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Help us provide sanctuary for farmed animals near Canberra, Australia

  • Favourited 141 times
  • Last activity: 28 Mar 2024

Availability

  2024 

 Min stay requested: 1 month or more

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Details

  • Description

    Description

    Our place provides sanctuary for farmed animals from backgrounds of abuse, neglect, and abandonment. Set on 273 acres amidst stunning Australian bushland, we care for over 300 animals at any one time.

    The sanctuary is located 1 hour from Canberra, the South Coast, and Goulburn and around 2.5 hours from Sydney. We have sheep, goats, pigs, horses, cows, alpacas, geese, turkeys, chickens, roosters, ducks, and quail at the sanctuary.

    We are a bushfire-impacted area and care for animals impacted by the 2019/2020 bushfires, we can host travellers on 417 Working Holiday Visas.

  • Types of help and learning opportunities

    Types of help and learning opportunities

    Charity Work
    Art Projects
    Help with Eco Projects
    Gardening
    DIY and building projects
    Animal Care
    Farmstay help
    General Maintenance
  • Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

    Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

    As we are a sanctuary, you'll be caring for and getting to know animals who are safe for life. You'll learn about the animals, what's important to them and how to create a better world for them. We are between two great small towns, Bungendore and Braidwood, and only an hour from Australia's capital, Canberra, and the stunning south coast beaches.

  • Help

    Help

    We are seeking live-in volunteers for between 1 to 3 months to help with the day-to-day operation of the sanctuary.

    Duties can be somewhat tailored to your skills but may include: undertaking the twice-daily feed runs (morning and afternoon), daily cleaning of stable, poultry coops and yards, undertaking health checks, some maintenance work, monitoring flock movements and assisting with the care of ill, elderly and baby animals, Gardening/fence maintenance/other projects, Helping with market stalls and events. Additional tasks may be required when new rescues or vulnerable animals arrive at the sanctuary.

    The daily feed runs are undertaken between 8 am-10 am and 4-5 pm in winter (7-9am and 5-6pm in Summer), with additional tasks undertaken between 10 am-4 pm as required. There will be downtime each day for you to hang out with the animals, go for a walk etc. Generally, 20-30 hours of work spread over 6 days per week is required.

  • Languages

    Languages spoken
    English: Fluent

    This host offers a language exchange
    English

  • Accommodation

    Accommodation

    Our newly completed Carer’s Cottage is compact but well-appointed. It features two bedrooms sleeping a maximum of three people (plus two extra roll-out single beds in the lounge room), a living space with a dining table, couch and television, a bathroom with shower and a kitchenette with fridge, convection microwave, toaster, kettle and sink.

    For safety reasons, we aim to have at least two live-in volunteers working simultaneously, so the accommodation will usually be shared with at least one other person, but you will have separate bedrooms.

    The cottage is powered solely by off-grid solar electricity, and all water used for drinking, showering, toilets etc., is rainwater collected in tanks. This allows you to feel connected with the environment in a way you might not in the city; it requires being very considered regarding your water and power usage. The accommodation is constructed from insulated panels with double-glazed windows. Beds are fitted with electric blankets, and a reverse-cycle air conditioner keeps the building warm in winter and cool in summer.

    It is worth noting that the sanctuary is located in a region that experiences cold winters (June to August have minimums of down to -8C and top daily temperatures around 13-15C) and very hot summers (December to February, tops of over 40C have been observed). We will let you know what weather to expect, but if you hate the cold, it's best to avoid staying here in winter, or if you don't like the heat, summer isn't the best time to visit us!

    Volunteers can access a larger kitchen with a dishwasher in our Visitor's Centre.

    Bedroom one features a triple bunk bed (double on the bottom single bed on top), and bedroom two has a single bed. A Digital TV device is provided enabling you to connect your Netflix, Stan or other subscriptions. Free WIFI (Starlink) is provided.

    We have plenty of bush for bushwalking and a creek with a great swimming spot for when it is hot.

  • What else ...

    What else ...

    Helpers might like to visit local villages, Bungendore or Braidwood, or head down to the South Coast or into Canberra to check out the museums, art galleries, Questacon, sporting games or concerts, shopping and more. No public transport is available, but if you have a valid, current international (or Australian) driver's license, we have a car you can use for short trips into town by arrangement.

    The sanctuary is vegan, and we ask that helpers not bring animal products onto the sanctuary (no meat, milk or eggs). If veganism is new to you, we are happy to help you with easy meal ideas during your stay. We can recommend some great places to eat locally and in Canberra if you are vegan. We reimburse for groceries up to a certain value per person per week, noting again that only plant based/vegan products can be brought onto the sanctuary.

    A bit about us: Kate worked as a professional photographer for many years, and James is a professional musician (Jazz) and teaches music. We are easygoing but passionate about our work to create a better world for animals.

  • A little more information

    A little more information

    • Internet access

    • Limited internet access

      Limited internet access

    • We have pets

    • We are smokers

    • Can host families

  • Can host digital nomads

    Can host digital nomads

    We have Starlink

  • Space for parking camper vans

    Space for parking camper vans

    This host can provide space for campervans.

  • How many Workawayers can stay?

    How many Workawayers can stay?

    More than two

  • ...

    Hours expected

    Maximum 4-5 hours a day, 6 days a week

Host ref number: 399672849554

Feedback (6)



Feedback

These are extra optional ratings when members leave feedback. The average rating left for each option is displayed.

Accuracy of profile: (4.8)

Cultural exchange: (5.0)

Communication: (4.8)









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