Create a permaculture garden and a mini food forest while enjoying Stawell, Victoria, Australia

Details

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  Description

  I am renovating a formerly derelict 1950s house, with echoes of Art Deco, in the beautiful town of Stawell, 5 minutes walk to bush land and walks, 15 minutes walk to the town centre, and 30 minutes drive to Halls Gap/the Grampians National Park. The house is now habitable (and I live in it) but far from finished.
  
  I am also working on a permaculture inspired makeover of the garden, including a mini food forest in the front garden, a vege patch in part of what was the driveway, and eventually a chicken coop in the backyard while retaining the mature trees, including a stunning large oak tree.
  
  I usually have two spare rooms, and would love people with interests and skills relevant to either the house or the garden to stay and see what we can create or progress together - and to enjoy Stawell and surrounds.

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  Types of help and learning opportunities

  Gardening

  DIY and building projects

  General Maintenance
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  Interests

  

  Technology

  

  Sustainability

  

  LGBTQ

  

  Plant care

  

  Gardening

  

  Books
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  Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

  I am not really social for the sakes of being social. I enjoy discussing specific topics - permaculture, some sustainability, to some extent renovation. I am the chairperson of the local community garden, and there will sometimes be opportunities to meet other locals through the community garden. But anyone looking for masses of social contact, people to bush walk with, etc. will need to connect with other community members to find that. I am in the very good local Facebook community page, and can perhaps help guide where to look and ask etc.

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  Help

  Anyone with interest and skills in renovating; or interest or skills in permaculture; would be great.
  
  I know more about permaculture than I do about building/renovating. I imagine we would walk around, work out options for what could be done and what matched skills and interests, discuss possibilities, and go from there. I work full time from home, you would likely be helping with most of the physical tasks.
  
  I am happy to discuss what I do know - though thus far my permaculture knowledge is more theoretical, and less practical. This is a practical learning opportunity for me also. You likely have experiences and knowledge that I do not have. Can we create something better, and leave things better than we found them, if we combine what we know?
  
  I can afford some materials and can provide basic tools.

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  Languages spoken

  English: Fluent
  Spanish: Beginner

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  Accommodation

  I generally have two bedrooms available. One with a double bed, and the other currently with single camping beds or a foam camping mattress. Both rooms have some items stored in them as well as beds.
  
  The house functions, but is part way through a renovation. Eg there is a functioning shower over the functioning bath, but only a curtain separating the bathroom from the passageway to the laundry and loo; there are no floor coverings through most of the house (but the floors are safe, I often walk around in bare feet) and right now window glass is missing in the laundry and loo so they are at outside temperatures (but doors seal off the unsealed extension - containing laundry and loo and second living area with glass doors to back yard - from the main body of the house.)
  
  Ducted reverse cycle AC provides heating and cooling to the main house (I tend to use a small individual heater instead of the ducted AC for heating though - less cost.)
  
  You would need to do your own cooking on a small benchtop stove; I can provide the food/ingredients or provide the money for them. If you were happy to cook for me while here that would be great! (I am highly adverse to cooking, which is probably adverse to my health and longevity.)

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  What else ...

  If you have your own transport, then the Grampians and much of the Wimmera is in reach - with bush walking and other activities in the Grampians National Park close by and similar.
  
  If you do not have your own transport, most of Stawell - including local bush and walking opportunities - is within easy walking distance. There are also public transport options.
  
  There is a good VLine public transport service, a mixture of bus and train, with very affordable fares - so getting from Melbourne to Stawell and back is very doable on public transport, for example.
  
  I sometimes feel sociable, and other times not. (I can always hide in my room if I really need a break.)
  
  I do prefer relative quiet instead of noise though, and cannot sleep with any noise at all - so people who love making or hearing noise at home are really not suited. People who enjoy relative quiet with some amount of discussion would be a good match.

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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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  Can host digital nomads

  I have NBN, and also work remotely via NBN. I ASSUME that extra people working remotely via the same NBN connection would be fine. ASSUME.

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  How many Workawayers can stay?

  More than two

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