Profile information
Host rating
100 %
Last replied
31 Jul 2024
Reply rate
100.0 %
Usually responds within 2 days
Feedback
44
Email verified
Badges (2)
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Details
Description
Hi , my husband and I enjoy having people stay with us in our home and share our lifestyle We live in suburban Oamaru and like to grow our own vegetables and enjoy our flower gardens also. There is just the two of us and we have a lot of interests, growing our own vegetables and maintaining our 4 vintage vehicles. We would love to hear from anyone who would be happy to help us out. We live in suburban Oamaru that has a rich and vibrant Victorian heritage.
Types of help and learning opportunities
Charity Work
Gardening
DIY and building projects
Creating/ Cooking family meals
Help around the house
General Maintenance
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
Living with genuine kiwis, experiencing old vintage vehicles and staying in a town with a rich Victorian heritage.
Help
I would love to have help with, gardening, painting, cleaning and my husband may need help with cleaning our cars or some maintenance on them.
Languages spoken
English: Fluent
Accommodation
Warm comfortable room with a queen size bed within our own home will be provided.
What else ...
Our town Oamaru, celebrates it Victorian heritage and has a very large collection of limestone buildings. There is also a blue penguin colony to visit and wildlife around the coastline.
A little more information
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
Space for parking camper vans
Can accommodate a campervan up to 6 metres
How many Workawayers can stay?
One
Hours expected
Maximum 4-5 hours a day, 5 days a week
Host ref number: 253831562691
Feedback (16)
29 Mar 2024
Left by host for Workawayer (Sarah)
Hi Sarah was a wonderful help to Ernest and I and we enjoyed having her stay with us. She really enjoyed immersing herself into family life and routine and was particularly helpful working in my flower and vege gardens. We wish Sarah well on her travels and to keep safe, she is welcome to keep in touch or come and stay again. Cheers Brenda and… read more
(Excellent
)
26 Oct 2022
Left by host for Workawayer (Christina)
Loved having Christina stay with us, she has a great personality and loves to share and chat with us. We enjoyed her enthusiasm for her adventure and was able to share with us about her homeland. We wish Christina well on her travels and she is always welcome to keep in touch with us or return in the future.
(Excellent
)
26 Oct 2022
Left by Workawayer (Christina) for host
I was very lucky to have my first workaway stay with Brenda and Ernest! They are extremely nice and gave me a lot of useful information, what to do in the area and what to see, when l travel on. I did some spring cleaning in the kirchen. Loved the daily visitor Mr. Darcy (the cutest dog ever!), sleeping in the very comfortable bed, driving in the… read more
18 Jun 2020
Left by host for Workawayer (Lorenza & Gioele)
Thanks Lorenza and Gioelle for staying with us. We have enjoyed your stay and really appreciated the help you gave Ernest moving his carparts into storage. Your are a cheerful couple and helped when ever you could around our home, we enjoyed your sense of humour. Have a wonderful time while you travel around our beautiful country. Have fun from… read more
(Excellent
)
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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)
29 Mar 2024
Left by host for Workawayer (Sarah)
Hi Sarah was a wonderful help to Ernest and I and we enjoyed having her stay with us. She really enjoyed immersing herself into family life and routine and was particularly helpful working in my flower and vege gardens. We wish Sarah well on her travels and to keep safe, she is welcome to keep in touch or come and stay again. Cheers Brenda and… read more
(Excellent)
26 Oct 2022
Left by host for Workawayer (Christina)
Loved having Christina stay with us, she has a great personality and loves to share and chat with us. We enjoyed her enthusiasm for her adventure and was able to share with us about her homeland. We wish Christina well on her travels and she is always welcome to keep in touch with us or return in the future.
(Excellent)
26 Oct 2022
Left by Workawayer (Christina) for host
I was very lucky to have my first workaway stay with Brenda and Ernest! They are extremely nice and gave me a lot of useful information, what to do in the area and what to see, when l travel on. I did some spring cleaning in the kirchen. Loved the daily visitor Mr. Darcy (the cutest dog ever!), sleeping in the very comfortable bed, driving in the… read more
18 Jun 2020
Left by host for Workawayer (Lorenza & Gioele)
Thanks Lorenza and Gioelle for staying with us. We have enjoyed your stay and really appreciated the help you gave Ernest moving his carparts into storage. Your are a cheerful couple and helped when ever you could around our home, we enjoyed your sense of humour. Have a wonderful time while you travel around our beautiful country. Have fun from… read more
(Excellent)
29 May 2020
Left by Workawayer (Philipp & Jessica) for host
Thank you so much, Ernest and Brenda! We really enjoyed spending time with you and helping you with different tasks around your house and property. We learned a lot about working with wood, repairing floors, building doors and window frames, demolishing annexes etc. We loved chatting with you about any kind of topic and cuddling old Darcy.
