Profile information
Host rating
80 %
Feedback
20
Email verified
Badges (2)
Details
Description
We're a friendly, busy family with 3 energetic, sports loving boys (12,10,9). We've had a little break from Workaway while juggling COVID home schooling.
We're ready to welcome visitors again and can offer plenty of space away from the crowds.
As you will be in our family home it'll be important we work out a COVID safe plan for your visit. Due to COVID we'd prefer a longer visit (you may need to self-isolate in one wing of the house when you arrive - plenty of garden and acres so you won't be cooped up.)
We'd love to hear from someone (or two) who is handy with tools to renovate a vintage caravan so we can use it for some staff accommodation during harvest. The boys started this as a "dengineering project" during lockdown so now it needs finishing!
You might even like to stay on to live in the van and work for the cherry harvest (paid work) at our Mudgee orchard in late November.
Our home is on a big (4,500 acre) research farm where Guy works. With a driveway 3km long, it's fairly isolated, though not so far from our small town Narrabri (15km away) so it suits well if you have a car or are happy to join our regular routine.
Ingrid works from home and also runs our cherry orchard in Mudgee (3hrs away) ... we travel regularly between the two farms.
December is madly busy for us with cherry harvest, sales and preserving. We open the farm for pick-your-own visitors in season and sometimes have stalls at farmers markets and food events with our fresh or preserved cherries and our BBQ smoking woods.
Our home has a big beautiful garden, always in need of some love and care. Fantastic views of the Nandewar Ranges.
Kangaroos, brids, chickens, veggie path and a friendly dog. A tennis court with a stunning view!
Narrabri is a great place to explore the Australian bush - especially Mt Kaputar National park. It's a major cropping area (cotton and grains). We like to take guests on some local adventures when time allows. We enjoy hiking and camping in the local Mt Kaputar National park and when the river is up canoeing on the Namoi.
We'll share with you our family meals which you'll find are healthy and varied - we also ask you to cook your favourite meals for us too as food is such an important part of a cultural exchange.
We believe the cultural exchange of WorkAway is really important for our boys - so we're best suited if you're keen to join in as part of our family.
Types of help and learning opportunities
Gardening
DIY and building projects
Babysitting and creative play
General Maintenance
Farmstay help
Help around the house
UN sustainablity goals this host is trying to achieve
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
Experience country Australian family life in a friendly, welcoming family.
Enjoy the countryside and visiting kangaroos, birds and a wonderful view.
Projects involving children
This project could involve children. For more information see our guidelines and tips here.
Help
There are always things to be done around the house and garden and we can make a plan to suit your skills and interests.
We're keen to meet helpers who can share their culture with us, help out with gardening, housework and projects. Outside of our busiest times we're pretty flexible about what projects you do - though usually it will involve some gardening!
We are a busy family. An exchange with us is two-way - if you offer to help and take initiative in simple things that will be very appreciated and we'll do our best to show you a great experience.
We believe in the Workaway description:
"remember it takes a lot of thought for someone to invite you into their home, so be prepared to help as much as you can! It is not a hotel or a youth hostel it is an exchange - a few hours help per day in exchange for food and board. Housework i.e. cooking, washing-up, etc should be shared."
Languages
Languages spoken
English: Fluent
Danish: IntermediateThis host offers a language exchange
This host has indicated that they are interested in sharing their own language or learning a new language.
You can contact them directly for more information.
Accommodation
comfortable spare room with queen bed and ensuite. it is at one end of the house and we may need you to self-isolate there first if you have come from a COVID hot-spot.. such unusual times!
What else ...
Plenty of bush to explore on the farm.
Mt Kaputar National park and Sawn Rocks are nearby. We have kayaks and a canoe for the dam.
Narrabri is approx. 6.5 hours drive from either Sydney or Brisbane.
We can collect you from the train in Narrabri (daily service from Sydney Central around 9:30 am, arriving around 5pm bookings.nswtrainlink.info ) or Narrabri airport (FlyCorporate fly from Sydney and Brisbane if restrictions allow).
Depending on when you are here we may also take you to the farm in Mudgee with us. This is a beautiful region.
There is work available during cherry harvest (not workaway)
In summer the boys will insist you learn to play cricket! and play soccer, footy, tennis, etc
A little more information
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
Space for parking camper vans
Loads and loads of big open spaces and wonderful views!
How many Workawayers can stay?
Two
Hours expected
4-5 hours/day, max 5 days a week
Feedback (9)
I… read more
I spent 5 weeks with Ingrid and her family, which was a really nice time.
For 10 days I helped Ingrid with their cherry orchard. We pruned the cherry trees, which was really exhausting but interesting and a nice experience of working in nature.
The three boys are really nice and open-minded, did a few runs with me… read more
Finn did some… read more
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)
I… read more
I spent 5 weeks with Ingrid and her family, which was a really nice time.
For 10 days I helped Ingrid with their cherry orchard. We pruned the cherry trees, which was really exhausting but interesting and a nice experience of working in nature.
The three boys are really nice and open-minded, did a few runs with me… read more
Finn did some… read more
They helped out with a range of garden and household jobs - we are really enjoying the view through our sparkling clean windows!
They cooked us some delicious Swedish food - yumm!
Welcome back anytime!
He is a fantastic cook and we enjoyed lots of special Japanese meals.
Hope you enjoy your travels.
She was happy to help with a whole mix of different things around home, our farm and with our boys.
Fantastic English, beautiful manners and a lovely young lady to have visit. Hope you enjoy all your next adventures Emma!
This was our first time hosting a family and i was a great experience, especially for our kids who are similar ages.
Antonia and Lionel gave us a lot of help with the garden (lots of weeding, fixing the irrigation system and building a chicken-house), in the house, and minding our boys and… read more
We loved the dumplings and meals Amy cooked for us.
It was a little odd to wake this… read more
In addition to do housework and gardening, the couple… read more
He helped out with some painting, tidying the shed, playing with kids, and other projects as well as putting his IT skills to use by gathering all the visitor photos from our cherry season from Facebook and Instagram, and fixing a few of our IT challenges… read more
Dini and the boys had fun building some robots too!
Hope you enjoy your travel time in Australia
