Australia
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Created by nature loving artists this beautiful 14 acre property is like no other. Using Eco friendly Mongolian Yurts the establishment of an Eco Retreat is the major project already under way. There is an established orchard with a huge variety of mature trees that requires mulching and tending.
Most of the property is covered in magnificent rainforest and the rear property boundary is next door to world heritage Dorrigo National Park. Everyone who stays is taken to see Dorrigo National Park to see Crystal Showers, the Urunga Beach Boardwalk and the Never Never Creek swimming holes in Gleniffer the Promised Lands.
FOUR PROJECTS IN MOTION...
ONE...HELPING MICK. Currently moveable Yurt platforms are being constructed from recycled materials. 6 of 8 are finished and the materials for the last two are on site and ready to go. The design by Mick is clever and has tested well and is reproducible to a formula. It’s time to jump in and be part of the action from the ground up. No previous building experience required however ability to use a drill and a hand saw help. If you are strong and willing to learn you will be taught.
TWO...HELPING PETA Mulching the plantings done by previous workers. Some pruning and weeding. General garden maintenance. Cooking the meals predominantly vegetarian and sorting out the kitchen supplies and clearing up. Helping with change overs for the air bnb business.
THREE...HELPING JADE Building a hoop house using poly pipe similar to the Quail coop except much bigger and with netting. Its a simple design and includes a recycle bath tub worm farm and potting tables. Pot on tube stock natives and grasses for bush regeneration.
FOUR...HELPING BERNIE Repurpose some old wood into a raised and moveable composting toilet area using the bucket and wood shavings method. Also the portable hot water system to be relocated here for hand washing. This project is half complete and it’s a great time to come on board as the frame is up and the materials to finish are here on site now.
OTHER JOBS...
Rain day back up plan. Painting the inside of the communal cottage in Japan black on the beams and pumpkin gold on the woven panels. Staining the deck in the cottage in walnut oil paint. Window cleaning on the air bnb house.
Feeding pets...Moving the one sheep who comes running after a bucket of sheep nuts and eats from your hand. Very cute.
The business/bnb we run is an Eco Retreat in Gleniffer
Gardening
DIY and building projects
General Maintenance
Creating/ Cooking family meals
Help with Eco Projects
Help around the house
Animal Care
Help with Computers/ Internet
Situated 8 minutes drive to Bellingen town famous for music and cultural festivals. 5 minutes away from the picture perfect Promised Lands swimming holes.
You can walk to the upper Bellinger River from here called the Gordonville Crossing. There are many bushwalking trails around and Dorrigo National park has the skywalk lookout and Crystal Showers Walk.
Coffs Harbour Airport, Urunga beach and Coffs Botanical gardens are half an hour away. Once a month the Community has a Market Day in the Park at Bellingen. Weekly on Wednesday afternoon the Local growers have locally grown food for sale at the show ground.
An exciting opportunity awaits quirky individuals who would like to learn how to erect three Mongolian Yurts currently being relocated from another property to here. Sitting flat packed in the garage at the moment one of three bare earth pads is sculpted and ready for groundwork earthen flooring, landscaping and French drains. (Update...two Yurts are now up. One is fully completed. The second has the frame up and needs the covers put on. The third has the excavation completed and the first layer of crusher dust on the floor. This project is half way through. It’s an exciting time to jump in. One French drains is left and has been dug out ready to fill).
Other projects include mulching the orchard, pathways, and gardens. Creating an artistic organic vegetable and herb garden to be laid out in the shape of an octopus twisting and turning with spirals and keyholes. (Update...the first garden is done. The stone work looks amazing. We are going to the Saturday markets in town to buy plants today. The mulch pile is still at 90 percent full).
Bush regeneration using native edibles and grasses. (Update..we went to Dr Peppers Permaculture Farm down the road. It is 20 Years established. He suggested we create an alliance to help each other with the workers so this is an incredible opportunity to learn from a master and see permaculture in action from beginning to end. He is passionate about native grasses and he will tell you why). There are 15 of 2000 litre water storage bladder bags to be set up with irrigation lines gravity fed to gardens. Minimal weeding in the home paddock however the rainforest has pockets of lantana that can be hacked with a machete if you are keen. (Update...the ram pump has now been built and it’s time to set it up in the natural spring to pump water to the bladder bags. This is a rare opportunity to learn this very clever technology that uses gravity and is fuel free. It’s time to go back to the irrigation supplier and buy more fittings).
There is a half built Japanese Cournix Quail run under the Icecream Bean tree and ideas on finishing it with radical artistic elements from recycled items from the local tip and recycling centres would be greatly appreciated. (Update...the garage has a bench saw, sander, chisels, hammer, plane, various hand tools etc and we have been to visit the Bowerhouse reuse centre to buy some more vintage items. We went to see the Crystal Showers water fall in Dorrigo and were inspired by the walkways through the rainforest. A walkway to the outdoor shower and composting toilet at the cottage is the next project).
In the garage is a vast collection of green and brown glass bottles that could be used in a clay cob project as there is a lot of clay coming out of the Yurt Pads so we may as well build a cob something...ideas anybody???
There are two spring fed creeks on the property and a former logging trail going up the mountain where you can explore while cutting lantana or collect bundles of dry sticks for the fire place. (Update...it’s still cool enough to cook vegetables and brownies in the wood fired oven box. We did it last night).
English: Fluent
The shared cottage is rustic and bohemian with a wrap around verandah. It has a composting toilet and outdoor hot shower. Cooking on gas oven and stove. Bread making machine. Sandwich toaster. BBQ. Large fridge and freezer. Large dinner table and glass top food prep table. Fireplace with oven suitable to bake vegetables.
Sleeping in Yurts on double or single beds. Solar lighting in Yurts. Its an experience in living in a more Eco friendly way where you can slow your mind down and tune into the natural environment.
Most Mobile phones work here. The air bnb has internet but it doesn’t reach the cottage. The availability of the internet is between air bnb bookings from 10am to 3pm so you can download as much as your laptop can take and watch it later. We do have movie nights on selected days off when we close the house to guests and use it ourselves.
There is a school bus that runs to Bellingen at 7.50am and returns at 4.08pm. The town has an IGA for groceries, butcher, newsagent, tavern, pub, bakeries, library, various interesting coffee shops, boutiques, interesting hippy, witchy and fairy supplies, arty crafty nooks for the intrepid explorer and kombu for organic whole foods.
There are plenty of things to do just check out the local Information centre and notice boards. Horseriding at Vallery trails. Archery at Connell Park. Yoga all over the place. Treetop adventure park. There are too many things to list here.
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
Two
Maximum 4-5 hours a day, 5 days a week
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