Profile information
Host rating
100 %
Last replied
22 Oct 2025
Reply rate
91.7 %
Usually responds within 1 day
Feedback
36
Email verified
Badges (3)
Give the gift of Workaway
read more
Details
Description
Hello and welcome to the beautiful Daylesford/Ballarat region! We are Jill and Phil. We relocated to the picturesque Ballan township 9 years ago from South Australia. In SA we were active hosts with volunteer exchange websites including Workaway for many many years.
Our 5 acre property has a lot of garden areas that constantly need clearing and tidying and we have many small projects in mind so your experiences can be matched with what we need. There is a menagerie of precious animals to look after and there's always plenty to do. Often we just need a house and pet sit as we do go back to Adelaide a lot. We have 6 chickens, a sheep, 3 goats, 1 alpaca, 4 ducks, 3 guinea fowl, and Daisy (A rescued Kelpie x) .. who likes lots of walks!
Ballan is well situated and close to transport in Western Victoria and there is a train directly to/from Melbourne. Close by (20 minutes) you have the vibrant and historic Victorian towns of Ballarat and Daylesford,
You would enjoy your own space with a separate bedroom, and bathroom for your private use. We are a very sociable couple and would make you feel at home. I prepare all meals and I've been told I'm not a bad cook so you simply won't go hungry!
We are very happy to get you out and about on days off to see some local spots and meet other people. We ask for just a few hours a day in return for full board. You don't need to work everyday. Doing a full day here and there and then some days off for sightseeing is always a better way to plan things and see more. All we ask is you show some willing and initiative and love our animals as much as we do. My daughter also lives in Ballan so there's the opportunity to mix with some younger folk as well and perhaps do a bit of babysitting of my two active granddaughters (7 and 9).
We can assist with some local transport like running you to the stations or nearest bus stops if you don't have a car. In some cases we are happy to loan one of our cars to you. Stays with us are more suitable for a couple as we have elderly parents interstate and sometimes need to go away for a few days at short notice and would not want to leave you on your own.
We look forward to hosting you soon.
Cheers
Jill and Phil
Types of help and learning opportunities
Gardening
DIY and building projects
Animal Care
Farmstay help
Babysitting and creative play
Creating/ Cooking family meals
General Maintenance
Interests
Pets
Events & social
Performing arts
Cooking & food
Animals
Yoga / Wellness
Team sports
Fitness
Dancing
UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
Ballan is a super friendly country town and we are regular 'go outers' and very happy to take you along with us to meet yet more local aussies, visit local spots of interest, sample some wines and simply experience our relaxed lifestyle.
Help
Gardens, Vege patch maintenance, Animal care, Kitchen work, Odd tasks and some minor building projects
Languages spoken
English: Fluent
Accommodation
You will enjoy your own space with a separate bedroom, and bathroom for your private use.
A little more information
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
Can host digital nomads
We have star link so the internet is super reliable and fast...there's plenty of options for workspace in the home
Space for parking camper vans
For sure...Plenty of space!
Can possibly accept pets
Happy to discuss
How many Workawayers can stay?
Two
My animals / pets
Coln and George
Host ref number: 372733951744
Chat with Workawayers who've visited this host
+15
Feedback (21)
1 Feb 2025
Left by host for Workawayer (Andrea)
We were sorry to see Ande go. A bundle of energy, ready willing and able to take on any task. She went above and beyond to complete everything we asked and was great company to boot. Awesome with our variety of babies (of the furry and feathered kind) and became our treasured dog Daisy's best friend. We'd welcome Ande back here tomorrow with open… read more
(Excellent
)
1 Feb 2025
Left by Workawayer (Andrea) for host
Had a wonderful time with Jill, Phil and beautiful Daisy. Who wouldn't want to wake up and be greeted by 3 lovely chickens, 2 beautiful ducks, guinea fowl, sheep, goats and an alpaca. Seriously! Jill went above and beyond to make me feel at home with lovely home cooked meals, lots of laughs and fun converations, taking me out to dinner to the… read more
3 Dec 2024
Left by host for Workawayer (Collin & MAXIMILLIAN PHILLIPS)
Colin and Maxi were great guests.
We really enjoyed having them, as did our dog Daisy!
They were super helpful, very polite and completed any tasks we asked of them very well.
We most certainly wouldn't hesitate to recommend them to any future prospective hosts.
We really enjoyed having them, as did our dog Daisy!
They were super helpful, very polite and completed any tasks we asked of them very well.
We most certainly wouldn't hesitate to recommend them to any future prospective hosts.
(Excellent
)
2 Dec 2024
Left by Workawayer (Collin & MAXIMILLIAN PHILLIPS) for host
We had an absolutely wonderful stay with Jill and Phil! From the moment we arrived, we felt incredibly welcome and at ease. They are such warm and relaxed hosts, which made the whole experience feel like home.
