

  Babysitting and creative play

  Creating/ Cooking family meals

  Help around the house

  General Maintenance
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  Interests

  

  History

  

  Music

  

  Self development

  

  Sustainability

  

  Vegetarian or vegan

  

  Events & social

  

  Movies & TV

  

  Farming

  

  Pets

  

  Plant care

  

  Photography

  

  Gardening

  

  Cooking & food

  

  Books

  

  Animals

  

  Yoga / Wellness

  

  Water sports

  

  Sailing / Boating

  

  Outdoor activities

  

  Nature

  

  Mountain

  

  Hiking

  

  Camping

  

  Beach
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  Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

  Be surrounded by peaceful bush land, see kangaroos in the backyard, learn about Australia and if you like, practice your English or deepen your yoga practice with a qualified English and yoga teacher!
  
  Around the property during the day, you can go for solitary walks in the bush with the birds and kangaroos, read a book in the hammock, do some yoga on the deck, or chill out in the entertainment area, play pool, take pictures of the sunsets, and enjoy the peace and quiet.
  
  After a day’s work, spend the evening sharing travel stories and photos while sitting around the camp fire and gazing up at the stars in our peaceful bush setting. Eat some seafood or join us for a typical Aussie BBQ (if that suits you).
  
  We are also happy for you to join us on the weekends for outings to the beach or river, bike rides, walks, etc. but if you prefer to do your own thing, we can also guide you to the points of interest within our area.
  
  Simply put, we offer a typical Australian life style.

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  Projects involving children

  This project could involve children. For more information see our guidelines and tips here.

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  Help

  Building/ Maintenance Projects:
  Our house is tired and old and needs updating. At present, we are focusing on the outside of the property with some minor indoor projects.
  
  Our next 'big' projects may include: building an awesome outdoor play area for Holly including a bike path, repairing the shed roof, building a greenhouse, building an alpaca shed, painting the shed, building a fire pit, building a double swinging seat, a fruit and veg stall, etc.
  
  ...but this will all depend on the skill set of the Helper.
  
  Gardening:
  Also, the garden is big and needs some weeding and landscaping. We have planted about 23 fruit trees and want to build another 4 veggie gardens (we already have 4), and the grass needs to be mowed regularly. We are currently in the process of creating an irrigation system, and clearing some weeds from the bush.
  
  Cooking/Cleaning:
  As we work long hours, we always need help with cooking and cleaning around the house.
  
  Alternatively, I would also love someone from Latin America to help me with my Spanish or someone who can teach me the ukulele.
  
  The majority of the help we seek is cooking, cleaning, gardening, and general laboring help. This is physical, hands-on, and therefore you need to be reasonably fit and strong. Our hours are flexible in exchange for nice accommodation and food.
  
  In saying that, we are open to suggestions, so if you think you can help us in some way and want to stay, let us know! I'm sure we can work something out. 😀
  
  When you write to us, please indicate where your skill set lies and what you’d be interested in doing and we will try to accommodate.

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  Languages

  Languages spoken
  English: Fluent
  Spanish: Beginner

  This host offers a language exchange
  I'd like to learn Spanish from native speakers from central or South America only.
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  Accommodation

  We have one room for visitors with a queen-sized bed that can sleep one or two people comfortably, however you will be sharing a bathroom with us.
  
  We have a decent sized living room and an outdoor entertainment area with a bar, pool table and pool (usable in hotter months).
  
  We also have a big kitchen and a wide veranda. We can share meals. We are already mostly vegetarian so we are more than happy to go full vegetarian... or vegan for the right person (as long as you share some recipes with us and help out with the cooking). We usually expect you to get your own breakfast and lunch from our supplies and we will all eat together in the evening and share some of the cooking/ cleaning up.
  
  We are also open to setting up a large tent with a comfortable mattress for those who'd prefer to be outdoors. This is especially nice when the nights are cool but not too cold- Feb to Apr and Sept to Nov. You would still be sharing the inside bathroom with us and all other spaces inside the house would be available to you, including WiFi.

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  What else ...

  There is no public transport nearby, so having your own car would be ideal. However, we are happy to pick you up from Bundaberg when you arrive and drop you back when you depart. We are also happy to take you with us when we are heading into town or for you to join us on weekend activities. It’s completely up to you. :)
  
  Bundaberg is home to some beautiful beaches. We are ideally located within a 30-minute drive from several beaches- Woodgate, Bagara, Moore Park, and Mon Repos. Our favourite is Mon Repos Beach, where turtles come to shore to lay their eggs (usually Nov-Mar). If you come during the right season you might be able to see the big ones and/or the baby turtles at the same time (usually Jan). There is a walkway that follows the coastline all along, great for walking, jogging, or bike riding. Bargara is another nice beach with shops, cafes, and restaurants. Woodgate is 16kms of beautiful sandy shoreline. There are free BBQs and a pub.
  
  From Bundaberg, you can take a boat to Lady Musgrave Island, at the start of the Great Barrier Reef, travel to the biggest sand island, Fraser Island, or visit the Bundy Bear at the Bundaberg Rum distillery. If you arrive during whale watching season (July-Nov), you can also go whale watching.
  
  We sometimes go out on a friend's boat fishing and enjoying the fantastic weather, you are also welcome to join us if we head out during your stay.
  
  We look forward to hearing from you!
  
  Natalie and Damien

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  A little more information

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    Internet access

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    Limited internet access

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    We have pets

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    We are smokers

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    Can host families

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  Space for parking camper vans

  We have acres of space for workawayers to park their campervan or motorhome during their time here. We also have plenty of room to set up tents.

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  How many Workawayers can stay?

  More than two

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  Hours expected

  Maximum 5 hours a day, 5 days a week

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