Thanks… read more
Thanks… read more
29 May 2020
Left by host for Workawayer (Philipp & Jessica)
Hi Jesse and Philip, it was lovely getting to know you both during your time in Alma. We cannot thankyou enough for helping Ernest with splitting and stacking the firewood also your help in our old house replacing the floorboards and general work around our farmlet. We enjoyed our conversations with you and learnt a lot about your homeland and… read more
(Excellent)
10 May 2019
Left by host for Workawayer (Patrick & Sara-Bonny)
Loved having Patrick and Bonny to stay, they were very helpful and tried new things. We had a great time and enjoyed playing cards in the evening. They are both welcome to come back anytime.
(Excellent)
28 Apr 2019
Left by host for Workawayer (Bernard)
Loved having Bernard to stay, he was quite entertaining and was very humorous. Bernard has good building skills and will uses his cellphone app to communicate. Bernard is a lovely person to have to stay and is welcome to return anytime.
(Excellent)
21 Apr 2019
Left by Workawayer (Bernard) for host
j'ai passé une semaine avec Brenda et Marco dans de très bonne condition avec toujours de la bonne humeur et de humour, toujours près à m'aider pour mes visite et location de voiture, un très grand merci à tous les deux
29 Jan 2019
Left by host for Workawayer (Jana & Eske)
We enjoyed having Jana and Eske to stay, and especially that they made the effort to return to us for Christmas Day. It made our day much more special having workaway volunteers with us. We appreciate the work in the gardens and helping around our home. I hope your studies go well or what ever road you chose to take.
(No show)
29 Jan 2019
Left by host for Workawayer (Julia & Jacob )
Hi Julia, I suppose you are back home and studying hard. Thanks for your time with us and especially Christmas Day. We have enjoyed your company and laughter and the help that you gave me in the garden and around our home. You are most welcome to stay again if you are over this ways. I think Mr Darcy misses his bed each night. Goodluck for your… read more
(Excellent)
24 Jan 2019
Left by Workawayer (Julia & Jacob ) for host
Brenda and Ernest are welcoming and kind. I had a great time during my two weeks spent there, including Christmas and New Years Eve. The house is comfy, and the gardens beautiful. They also took me on to Oamaru, Elephant Rocks, the beach and I even went on a car road trip with their daughter Rebecca!
They are lovely people who have helped me a lot… read more
They are lovely people who have helped me a lot… read more
29 Jan 2019
Left by host for Workawayer (Nicolas & Maria soledad )
Loved having you both to stay and share our home with us. We enjoyed your conversation and discussing the world, no subject was to big or to small. The back of our old house looks 100% better. We hope that you have a wonderful wedding and that your future remains bright and rosy. Nicolas and Sole are a lovely couple and are fun to be with they are… read more
(Excellent)
22 Jan 2019
Left by Workawayer (Nicolas & Maria soledad ) for host
We had a wonderful experience with brenda and Ernest. They are an easygoing couple who welcomed us very well. The room was confortable and with amazing views and the food delicious(scones and pumpkin soup the best). Our work was outdoors with many different tasks, never more than 4 hs a day. We enjoyed very much our time with them and sara,… read more
29 Jan 2019
Left by host for Workawayer (Sarah)
A big thankyou Sarah for your wonderful stay with Ernest and I. We now have an orchard, that you planted for us and our gardens have never looked better. Thankyou for all the wonderful wisdom you shared with me and for teaching me how to propagate plants. I am looking forward to being able to use and share this knowledge for the rest of my… read more
(Excellent)
29 Jan 2019
Left by Workawayer (Sarah) for host
Brenda & Ernest were great hosts, making me feel very at home. There was lots of work but it was satisfying to get things done and see a difference.
Brenda & Ernest made sure me and 2 other workaways saw local sights and went the extra mile to give us experiences such as Ernest driving us in one of his vintage cars which was a treat.
Brenda is a… read more
Brenda & Ernest made sure me and 2 other workaways saw local sights and went the extra mile to give us experiences such as Ernest driving us in one of his vintage cars which was a treat.