Jill and Phil went above and beyond to make our time in Victoria memorable, offering countless helpful tips about the area and about… read more
Jill and Phil went above and beyond to make our time in Victoria memorable, offering countless helpful tips about the area and about… read more
1 Nov 2024
Left by Workawayer (Lilly & Bjarne ) for host
We stayed with Phil and Jill for almost three weeks and loved every minute of it. We felt comfortable and welcome from the very beginning, and they included us in their daily routine right away. Our work included helping with Jill’s catering business when she needed extra hands, along with other tasks like gardening and washing the cars. The work… read more
Photos
Chat with Workawayers who've visited this host
+15
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)
1 Feb 2025
Left by host for Workawayer (Andrea)
We were sorry to see Ande go. A bundle of energy, ready willing and able to take on any task. She went above and beyond to complete everything we asked and was great company to boot. Awesome with our variety of babies (of the furry and feathered kind) and became our treasured dog Daisy's best friend. We'd welcome Ande back here tomorrow with open… read more
(Excellent)
1 Feb 2025
Left by Workawayer (Andrea) for host
Had a wonderful time with Jill, Phil and beautiful Daisy. Who wouldn't want to wake up and be greeted by 3 lovely chickens, 2 beautiful ducks, guinea fowl, sheep, goats and an alpaca. Seriously! Jill went above and beyond to make me feel at home with lovely home cooked meals, lots of laughs and fun converations, taking me out to dinner to the… read more
3 Dec 2024
Left by host for Workawayer (Collin & MAXIMILLIAN PHILLIPS)
Colin and Maxi were great guests.
We really enjoyed having them, as did our dog Daisy!
They were super helpful, very polite and completed any tasks we asked of them very well.
We most certainly wouldn't hesitate to recommend them to any future prospective hosts.
We really enjoyed having them, as did our dog Daisy!
They were super helpful, very polite and completed any tasks we asked of them very well.
We most certainly wouldn't hesitate to recommend them to any future prospective hosts.
(Excellent)
2 Dec 2024
Left by Workawayer (Collin & MAXIMILLIAN PHILLIPS) for host
We had an absolutely wonderful stay with Jill and Phil! From the moment we arrived, we felt incredibly welcome and at ease. They are such warm and relaxed hosts, which made the whole experience feel like home.
Jill and Phil went above and beyond to make our time in Victoria memorable, offering countless helpful tips about the area and about… read more
Jill and Phil went above and beyond to make our time in Victoria memorable, offering countless helpful tips about the area and about… read more
1 Nov 2024
Left by Workawayer (Lilly & Bjarne ) for host
We stayed with Phil and Jill for almost three weeks and loved every minute of it. We felt comfortable and welcome from the very beginning, and they included us in their daily routine right away. Our work included helping with Jill’s catering business when she needed extra hands, along with other tasks like gardening and washing the cars. The work… read more
11 Feb 2024
Left by host for Workawayer (Ann & Misuzu)
Ann and Susie were lovely guests , always willing to help and very polite and respectful.
They made a great impression on everyone we introduced them to and were a delight to have around
They made a great impression on everyone we introduced them to and were a delight to have around
(Excellent)
11 Feb 2024
Left by Workawayer (Ann & Misuzu) for host
Our stay with Jill and Phil was awesome!!! They are super kind and friendly people. We enjoyed spending time in their beautiful property with cute animals! We helped feeding ducks, gardening, baking as well! It was so much fun for us to help them so we didn’t feel like it was a job. They also took us local town, pub, park…lovely places!! It was… read more
25 Dec 2023
Left by Workawayer (Léa) for host
Jill and Phill are amazing people. They are very friendly and welcoming ! They help you to find extra work to earn pocket money. They also provided me a bike so I could go by myself to Ballan town but since they dropped me where I wanted.
Sometimes I worked in the garden and sometimes I helped for catering and everyday I took care of the animals.… read more
Sometimes I worked in the garden and sometimes I helped for catering and everyday I took care of the animals.… read more
3 May 2023
Left by host for Workawayer (Tanja & Joe)
Joel and Tanya were awesome to host. Nothing was too much trouble for them and they showed a lot of initiative and skill.
They were also great company socially. I personally was a bit of unwell during their visit and their assistance was invaluable. Thankfully I came good just toward the end of their stay so was able to enjoy their company for a… read more
They were also great company socially. I personally was a bit of unwell during their visit and their assistance was invaluable. Thankfully I came good just toward the end of their stay so was able to enjoy their company for a… read more
(Excellent)
2 May 2023
Left by Workawayer (Tanja & Joe) for host
Had the most welcoming and friendly experience with Jill and Phil. They took us under their wings and helped us find work in the area, let us meet friendly faces and made our time in Ballan just great. They helped us discover the local areas and gave heaps of recommendation of things to do and places to see. The accommodation and food are very… read more
13 Mar 2020
Left by Workawayer (Elie & Marie) for host
Very good time with Jill and Phill. The accomodation, bed and food are very good. You can be independant. The job isn't hard and varied. They propose a lot of thing to do for discover the local culture.
