Help with organic vegetable garden, horses and getting farm fire ready near Portland, Victoria, Australia

  • Favourited 683 times
  • Last activity: 23 Mar 2024

Availability

  2024 

 Min stay requested: 1 month or more

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Details

  • Description

    Description

    We have a equine therapy and accommodation business. We only consider longer stays(minimum 6 weeks) due to our location and type of work we do. We have approximately 20 horses and some cattle on a 120 acre farm and run wellbeing retreats, equine assisted therapy, riding for the disabled program, agistment and accommodation for people/clubs touring with their horses. We also work part time off the farm. This summer (2019) we are really looking at someone who can help us work in a very large organic vegetable garden. This is part of our change to sustainable living and will also be the first summer we harvest our own honey. We are looking for someone to help us make compost, build garden beds, and help maintain gardens. We are also happy to have someone join in in harvesting, preserving, cooking. We often have shared meals with neighbours and friends and like to share this with visitors who stay with us. We still accept people who want to help with our horses, and work around the farm. We are a friendly inclusive family and people need to love dogs and other animals. We are situated on the edge of a beautiful forest park with endless trail riding and bushwalking tracks, 15 minutes drive from Portland, a beautiful part of the South West of Victoria. Endless surf beaches for that day off and the most spectacular and unique coastline for touring. We are ideally placed for day trips on your day off. Closed during winter we reopen in October each year. The forest here is a cool climate rainforest a short 2 minute walk from the farm and covers 29,000 acres.

    We are happy to accept volunteer(s) with the right experience to learn about some of our therapeutic programs and happy for all workaways to volunteer in our riding for the disabled program. Everyone finds this a very rewarding experience when staying at our farm. Volunteers need to be motivated and able to work unsupervised for when we are at work.

    My husband is a keen amateur photographer who loves to get up early and take photos of the sunrise (usually beach settings) and also does light painting photography, etc. So if you are a keen photographer I am sure he would be happy to have company on his trips out and share some of his knowledge and visa versa.

    We have links with the local indigenous community and can arrange tours on country for visitors to broaden their cultural knowledge of Australia and learn about the Budj Bim landscape and the local creation story and history. Budj Bim was announced as a World Hertitage site in 2019.

    We are looking for people that are keen, motivated, enthusiastic, quick to learn or share their skills, with a good sense of humour and must love dogs as we own 2 very enthusiastic dogs with unique personalities and a neighbours dog who basically lives at our house.

    Our venue is drug free and we expect visitors to respect that. No smoking in the house or public areas.

  • Types of help and learning opportunities

    Types of help and learning opportunities

    Gardening
    Animal Care
    Farmstay help
    Creating/ Cooking family meals
    Help around the house
    General Maintenance
  • Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

    Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

    We can introduce volunteers to our local indigenous community and complete some tours on country when available. We usually take volunteers to see the unique natural beauty of our region. Volunteers will also learn about equine assisted therapy and riding for the disabled and learn how horses can help heal people.

  • Help

    Help

    We have 3 areas where people can help out.

    1. Our primary area is someone to help out with helping expand our vegetable garden and help maintain garden beds. We are very enthusiastic about extending our garden beds and need someone to help build raised garden beds, weeding, mowing, etc. You won't be on your own as we all pitch in and work alongside you. Exciting times ahead and would love an enthusiastic helper.

    2. .someone who is an experience rider who can ride a number of different types of horses and help us care for, help break in and educate horses and feed dogs. We work off farm part time so need help in this area.

    3. Someone to help with general farm duties, general repairs, small building projects and ride on mowing.

    We can accommodate a couple if they both fit some of the roles listed.

  • Languages spoken

    English: Fluent

  • Accommodation

    Accommodation

    Volunteers will have their own bedroom in either the bunkhouse (dependant on vacancies) or in the family home and/or caravan. Bathroom is shared and meals are provided. If you like cooking we are happy to experience some of your favourite dishes as well. We like to have International food night once a week or so where people can share their culture.

  • What else ...

    What else ...

    Portland is the birthplace of Victoria and has one of the most historic bluestone precincts in Victoria. It is also part of the indigenous Budji Bim landscape and visitors can tour on country with the local Gunditjmara people and learn their unique history, visits archilogical sites that pre-date the pyramids by 2,000 years. In July 2019 it finally obtained UNESCO World Heritage Listing on its continued Indigenous occupation and connection to land and culture.

    One of the most beautiful coastlines, we have quality surf beaches and swimming beaches alike. Bridgewater bay is also home to one of Victoria's top Cafés where you can enjoy your coffee on the beachfront to a gourmet breakfast. Follow it up and visit the petrified forest, batridge caves, or see the only mainland rookery of the beautiful gannets. Or visit Nelson and the Princess Margaret Rose caves or see the sinkholes and the stunning blue lake of Mt. Gambier. Lots to see and do.

    My husband is also a keen amateur photographer who loves to get up early and take photos of the sunrise (usually beach settings) and also does light painting photography, etc. So if you are a keen photographer I am sure he would be happy to have company on his trips out and share some of his knowledge and visa versa.

  • A little more information

    A little more information

    • Internet access

    • Limited internet access

      Limited internet access

    • We have pets

    • We are smokers

    • Can host families

  • Space for parking camper vans

    Space for parking camper vans

    This host can provide space for campervans.

  • How many Workawayers can stay?

    How many Workawayers can stay?

    Two

  • ...

    Hours expected

    Maximum 4-5 hours a day, 5 days a week

Host ref number: 431315256127

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