Profile information
Host rating
100 %
Last replied
15 Apr 2025
Reply rate
100.0 %
Usually responds within 1 day
Feedback
21
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Details
Description
Our Property is situated in a quiet valley in the beautiful Castlemaine Diggings National Park. We are surrounded by Box-Ironbark Forest which has unique plants and animals. The property has an orchard, huge veggie patch, greenhouse for tropical veggies, chickens, a couple of sheep and a two dogs Molly & Derek. My husband and I live here and some friends who live in our bungalow.
As we are surrounded by National Park during your free time, you can enjoy many outdoor adventures :
-the great Dividing Range trail is on our doorstep with 400km walking/riding
-many local markets, galleries and local events
-Eureka mine is an historical gold mine within walking distance. You can download a podcast and do a tour.
-The Dingo wildlife park is located 10min walk away.
- many shorter bike rides/walks throughout the National Park
- look at rare animals and plants
-walk our lovely dogs
- visit local historical towns of Castlemaine and Maldon which are only 10 and 20min away.
We keep ourselves busy with trying to produce our own food from our land and trying to be as sustainable as possible, so lots of preserving. We make our own cider, Soap and shampoo, bread, preserves, olives, apple juice, apple cider vinegar, beeswax candles, sewing projects, willow basket weaving etc. we are constantly co-learning new skills.
We also run our own wetland restoration charity mainly focussed on wetland management and restoration and flora and fauna surveys in Northern Victoria.
Our time is limited but we will share what we can with you and set you up for local adventures.we want to make sure you have a great time.
Types of help and learning opportunities
Gardening
DIY and building projects
Animal Care
Help around the house
General Maintenance
Interests
Events & social
Movies & TV
Sustainability
Self development
Pets
Farming
Charity work
Gardening
DIY & crafts
Animals
Yoga / Wellness
Nature
Hiking
Camping
UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
Helpers will learn how a sustainable, regional family live. Particularly living a very healthy lifestyle. eating a very healthy diet and growing and eating unprocessed food.
Lots of practical skills to be shared in healthy eating, making homemade nut butter, soap, bread, olives, organic gardening, composting, preserving, beer making, basket weaving etc.
Depending on the projects and the person some handyman skills could be learned.
Most importantly for us we love to share our passion and knowledge for Australian biodiversity, plants and animals. We often go on camping trips with visitors.
We also love taking visitors on walks and bike rides and being in the outdoors. we do yoga daily and those interested can join us.
Projects involving children
This project could involve children. For more information see our guidelines and tips here.
Help
Ideally we are looking for hard working couples or individuals who are interested in outside chores or sustainable gardening. We always have chores in the vegetable patch, orchard or property improvement projects. It’s always varied and interesting. Seasonally we have tasks like grape juice making (March), olive picking (June), drying fruit (Feb) etc.
Languages spoken
English: Fluent
Accommodation
It’s important to us that our Workaways enjoy their time with us and our set up provides the opportunity for both independent living and shared experiences.
We have a beautiful, sustainable built cabin (the Treehouse), only 20m from main house. Set up for rental it has a split heating/cooling system, cooking facilities. It is under a big oak tree.
A couple or 1-2 people is ideal or we can set up a family sized tent outside cabin for second person to sleep in.
We provide you with a fully stocked fridge snd pantry including home grown fruit and veggies, eggs from our own chickens. Home made bread, olives, preserves etc. That way you can eat what you like and have your own space.
It is nice to have a few shared meals together a few nights a week. Taking turns to cook and clean up. Guests are asked to help with preparation and clean up of meals, this is a community event and not included in hours.
We have good internet through star link satellite. Phone reception only works if you have Telstra and only on parts of the property ie on the window ledge in the treehouse .
What else ...
How to get here
There is a train station in Castlemaine which is a ten minute drive. We can meet helper there.
Once here helpers can borrow bikes or get a lift into town where someone goes every other day.
A little more information
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
Space for parking camper vans
We are on a slope. But may be possible to park a campervan
How many Workawayers can stay?
Two
Feedback (9)
Darcey helped us with all aspects of gardening and building jobs you do on a hobby farm from making compost, planting vegetables, weeding, walking dogs, cutting lawns, preserving… read more
Elaine is super nice and really interesting, she knows so much about nature and conservation.
The tree house is lovely and very cosy.
During a week we removed a garden bed, cut down some trees and took time to discover the beautiful area.
Thank you for having us and for showing us around :)
It was… read more
Andreas booked in for two weeks but stayed three. He is very easy going and will have a go at anything. He loves a challenge and thinks through problems strategically (our irrigation problems!).
He is easy going and just enjoyed chilling… read more
Photos
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(5.0)
Cultural exchange:
(5.0)
Communication:
(4.8)
Darcey helped us with all aspects of gardening and building jobs you do on a hobby farm from making compost, planting vegetables, weeding, walking dogs, cutting lawns, preserving… read more
Elaine is super nice and really interesting, she knows so much about nature and conservation.
The tree house is lovely and very cosy.
During a week we removed a garden bed, cut down some trees and took time to discover the beautiful area.
Thank you for having us and for showing us around :)
It was… read more
Andreas booked in for two weeks but stayed three. He is very easy going and will have a go at anything. He loves a challenge and thinks through problems strategically (our irrigation problems!).
He is easy going and just enjoyed chilling… read more
We shared a few meals and dined… read more
The accommodation is so so cosy, and the outdoor shower… read more
Work wise she can work independently and will have a go at anything and get the job done with no stress or humbug. She was happy to work alone as… read more
Their house is a mini paradise with a huge variety of fresh fruit and vegetables you're able to help yourself to. As a backpacker I was so excited by this as I could… read more
She is interested in all sorts of things and will have a go at anything. She can problem solve without direction to get the job done.
She’s adventurous and can entertain herself. She took every opportunity to go on long walks,… read more
It was a pleasure to work with them in their garden. Their house is a… read more
They are self motivated and fun, giggling during even challenging tasks.… read more
She is hard working and will have a go at anything. She is very considerate and aRound the kitchen she is always the first… read more
She just jumps in and cleans up and helps out. Rosie works hard and has a go at anything, even if it’s bucketing horse poo!
We hope to keep in touch with Rosie and that we host her again later in her trip. All the… read more
