Share, create and transform a tropical garden with us in Auckland, New Zealand

Details

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  Description

  Hi! We're Olivia and Reuben, a family of four living in beautiful East Auckland with our two daughters (ages 3 and 8). Our home sits on a large tropical property with lush gardens, an orchard, swimming pool, spa, and plenty of native birdlife—you'll regularly spot tūī, kererū and fantails, and hear ruru (morepork) at night.
  
  Our main focus is caring for our property, so most of the help involves gardening, weeding, pruning, mulching, planting, pressure washing, painting, and general outdoor maintenance. There's always a variety of projects, so no two days are the same!
  
  If you enjoy spending time with children, we'd also love the occasional help playing with our two daughters (ages 3 and 8) or helping our eldest with reading, maths, or other learning activities—but this is completely optional and not the primary reason we're hosting.
  
  We enjoy doing tasks alongside our Workawayers, sharing skills, and learning from each other. Experience isn't essential; a positive attitude, willingness to learn, and a good work ethic are far more important. We hope you'll feel like part of the family while experiencing everyday Kiwi life in our tropical corner of Auckland.

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  Types of help and learning opportunities

  Language practice

  Help with Eco Projects

  Teaching

  Light gardening

  Creative DIY projects

  Animal Care

  Babysitting and creative play

  Creating/ Cooking family meals

  Help around the house

  Light maintenance
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  Interests

  

  Sustainability

  

  Self development

  

  Politics / Social justice

  

  Pets

  

  Movies & TV

  

  Events & social

  

  Culture

  

  Charity work

  

  Plant care

  

  Photography

  

  Performing arts

  

  Music

  

  History

  

  Gardening

  

  Drawing & painting

  

  DIY & crafts

  

  Cooking & food

  

  Books

  

  Art & design

  

  Animals

  

  Yoga / Wellness

  

  Sailing / Boating

  

  Outdoor activities

  

  Nature

  

  Fitness

  

  Dancing

  

  Camping

  

  Beach
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  Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

  We love meeting people from different cultures and believe the best part of hosting is the friendships and shared experiences that come with it. You'll be welcome to join us for family meals, explore local beaches and coastal walks, or simply relax and chat after a day's work. We're happy to share what we know about New Zealand, local wildlife, gardening, and everyday Kiwi life, and we'd love to learn about your culture, traditions, language, and favourite foods. We hope you'll leave not only with great memories of New Zealand, but also feeling like part of our family.

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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

  Our main focus is looking after our tropical property, so most of the help involves gardening, weeding, pruning, mulching, planting, painting, pressure washing, and general outdoor maintenance. There are always a variety of projects, and we'll usually work alongside you, sharing ideas and skills as we go.
  
  We're looking for someone who enjoys being active outdoors, takes pride in their work, and is happy to lend a hand wherever it's needed. No special experience is required—just a positive attitude, reliability, and a willingness to learn.
  
  If you enjoy spending time with children, we'd also appreciate the occasional game, craft activity, or some informal tutoring for our 8-year-old, but this is completely optional and never the main focus.
  
  We hope your stay feels like a genuine cultural exchange, where we can learn from one another, share meals and stories, and help you experience everyday Kiwi life while enjoying our beautiful part of Auckland.

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  Languages

  Languages spoken
  English: Fluent
  French: Intermediate

  This host offers a language exchange
  This host has indicated that they are interested in sharing their own language or learning a new language.
  You can contact them directly for more information.
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  Accommodation

  You'll have your own private guest suite—the same space we currently host as rental. It has two bedrooms, a private bathroom, a kitchenette (with a microwave, kettle and toaster), Wi-Fi, TV, and a separate entrance, giving you plenty of privacy while still being close to the family home. The suite opens onto our tropical garden and is a peaceful place to relax after a day's work.
  
  We'll provide all bedding and towels, and you'll have access to laundry facilities if needed. We'll also provide meals or groceries, depending on what works best for everyone, and we're happy to cater for dietary requirements with a bit of notice. We want you to feel comfortable, well looked after, and at home during your stay.

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  What else ...

  We live in a peaceful neighbourhood in East Auckland, just minutes from beautiful beaches, coastal walks, cafés, supermarkets and public transport. On your days off, you can explore Howick Village, Botany Town Centre, Half Moon Bay Marina, catch a ferry into Auckland City, or enjoy the many regional parks nearby.
  
  We value kindness, honesty and mutual respect. We ask everyone to help keep shared spaces clean and tidy, communicate openly, and treat our home as they would their own. We're a family home, so we appreciate a relaxed and respectful environment.
  
  We have a friendly cat, so you'll need to be comfortable around pets. Most importantly, we hope you'll enjoy becoming part of our family, sharing stories, meals and laughter while experiencing everyday life in New Zealand.

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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

  We welcome digital nomads! Our private guest suite has reliable Wi-Fi and a peaceful space to work, making it easy to balance remote work with helping around the property. We're flexible with work hours and are happy to work together on a schedule that suits us both, as long as the agreed hours are completed. Whether you're travelling full-time or simply looking for a unique place to stay while working remotely, we'd love to welcome you into our home and share a genuine Kiwi family experience.

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  How many Workawayers can stay?

  More than two

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  My animals / pets

  

  Bali

  Bali doesn't live here but he visits often. He is our Mums dog and he is 5 years old. Named Bali as we were meant to travel to Bali for her 70th but because of COVID we couldn't, so we got her a dog and named it Bali

  

  Honey

  Honey lives downstairs with our sister and brother in law. She's about 1 year old - border collie and miniture poodle.

  

  Stormi

  Minilop bunny, we also call her bun bun

  

  Rakiura (8 months)

  British Shorthair Boy

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