We can arrange our horaire for work to practise activities.
Internet everywhere is useful.
Jill cook very well.
We can arrange our horaire for work to practise activities.
Internet everywhere is useful.
Jill cook very well.
6 Feb 2020
Left by host for Workawayer (Shinies)
Dave and Lori were awesome to have as guests. We clicked from the get go and were happy to submerse them into our personal lives. They met many of our friends and were a joy to just hang out with. That's all on top of an enormous work ethic and a willingness to assist at every turn. Dave is very knowledgeable...and Lori too has some tremendous… read more
(Excellent)
5 Feb 2020
Left by Workawayer (Shinies) for host
We stayed with Jill and Phil for 3 weeks. We highly recommend staying with these lovely people! They are very easy-going and we loved getting to know them over our time there. They were patient to help explain the rules to their sports of "Footie" and Cricket to us Canadians. :) They involved us in some of their outings and in meeting the regular… read more
27 Jun 2019
Left by Workawayer (Bernadette) for host
Thank you Jill and Phil for my first Workaway experience. I felt so very welcome in your home and beautiful property from the moment I arrived.
What did I do?..... I helped in the garden clearing old garden borders and preparing ground space for a sprawling lawn that will be used for entertaining. Cut back and tidied up old growth from the summer… read more
What did I do?..... I helped in the garden clearing old garden borders and preparing ground space for a sprawling lawn that will be used for entertaining. Cut back and tidied up old growth from the summer… read more
27 Jun 2019
Left by host for Workawayer (Bernadette)
Bea was superb guest. Not only was she great company but a very capable and willing worker. This was Bea's first workaway encounter as opposed to us as guests having had in excess of 50 previous exchanges. Bea certainly grasped the tasks with both hands, used a lot of initiative and fell into the spirit of exchange very easily. In comparison to… read more
(Excellent)
12 Mar 2019
Left by host for Workawayer (Wendy)
We hosted Wendy for a period of six weeks during which she house sat for us for two. Her role was to take over feeding and general maintenance of our large menagerie of animals....and to also cut back and clear our rather overgrown garden. She looked after these jobs more than adequately, going well beyond what was expected of her. She was clean… read more
(Excellent)
11 Mar 2019
Left by Workawayer (Wendy) for host
I stayed with Phil and Jill for 6 weeks, with 2 of those being to housesit whilst they went away. This involved the looking after and feeding of 2 Alpacas, 3 sheep, 3 goats, 7 chooks, 6 ducks and Misty the cat. The rest of my time was spent in the garden cutting back and digging out, planting, trimming, watering, helping Jill with her catering… read more
19 Dec 2018
Left by host for Workawayer (Victor & Zlata)
Victor and Zlata were awesome guests. Nothing was to much trouble for them, they worked extremely hard and were highly capable. We certainly would not hesitate to recommend them to any future prospective hosts
(Excellent)
19 Dec 2018
Left by Workawayer (Victor & Zlata) for host
Our stay with Jill&Phil was absolutely amazing. It was our first workaway experience and we were so glad to stay at their place! We felt like at home. While our staying they showed us a lot of great places around and we also had a lot of interesting conversations. We did many various tasks and the work was rewarding. They have very cute animals… read more
28 Nov 2018
Left by Workawayer (Amandine) for host
My short stay at Jill and Phil was superb! they were incredibly kind to me. I am delighted that my moments with them are part of my first memories in Australia. I hope to see them again, with a better English to thank them for their patience with my difficulties for the language. The terrain is beautiful! The animals are endearing and the… read more
20 Nov 2018
Left by host for Workawayer (Katharina)
Katharina and Katrin....(Kathy1 and Kathy2 to us) were simply awesome to have here. What lovely young girls, always smiling and helpful and an absolute credit to their families. I am so glad we were able to give them a nice start in our country. You can't go wrong if you agree to host them. Never fussy about food or what they might be asked to do.… read more
(Excellent)
20 Nov 2018
Left by Workawayer (Katharina) for host
So this was our first Workaway stay and we couldn‘t be more happy! Jill and Phil were excellent hosts. My friend and I had a spacious bedroom and a bathroom to ourself and the animals are all very cute and taim. Other than that, you will defenitley gain some weight when you‘re leaving their place because the food was amazing (the cinnamon scrolls… read more
17 Apr 2018
Left by host for Workawayer (Charlene & Ray)
It was remiss of me not to leave feedback earlier for these two. An absolute pleasure to have here. We had lots of laughs...got some awesome work done and nothing was too much trouble for them. We wish them well on future travels and would have them back in a heart beat!!! Buddy misses you guys :-)
(Excellent)
17 Apr 2018
Left by Workawayer (Charlene & Ray) for host
Jill & Phil our experience with you was totally awesome. We have thoroughly enjoyed every minute of our stay with you and all the pets. You spoiled us rotten with comfort, electric blanket, pillows, and comforter, and robes. They provided us with 3 solid meals a day; Breakfast and Lunch was a choice of items, and Dinners or (Tea) was always… read more
11 Mar 2018
Left by host for Workawayer (Naomi)
Naomi was great! I loved her company, we had a lot of laughs and became quite good mates during her stay. She looked after some landscaping for us and also managed another worker with the result in our garden being superb. I absolutely wouldn't hesitate to recommend any future hosts grab her if they get the chance!!