Brenda is a… read more
22 Aug 2018
Left by host for Workawayer (Pierre)
Pierre is a lovely young Frenchman who stayed with us for two weeks. He is a hard worker who completed work to a very high standard. My vegetable garden is wonderful with a small tunnel house, wind block netting on the fence and new matting and raised garden beds. Ernest also liked working with Pierre on some building work as well as feeding the… read more
(Excellent)
22 Aug 2018
Left by Workawayer (Pierre) for host
It was perfect to stay with Ernest and Brenda in Oamaru ! I had an amazing time there. They were very welcoming and made me feel at home. The house was spacious, comfortable and the meals were very good (I loved Brenda's scones). I really enjoyed the work around their great property and their nice garden. They gave me lots of informations about… read more
5 Jun 2018
Left by Workawayer (Loralee & David) for host
We stayed with Brenda and Earnest for 10 days. They are friendly and easygoing and treated us as part of the family right away. Our girls loved their animals and we enjoyed Brenda's cooking. We also enjoyed getting to meet their daughter. We helped them paint their lounge and kitchen and were happy to help them beautify their living space! They… read more
30 May 2018
Left by host for Workawayer (Loralee & David)
Loralee, Dave and their girls became part of our family while they stayed with us. They helped with many types of tasks, but painting our lounge has been a massive job that they done an excellent job of, it is just beautiful. Thanks very much for making such a change for us. You are all welcome to return and stay again.
(Excellent)
30 May 2018
Left by Workawayer (Devon) for host
My stay with the Family exceeded all expectations and I was treated as family. I stayed on for a few weeks and was trusted with a variety of tasks including painting, weeding, cleaning, and even lawn mowing. I have many memories to take away and I am grateful for their generous hospitality. Thank you for the late night ice cream cones, recipes,… read more
30 May 2018
Left by host for Workawayer (Devon)
Devon was very enthusiastic and hard working. We enjoyed having her stay in our home and she would be welcome back at anytime, Devon has a very good sense of humour and we had many laughs. Devon would often see that something needed done and would do it. We loved having Devon stay with us.
(Excellent)
30 May 2018
Left by host for Workawayer (Juliette)
Had a great experience with Juliette and Yannick. They helped us around our property, gardening, cutting firewood and household chores. We enjoyed their company and learnt a lot about their countries and had good conversation.
(Excellent)
3 Mar 2018
Left by Workawayer (Marijn) for host
It was super nice staying with Brenda and Ernest. They were very welcoming, friendly, generous and helped me plan the next part of my travels. The work was easy and rewarding. I will definitely remember the funny conversations with Brenda and her lovely sister Leah and not to forget the ride with Ernest in their beautiful vintage car! Thank you… read more
1 Mar 2018
Left by host for Workawayer (Marijn)
It has been lovely having Marijn stay with us, she has a lovely laugh and liked joining in with day to day activities. Marijn is a hard worker and is able to work independently. We enjoyed having Marijn stay with us and she is welcome to return. We wish her well with her future travels.
(Excellent)
1 Mar 2018
Left by host for Workawayer (Taishi)
It was a pleasure to have Taishi stay. He was happy to help with any tasks including helping friends move house and particularly enjoyed making tomato sauce with me. We would recommend Taishi to any other host and he is welcome to return anytime, Taishi has a good sense of humour which helps when it rained heavily for most of his stay.
(Excellent)
24 Dec 2017
Left by host for Workawayer (Andrew)
Andy is a lovely young man who taught me alot about Ireland and his home town of Dublin. We had some wonderful conversations and worked in the garden together. Andy was able to cook for himself especially when he was at the gym and would be back later than our evening meal. Ernest and I enjoyed having Andy stay and we wish him well on his travels,… read more
(Excellent)
23 Dec 2017
Left by Workawayer (Andrew) for host
I had a lovely stay at Brenda and Ernest's home. They were both very welcoming and kind and the room provided was comfortable and spacious. The work was varied but mostly out gardening and digging or shovelling. Some tasks were easier than others but Brenda's philosophy is not to ask workawayers to do much more than she would do herself and it was… read more
22 Aug 2017
Left by host for Workawayer (Tseng)
Renzo and Eddy are lovely young men. We enjoyed their company while they stayed with us. They are both hard workers and Ernest really appreciated getting more of the firewood split and stacked. They stayed with us for 5 days and are welcome to return when they return to New Zealand. Thanks Eddy and Renzo for all of your help.
(Excellent)
4 Aug 2017
Left by host for Workawayer (Florane & Florian)
Hi, had a lot of laughs with Flo and Flo, they were very helpful and 'Mr Flo' is a wizz with fixing our computers. We are able to use one of our desk top computers now that it has been cleaned up. 'Mrs Flo' was also very helpful around the house and in the garden, both looked after our calves and feed the hens. We enjoyed long discussions in the… read more
(Excellent)
4 Aug 2017
Left by Workawayer (Florane & Florian) for host
Our experience at Brenda's and Ernest's was very good, we learnt a lot of things about the Kiwi culture! We helped with firewood, house works, cooking, feeding the cows and hens, and gardening. We had interesting conversations and watched a very funny together, thanks for that ! (and for the whisky...!)
Have a nice time in your house, we hope… read more
Have a nice time in your house, we hope… read more
17 Jul 2017
Left by Workawayer (Carolina) for host
These days with Brenda and Ernest were fantastical, we felt like at own home.
