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3 Apr 2024
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Description
Hi! We are Dale and Jackie, a happily married couple living on a 167 acre property in the heart of the Otway national park forest, on the edge of the great ocean road in Victoria's south west. We are perched high up on a hill, 10 mins from the beach via car, or 15 minutes from Apollo Bay, which is somewhere between Torquay and the famous 12 apostles. Our place takes in incredible vistas of sky forest and ocean, and is an amazing place to be still, rest, be creative, and watch the birds and the weather. We have a huge garden, and dreams to slowly turn the place into a flower farm:)
We look after 2 adorable choc labradors, Phoenix - (11 & 1/2 years old )and Monty (2 & 1/2 years old), and also a bunch of chickens (14 was last count!), and some bees. Jackie is a practising jeweller who works from home in her forest studio, whilst Dale is a practising Osteopath, working from home a couple of days, and away a couple of days. We love music, art, culture, diversity, food, all things different and from afar. We love to travel when we can, and have done a fair bit, especially through north america. Jackie is a coeliac, so can't eat any gluten, Dale can eat almost anything!
Dale also has a special interest in self enquiry, consciousness, meditation, and contemplation.
We love where we live, and being with and nurturing nature is our greatest passion. Everything we do here, we try and recycle. We use biodynamic and permaculture principles where possible, and we do what we can to make the place a sanctuary for all living things, in particular the birds and native animals.
We have 2 guest houses where we live, long tide retreat, and big bears small house, which we rent out.
We have a large garden of somewhere in the vicinity of 5-6 acres, where we are growing a combination of native and exotic trees and plants, and we also grow quite a bit of seasonal produce. The vision is a flower farm, that is both productive, but more importantly, a sanctuary for the local native wildlife.
The place we live is evolving into a magical space to share with guests, and friends, and create a diverse sanctuary for healing and for joy.
Types of help and learning opportunities
Art Projects
Language practice
Help with Eco Projects
Gardening
DIY and building projects
Animal Care
Creating/ Cooking family meals
Help around the house
General Maintenance
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
They will leave with an understanding of life in the Australian bush, it's beauty, and it's difficulties.
They will learn how to listen to nature, and work with the tempo of the landscape, and the seasonal change.
They will learn from 2 artists/creatives, who live in a place that they draw inspiration and energy from by just being still and listening, a deep understanding of life that can come from paying attention.
They can broaden their horizons in the relationship that can be explored in the garden, and working with the earth in many aspects of landscaping, and design.
They can also learn how to use many different tools, and how working with a dynamic space requires a skill of intellect and mental application, but also sensing/feeling your way through tasks.
Travellers can learn from Jackie, who is a successful artist in jewellery making and design, making all of her products from recycled materials collected from around the world.
Projects involving children
This project could involve children. For more information see our guidelines and tips here.
Help
We need help with all sorts of things, but in particular odd DIY and building projects like outdoor decks, shelters for animals, green houses and hot houses for plants, gardening including some landscape work, mulching, firewood, etc. We also need a bit of help with the chickens, the dogs, and the cleaning of the guest houses and our own house from time to time. The place is a combination of renovations that are pretty much complete, and a few projects that are mainly outdoor spaces. Jackie has had some big health issues to deal with in the last 3 years. Dale is informally her full time carer, in terms of cooking, cleaning, and all the jobs that need doing on a rural space. All of this can be a bit overwhelming, when combined with career work, busy guest houses, and seasonal demands in the garden, such as extended periods of hot dry weather, or alternatively lots and lots of wind and rain!! Help is always needed at our place.
Languages
Languages spoken
English: FluentThis host offers a language exchange
would love to learn more itailian, spanish, french.
Accommodation
We have 2 purpose built guest houses, one is a timber double story barn style building, if you google long tide retreat you will find it!
The other is a tiny house called big bears house, again asking the googler will show you what it looks like.
At any given time it's likely we would use one guest house for guests, whilst the other will be used for workaway travellers. Which one is available will be clearer when the dates available are shown, but the tiny house would be more suited to travellers, being simple, and also very comfortable and functional.
What else ...
So much to do, or not do, when in the otway national park. Ask google!
The obvious choices are:
The great ocean road
The 12 apostles
Waterfalls everywhere
tree top walks, and redwood forest walks
Surfing
Swimming
Mountain biking
Canoeing
Forest bathing!
Meditation/reading
self exploration
A little more information
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
Space for parking camper vans
there's space to be able to accomodate a van or motorhome, especially outside of winter :)
How many Workawayers can stay?
More than two
Hours expected
Maximum 4-5 hours a day, 5 days a week