(Excellent)
9 Mar 2018
Left by Workawayer (Naomi) for host
It was a real pleasure to have stayed with Jill & Phill.
There were plenty of landscaping jobs for me to tackle during my stay.
The weather was quite stable so it was nice to be working out in the sun.
Phil was very kind to fix up his bike for me so I managed to do quite a bit of biking in the surrounding areas.
Ballan feels remote but once I got… read more
There were plenty of landscaping jobs for me to tackle during my stay.
The weather was quite stable so it was nice to be working out in the sun.
Phil was very kind to fix up his bike for me so I managed to do quite a bit of biking in the surrounding areas.
Ballan feels remote but once I got… read more
7 Mar 2017
Left by host for Workawayer (Stefan & Heike)
Heike and Stefan were fantastic guests to have. Not only did they complete all tasks really well, they were great company. Stefan is very skilled and Heike a superb helper. We had a terrific time with them playing board games, eating and drinking wine and sharing knowledge in the kitchen. We wouldn't hesitate to recommend them to any future hosts
(Excellent)
2 Mar 2017
Left by Workawayer (Stefan & Heike) for host
We had a wonderful time with Jill and Phil. They both made us feel very comfortable with a relaxed and open minded atmosphere. We built a terrace with an amazing fire pit, cleared the garden for fence building, connected their B&B flat with a TV cable and did different other works. In the evenings we enjoyed their delicious cooking or BBQ and… read more
12 Jul 2015
Left by host for Workawayer (Anna & John)
Anna and John were fantastic guests to have here. Great company, awesome workers and an all round pleasure to hot. We wouldn't hesitate to recommend them to any future hosts
(Excellent)
24 Jun 2015
Left by Workawayer (Anna & John) for host
We found Jill and Phil to be open and kind hearted. Jill has the added talent of being an amazing chef/cook! So we were well fed. Accommodated was great, a nice room with a comfy queen size bed.
Work load was pretty cruisy, we worked on avg about 4 hrs per day. We enjoyed our week there.
Work load was pretty cruisy, we worked on avg about 4 hrs per day. We enjoyed our week there.
12 Jul 2015
Left by host for Workawayer (Susannah & Christopher)
Susannah and Chris were fantastic guests to have. Not only did they complete all tasks really well, they were great company. We had a terrific week with them all round and woudn't hesitate to recommend them to any future hosts
(Excellent)
11 Jul 2015
Left by Workawayer (Susannah & Christopher) for host
Staying with Jill and Phil was a home from home for us. They were so open and welcoming, including us in all aspects of their daily life that made us feel like part of the family including Buddy the dog who would wiggle from place to place following me and Chris around from job to job. They are both very straight talking, with plenty of banter to… read more
26 May 2013
Left by Workawayer (Paul & Sharon) for host
Jill and Phil took us under their wings when we first arrived in Australia and we helped them on and off with house sits and projects while we lived in Adelaide. Fantastic generous people who love to entertain and always have a lively house with lots of people around and excellent food which Jill loves to prepare for all tastes. Jill is starting a… read more
13 Dec 2012
Left by host for Workawayer (Tim)
Tim was a very easy guest and oh what a hrd worker. It was hard to make him sit down.
He was clean respectful and good company to boot! I would highly recommend him to future hosts.
He was clean respectful and good company to boot! I would highly recommend him to future hosts.
(Excellent)
12 Dec 2012
Left by Workawayer (Tim) for host
Had a lovely time WorkAwaying here. The property is set in a rural location, with plenty of trees, though not far from Adelaide centre. Jill and Phil are excellent hosts, very friendly, and make all their guests very welcome. There was a good range of jobs to do. The food and the accomodation were excellent, and Jill took great care to cater for a… read more
15 Oct 2012
Left by Workawayer (JennaandLewis) for host
Jill and Phil were great hosts,there is lots of varied work to do on there land(they have lots of it),from gardening to building fences and anything you can turn your hand to,also there is tons of wildlife on there land from koalas to giant centipedes so amazing there was something to see everyday..the accommodation is huge and very comftable best… read more
