Profile information
Host rating
80 %
Last replied
8 Jan 2025
Feedback
26
Email verified
Badges (3)
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Details
Description
My husband and I live in a character homestead nestled in a quite valley with a stream running through it, set on 20 acres. We are in the process of renovating the house and improving the garden. We have sheep and cattle grazing managed by our neighbour. I am a part time bookkeeper working online from home, my husband is a building contractor working on specialised building contracts all over NZ. We have two sons who live in Auckland and Melbourne. We bought our property in Mangawhai 15 years ago but have only moved to live here permanently in April 2018. We would very much like some Workaway guests to come help us with things and also enjoy our relaxed life style in this beautiful part on NZ.
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
Come to our place in Mangawhai to experience living in a small NZ coastal settlement. We would hope that you will enjoy living with us and appreciate our way of life. I enjoy walking and bike riding and am always keen for someone to join me. We enjoy meeting people from other countries and learning about their culture.
Projects involving children
This project could involve children. For more information see our guidelines and tips here.
Help
Help with the house and grounds as well as some farm work would be greatly appreciated. We are also open to guests cooking if they wish.
Languages spoken
English: Fluent
Accommodation
We have a newly renovated warm, cosy room for guests with its own bathroom upstairs in our house.
What else ...
We can pick you up and drop you off at the Intercity bus stop on state highway 1, Kaiwaka. I can provide some transport to the Village when I go to shop and the Market. We have superb beaches, walks and top surf spots very nearby.
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?
More than two
My animals / pets
Host ref number: 251847665864
Feedback (13)
2 Sep 2024
Left by host for Workawayer (Ryvan)
We enjoyed having Ryvan as a Workaway guest, he has excellent manners and it was a pleasure to have him stay in our home. He was eager to please and helped us create a new garden, although he had not done much gardening, he accomplished the task well. We wish him well with his travels and would highly recommend him to any future Workaway hosts.
(Excellent
)
2 Sep 2024
Left by Workawayer (Ryvan) for host
This was my first Workaway experience and I couldn't have asked for better. Caroline and Gavin are a lovely couple, who frankly spoil their guests with 3 meals a day, warm water, and a very comfortable bed. The area they live in is also insanely beautiful. The work I was asked to do was more than reasonable and at no point did I feel I was being… read more
24 Dec 2023
Left by host for Workawayer (Agathe)
It was nice to have Agathe stay with us, she was eager to please and we would recommend her to any future hosts.
(Excellent
)
9 Nov 2023
Left by Workawayer (Paolo) for host
Gavin and Coraline were absolutely delightful! The room was quaint and just perfect with a good view of their area. Lots of green and flowers around and in my time even a baby lamb hopping around. Truly wonderful.
It was so pleasant to just sit with the two after dinner and talk about our different experiences and views of life. I felt understood… read more
It was so pleasant to just sit with the two after dinner and talk about our different experiences and views of life. I felt understood… read more
Photos
Feedback
These are extra optional ratings when members leave feedback. The average rating left for each option is displayed.
Accuracy of profile:
(5.0)
Cultural exchange:
(5.0)
Communication:
(5.0)
2 Sep 2024
Left by host for Workawayer (Ryvan)
We enjoyed having Ryvan as a Workaway guest, he has excellent manners and it was a pleasure to have him stay in our home. He was eager to please and helped us create a new garden, although he had not done much gardening, he accomplished the task well. We wish him well with his travels and would highly recommend him to any future Workaway hosts.
(Excellent)
2 Sep 2024
Left by Workawayer (Ryvan) for host
This was my first Workaway experience and I couldn't have asked for better. Caroline and Gavin are a lovely couple, who frankly spoil their guests with 3 meals a day, warm water, and a very comfortable bed. The area they live in is also insanely beautiful. The work I was asked to do was more than reasonable and at no point did I feel I was being… read more
24 Dec 2023
Left by host for Workawayer (Agathe)
It was nice to have Agathe stay with us, she was eager to please and we would recommend her to any future hosts.
(Excellent)
9 Nov 2023
Left by Workawayer (Paolo) for host
Gavin and Coraline were absolutely delightful! The room was quaint and just perfect with a good view of their area. Lots of green and flowers around and in my time even a baby lamb hopping around. Truly wonderful.
