Profile information
Host rating
100 %
Last replied
25 Jun 2025
Reply rate
100.0 %
Usually responds within 1 day
Feedback
22
Email verified
Badges (3)
Details
Description
Hi. I'm Grant. Since early 2020 I have been living on just over five hectares (12 acres) of land on the Pahi Peninsula, at the northern end of Northland's enormous Kaipara Harbour. It's a beautiful property, with nearly half the land in native bush, right on the harbour edge. Pahi is mid way between Auckland and the Bay of Islands.
In 2021 I planted 280 bananas to add to the growing number of small plantations in Northland working to create a supply of domestically grown fruit. I now have nearly 400, and sell to the local community.
I moved back to NZ after way too long living in Sydney, Australia. Pahi is a great place to visit while exploring Northland, just two hours from Auckland, and two and a bit from the Bay of Islands.
Types of help and learning opportunities
Help with Eco Projects
Gardening
DIY and building projects
General Maintenance
UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
I've been on this property since 2020. This is a great chance to experience harbour lifestyle living, and semi-commercial banana growing. My native tree propagation and planting programme, could be of particular interest if you are keen on ecology; our native bush has an invasive weed problem which I've been tackling with the help of the local weedbusters group, and it's very rewarding to see the results after even a day's work. I'm also involved in the local community garden (which grows vegetables to give away) and the landcare group which grows native trees for harbour edge regeneration. Both groups often need help with maintenance and projects.
It's very laid back here - happy to share the kiwi lifestyle if you are visiting NZ, or even if you're local and checking out Northland.
Help
If you are interested in helping with tasks like plant propagation, bush planting, weed removal, fence repairs and general tidying, it would be great to have you stay.
Although no specific work experience is required, most of the chores required are are physical, and outdoor, so it would help if you were fit, and had work clothes (boots are handy.) Practical experience in physical labour would be a bonus.
Languages spoken
English: Fluent
Accommodation
There are two spare bedrooms - one with a queen sized bed, one with a single bed. The house is quirky, 1970s architect designed, and has a swimming pool - and a sunken conversation pit with a fireplace.
Mostly there will be just me at the house.
There will be food available for you to help yourself to breakfast and lunch, and we'll cook dinner to share in the evening.
What else ...
Pahi is not close to public transport, so you'll definitely need your own vehicle. It's only five minutes from Paparoa, which has a general store, petrol station and a couple of cafes - and there's a small farmers' market on Saturday.
There's plenty to explore in the surrounding area - Piroa Waterfalls, Waipu Caves and the Kauri Museum, the west coast and Baileys Beach at Dargaville, the east coast at Mangawhai.
A little more information
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
Space for parking camper vans
This host can provide space for campervans.
How many Workawayers can stay?
Two
My animals / pets
Feedback (11)
Photos
Feedback
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Accuracy of profile:
(5.0)
Cultural exchange:
(5.0)
Communication:
(5.0)
We had a cozy room and nice evenings in front of the fireplace. Grant is an excellent chef who gave us a great variety of food including fresh vegetables from his garden.
The bananas are the best we've ever eaten!!! We miss… read more
He is friendly and makes you comfortable, I had the opportunity to meet his friends and they are also great !
the work I had to do was very easy, trees had fallen due to the cyclone so I helped him with that and some of weeding.
I recommend him at 100%!
Grant was so welcoming from the moment we got there. He made it really fun by giving us different jobs each day which gave us a chance to explore the area.
Would highly recommend staying here, Grants got a great sense of humour and is very fair with the work.
Absolute pleasure having her stay, and she was tireless and enthusiastic worker who helped out all over the place: we planted bananas, dug fruit tree holes, had a bonfire, cleaned up aviaries and chicken coops, planted 90 cabbage tree seedlings, grubbed gorse, stitched shadecloth, pulled down a fence,… read more