Our help was mainly housework, feed the cattles, cut firewood between other minors tasks.
The best of this days was the conversations, we shared really good time togethers.
It is a wonderful place, in a great town called Alma (Soul)
We hope come back soon!!!
Our help was mainly housework, feed the cattles, cut firewood between other minors tasks.
The best of this days was the conversations, we shared really good time togethers.
It is a wonderful place, in a great town called Alma (Soul)
We hope come back soon!!!
14 Jul 2017
Left by host for Workawayer (Carolina)
Carolina and Gino are a lovely couple who stayed with us for 7 days. We thoroughly enjoyed there company and there humour. We had lots of laughs and they were both willing and enquiring workers. They both loved learning new things and shared their own culture with us, through discussion and cooking. We would love to have them stay with us again… read more
(Excellent)
3 Jul 2017
Left by Workawayer (Robert & Jennifer) for host
We had lots of fun with Brenda and Ernest, their daughter Rebecca, family friends and of course their animals; in particular Blue the cat and Darcy the dog. We were welcomed like one of the family and it was nice to be a part of their lives. Brenda showed us lots of Oamaru which is a lovely small town. Ernest was keen to show us Elephant Rocks… read more
3 Jul 2017
Left by host for Workawayer (Robert & Jennifer)
Jennifer and Robert are a lovely couple. We have enjoyed having them stay with us and be part of our home. They housesat for a weekend plus helped with gardening in the hothouse, stack firewood, feed our hens and cattle and also helped inside the home. Robert fell in love with our dog Mr Darcy and the two cats, Jennifer did also and spoilt them… read more
(Excellent)
3 Jul 2017
Left by host for Workawayer (CAMILLE & Marie)
Marie bounced into our lives for a few of days. She is very lively and likes a laugh. Marie is a very hard working volunteer and helped with firewood plus cooked a lovely meal. Call in if you are passing for a coffee. Take care and enjoy your travels. Cheers Brenda and Ernest
(Excellent)
11 Apr 2017
Left by host for Workawayer (Kathrin)
Loved having Kathrin stay with us, she is delightful and is able to contribute to the running of the house and worked hard in the garden. I hope you continue to enjoy your gap year, and time in Thailand.
(Excellent)
11 Apr 2017
Left by host for Workawayer (Teresa & Kevin)
Had a very enjoyable time with Kevin and Teresa. They are hard workers and joined in with the daily activities. I hope that they continue to enjoy their time in NZ and recommend them to anybody wanting a couple who is willing to work and learn new things.
(Excellent)
23 Mar 2017
Left by host for Workawayer (Yoshiyuki)
Yoshi is a lovely person who likes to keep himself busy around the property. We have enjoyed his company and especially the fact that he was able to read the Japanese controls in our Nissan Cimo. He was able to tell us how to set the controls and found functions that had been lost. Yoshi has a wide range of skills but was especially good at… read more
(Excellent)
13 Mar 2017
Left by Workawayer (Jessica & Amy) for host
Brenda and Ernest are honest and hardworking people with knowledge on many subjects including plenty about New Zealand. We had a lot of fun with Brenda working in her garden and learning from her and her large collection of books. We seemed to share curiosities about the same things and making stinging nettle tea!
Ernest shared his passion for… read more
Ernest shared his passion for… read more
9 Mar 2017
Left by host for Workawayer (Jessica & Amy)
Jess and Amy are wonderful, thoughtful and full of energy. We enjoyed having them to stay with us for over a week. They worked hard and delighted in giving my pantry cupboard a makeover. I can now find things easily and with no hassle. Both girls are fun to be around and have a great sense of humour, we enjoyed teaching them to play euchre in… read more
(Excellent)
6 Mar 2017
Left by host for Workawayer (Léna & Maxime)
Lena and Max are a delightful couple, whom we enjoyed immensely having to stay with us. They are both very capable of all tasks asked of them, especially painting the exterior of our cottage Both Lena and Max have a great sense of humour and joined all activities in the evening such as playing card games, they also got along very well with… read more
(Excellent)
14 Feb 2017
Left by host for Workawayer (Isabella & Marco)
Bella and Marco are an amazing couple, they worked very hard painting our old 1890s house with our extended family. Marco and Bella are not afraid of heights and were happy to paint the roof for us. They are a fun loving couple and enjoyed having a laugh with a cold beer in the evening.We enjoyed their company and would recommend them to anyone… read more
(Excellent)
11 Feb 2017
Left by Workawayer (Isabella & Marco) for host
Brenda and Ernest were our first workaway hosts and we had such a great time with them. We were also so lucky to meet far more members of this lovely and happy family (sisters, nieces, grand children...) as it was a long weekend and we all tried to push a big "painting the old house project" forward. We painted the exterior and the roof as well-… read more
