Profile information
Host rating
100 %
Last replied
17 Sep 2025
Reply rate
87.5 %
Usually responds within 2 days
Feedback
8
Email verified
Badges (3)
Details
Description
Hello!! We’re Steve and Amanda, a couple living in the small, peaceful town of Athol, nestled between Queenstown, Te Anau, and Invercargill. After a break from hosting, we’re opening our doors again and would love to welcome easygoing, practical travellers who enjoy lending a hand and sharing stories over a cuppa.
Over the next couple of months, we’re doing a big spring clean of the house, think reorganising, cleaning, garden tidying, and freshening up our space for the season ahead. It’s rewarding, relaxed work with plenty of time to explore the stunning surrounds.
We both work from home:
• Steve manages his farm and works on a number of boards, often travels between meetings
• Amanda is studying IT and launching a nonprofit that supports rural pregnant parents, a heartfelt mission born from lived experience
Our home includes a few quirky friends, Ollie the dog and Daisy the deer, who add charm to everyday life.
You’ll stay in a comfy warm ensuite guest room with a queen-sized bed, perfect for a couple or two friends happy to share. A car is essential as we’re rural and the magic of Southland is best explored with wheels.
We’ve both travelled and genuinely love connecting with people from different cultures. Whether you’re keen to help, swap stories, or simply enjoy the quiet beauty of country life, we’d be thrilled to host you.
Types of help and learning opportunities
Gardening
DIY and building projects
Animal Care
Creating/ Cooking family meals
Help around the house
General Maintenance
Interests
Animals
Books
Music
History
Van life
Technology
Pets
Farming
Events & social
Charity work
Sailing / Boating
Camping
Beach
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
While staying with us you can observe a working farm. Steve is very passionate about farming and happy to share his knowledge on New Zealand farming practices.
Projects involving children
This project could involve children. For more information see our guidelines and tips here.
Help
We would love some help around the garden and house.
Languages spoken
English: Fluent
Accommodation
We have a private ensuite room. You will have your own toilet and shower. Free unlimited WIFI. You will share our kitchen. We have a spa that you are welcome to use.
What else ...
We are very central to some amazing 'must see' tourist spots. You must have your own car. We are very remote and there is no public transport.
We encourage you to explore the following places during your weekends/ time off:
Queenstown and Central Otago
Fiordland Park (with includes Milford Sound & Doubtful Sound)
Te Anau
The Catlins
Dunedin
A little more information
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
Can host digital nomads
This host has indicated that they love having digital nomads stay.
Space for parking camper vans
We do have a campervan plug with access to a toilet, shower and kitchen. This is in our woolshed so it is not flash.
How many Workawayers can stay?
Two
My animals / pets
Ollie
Chat with Workawayers who've visited this host
Feedback (4)
We loved chatting and getting to know Tyf and Alex over the dinner table. They totally spoiled us with their yummy baking… read more
We felt very welcome and the accommodation was very nice. We would highly recommand any workawayers to go there. Works around the garden and the house were various (in winter we did some weeding, strimming hedges, gathering leaves, cleaning gutters, cleaning the… read more
Photos
Chat with Workawayers who've visited this host
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:
(5.0)
We loved chatting and getting to know Tyf and Alex over the dinner table. They totally spoiled us with their yummy baking… read more
We felt very welcome and the accommodation was very nice. We would highly recommand any workawayers to go there. Works around the garden and the house were various (in winter we did some weeding, strimming hedges, gathering leaves, cleaning gutters, cleaning the… read more
Greta and Micheal helped us after a major flood we had on our farm. They worked for 3 weeks cleaning up our farm fences and picking up logs and sticks. It wasn't a fun job but they were amazing! They worked really well with other workawayers (we had 6 at one stage) and with our farm staff. They were always happy, polite… read more
They were super helpful cleaning up after dinner, emptying the dishwasher etc.… read more