It was so pleasant to just sit with the two after dinner and talk about our different experiences and views of life. I felt understood… read more
It was so pleasant to just sit with the two after dinner and talk about our different experiences and views of life. I felt understood… read more
8 Apr 2023
Left by host for Workawayer (Jasmin)
Jasmin was a gentle and considerate and we enjoyed her company. We were delighted to have her stay in our home and be able to share our part of NZ with her. She was a a very good painter and and a real help to us with various tasks. It was nice to find out about her life and home in Austria too. You never know we may visit Austria one day and pay… read more
(Excellent)
8 Apr 2023
Left by Workawayer (Jasmin) for host
My stay at Caroline and Gavin's place was a real pleasure. They have a beautiful home with two adorable cats and I immediately felt very cozy there.
Although I was without a car it was no problem for them to pick me up at another place and later on brought me to the bus again, for which I was very thankful for.
Caroline and Gavin are really… read more
Although I was without a car it was no problem for them to pick me up at another place and later on brought me to the bus again, for which I was very thankful for.
Caroline and Gavin are really… read more
4 Oct 2022
Left by host for Workawayer (Anna)
Anna is pleasant, kind and contented and fitted in with us really well. She is eager to please, and is a proficient painter, a professional painter would be hard pressed to do a better job than she did. We enjoyed her company and learning about her homeland and her travels. We would not hesitate to recommend her to any future hosts.
(Excellent)
3 Oct 2022
Left by Workawayer (Anna) for host
Staying with Caroline and Gavin was great experience. I couldn't be more grateful for all the help and kindness. I enjoyed all the conversations, learning about kiwis and New Zealand and trips around the place. The accommodation was very neat and cozy with private bathroom. The job was fun and interesting for me and nothing too complicated… read more
31 Jan 2021
Left by host for Workawayer (Marie & Nicolas)
Marie and Nico were a pleasant outgoing couple, they fitted in with us very well. We were happy with the work they did for us and were glad they got to enjoy the surrounding beaches and countryside while they were here. Nico cooked us an amazing Mexican meal on their last night with us, which we really enjoyed and appreciated. Marie rode with our… read more
(Excellent)
31 Jan 2021
Left by Workawayer (Marie & Nicolas) for host
We spent 4 days at Caroline's and Gavin's place and had a really pleasant stay. We mainly had been painting an outside wall, which we were grateful for as it was something new for us and it is always good to learn new things!
Caroline and Gavin were very flexible on our working hours and always making sure we were working when the sun was not too… read more
Caroline and Gavin were very flexible on our working hours and always making sure we were working when the sun was not too… read more
4 Mar 2020
Left by host for Workawayer (David)
What a great workaway guest David was. We were really pleased to have him stay with us. He helped us sort out our fire wood for winter, tidied our garden and helped with a building project. He is a very capable strong worker. David also has excellent cooking and cocktail making skills, which was an extra bonus. We enjoyed Davids zest for life, his… read more
(Excellent)
2 Mar 2020
Left by Workawayer (David) for host
I have spent 5 days at Caroline and Gavin's place. it was just perfect. they are all two beautiful inspiring and generous people taking care of their guests. their home is in a campaign very quiet where you can see a big sky stary, i felt like a lucky farmer. I've had a lot of fun to participate in the work of the House, listen to DJs Gavin music… read more
24 Feb 2020
Left by host for Workawayer (Ieva)
We really enjoyed having Ieva stay in our home. She has an easy going, pleasant and outgoing personality. She is a good sewer made and fixed some curtains for us. She also baked a lot of desserts for us which was really nice.
We enjoyed learning about life in Lithuania and its history to. Our conversations were interesting and it was good to… read more
We enjoyed learning about life in Lithuania and its history to. Our conversations were interesting and it was good to… read more
(Excellent)
21 Feb 2020
Left by Workawayer (Ieva) for host
I stayed with Caroline and Gavin for a week, but it feels like I had been there for way longer - thanks to their caring, warmth and outgoing personalities I felt like at home from the very first day. I had really good time sewing, baking and cooking, but the real pleasure was conversations that we had during our meals. I feel like I've learned… read more
8 Jan 2020
Left by Workawayer (Luisa44) for host
Nina and I stayed our last week in New Zealand at Caroline’s & Gavins home and it couldn't have been better. We had a lot of different jobs that we really enjoyed.
In the afternoon we had plenty of time to explore the beaches close to their home and did a beautiful hike at the coast.
Moreover we really enjoyed spending time with them. They are… read more
In the afternoon we had plenty of time to explore the beaches close to their home and did a beautiful hike at the coast.
Moreover we really enjoyed spending time with them. They are… read more
6 Jan 2020
Left by host for Workawayer (Luisa44)
Luisa and her friend Nina were a pleasure to have stay with us. The were very good workaway travellers. The helped us create a garden, washed our windows inside and out and did some painting as well. They were friendly and we enjoyed our conversations together. We would welcome them back to come and stay in our home again anytime they are… read more
(Excellent)
2 Dec 2019
Left by host for Workawayer (Anne Sophie & Max)
Anne and Max were wonderful workaway guests, and we enjoyed having them stay with us.
They painted our veranda while they stayed with us, I am not sure if they had ever painted before, but took great care and did an excellent job.
They were polite and courteous and enjoyed all our NZ food, which was good.
We went away the day before they left,… read more
They painted our veranda while they stayed with us, I am not sure if they had ever painted before, but took great care and did an excellent job.
They were polite and courteous and enjoyed all our NZ food, which was good.
We went away the day before they left,… read more
(Excellent)
2 Dec 2019
Left by Workawayer (Anne Sophie & Max) for host
We had a very nice stay at Caroline and Gavins lovely house. They both are very friendly and tried to help us with all kinds of problems, gave us tips for trips to Mangawhai and the near area and made our stay far away from home as enjoyable as possible. We had our own new renovated room upstairs and shared the bathroom (also new renovated) with… read more
28 Nov 2019
Left by host for Workawayer (Matthew)
Matt has a cheerful outgoing personality and is easy to get on with.
He also worked part time locally and helped us when he could. He met all his Workaway obligations to us and we were grateful for that. We enjoyed his company and finding out about his life and family in Ireland. He is a willing worker and I would recommend him to Workaway Hosts.
He also worked part time locally and helped us when he could. He met all his Workaway obligations to us and we were grateful for that. We enjoyed his company and finding out about his life and family in Ireland. He is a willing worker and I would recommend him to Workaway Hosts.
(Very good)
27 Nov 2019
Left by Workawayer (Matthew) for host
Gavin and Caroline were wonderful hosts and I would recommend this to any workaway. A real Kiwi family and a great cultural experience.
They have a beautiful house on a large site in a valley, just a 10 minute drive to local villages and shops. When I was here I mainly helped out with painting the exterior of the house. The work was fair and they… read more
They have a beautiful house on a large site in a valley, just a 10 minute drive to local villages and shops. When I was here I mainly helped out with painting the exterior of the house. The work was fair and they… read more
28 Nov 2019
Left by Workawayer (Anna) for host
My stay at Gavins and Caroline’s house was more than amazing! I enjoyed it every minute. I had my own super comfortable room and my own bathroom upstairs. We shared all the meals together and went to the supermarket together. Caroline drove me to all the nice places around and made sure I enjoy my time as much as I can there. I can recommend… read more
4 Nov 2019
Left by host for Workawayer (Anna)
Anna was very pleasant and helpful and a good vegetarian cook to. She helped us with painting and gardening and took a lot of care with her tasks. She was good company and taught us a new card game which was very enjoyable. Anna is an experienced workaway traveller and I would highly recommend her to any other workaway hosts in the future.
(Excellent)
11 Aug 2019
Left by Workawayer (Clarissa ) for host
Caroline and Gavin are friendly and helpful, I really enjoyed staying with them. They both take care of me to let me feel at home, Caroline prepared many desserts over delicious meal and Gav was always ready to prepare hot chocolate and everything else.
They both showed me the surrounding area, that is amazing; in the evening we spoke about the… read more
They both showed me the surrounding area, that is amazing; in the evening we spoke about the… read more
15 Jul 2019
Left by host for Workawayer (Clarissa )
Clarissa was a pleasure to host, she was cheerful and helpful and good company. She helped with me mainly with painting and decorating and was very good at this. I would not hesitate to recommend her to any future Workaway Hosts.
(Excellent)
12 Jul 2019
Left by Workawayer (David & Jitka) for host
Being Caroline's companion was our pleasure. She was all the time nice to us and we had lots of nice conversations. She always find a time for use and take us for a trips. We had nice and tidy room with bathroom. The work for Caroline was more relaxed, nothing hard (painting, cleaning, brushing, some gardening, moving goats..). From the house is… read more
10 Jul 2019
Left by host for Workawayer (David & Jitka)
David and Jitka were a pleasure to host, they were a great help to us and were keen to take part in all parts of our daily routine. They fitted in well with us and our family and friends. They are a kind respectful couple and I would not hesitate to recommend them to other workaway hosts.
(Excellent)
