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Description
ABOUT US
We are a youthful (or so we think) recently retired couple who are looking for some help to undertake various landscaping/building/maintenance projects on our property. I am a 3rd generation Aussie and my wife is Swiss and other than working on or property, we particularly enjoy travel and interacting learning about other cultures. Although we are new to WorkAway, based on our last count we have hosted to date 44 overseas visitors at our property.
We are keen walkers and have done many short and long hikes in our local area as well as travelled extensively around Australia. Hence we are are happy to offer advise on local hikes/attractions as well as planning trips further afield.
LOCATION
At our small hobby farm we enjoy the best of both worlds:
- We live in a beautiful Rural environment, surrounded by nature and the sound of Puffing Billy passing by. On our property we have a resident Alpaca (Scruffy) and Sheep (Bossy), as well as lots of visiting wildlife including Kangaroos/Wallabies, Deer, Kookaburras, Rosellas, King Parrots and Magpies. Selby is located in the heart of the scenic Yarra Ranges Shire where there are lots of beautiful nature/bush walks,so we are close to national parks and famous tourist attractions like Puffing Billy Railway and Dandenong Ranges National Park. From our property it's a short walk to Sherebrook Forest where there is a beautiful array of ferns and native shrubs amongst Mountain Ash and Messmate Stringybark forest, along with plentiful wildlife, including laughing kookaburras, wombats, wallabies, lyrebirds, crimson rosellas, eastern whip birds, Australian king-parrots, echidnas, and both sulphur crested and large black cockatoos. At our property we are shielded from the city glow, so on a clear night you can enjoy a stunning view of the Milky Way.
- We are close enough the Melbourne CBD for a day trip or evening outing (50 mins bar car, 1 hour 30 mins by public transport). Belgrave station is a 5 minute drive or a 30 minute walk/bus trip from our property, and from there it's a 1 hour train trip to the city.
Types of help and learning opportunities
Language practice
Gardening
DIY and building projects
Farmstay help
Help around the house
General Maintenance
Interests
Technology
Events & social
Culture
Van life
Music
DIY & crafts
Carpentry
Nature
Mountain
Outdoor activities
Hiking
Cycling
Camping
UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
As a retired Electronic/Software Engineer, Project Manager and R&D Director, I along with my wife have built pretty much everything on our property over the last 25 years, and through that have developed many project planning, design, construction and practical hands-on skills which we are happy to share, as well as learn from others who have similar or complimentary experience.
My wife and I are an Aussie-Swiss partnership of 35+ years (and still going strong), and through our extensive international travel, and during that time having lived in Australia, Switzerland and the US, we have developed a great interest and respect for other cultures.
Based on our last count we have hosted to date 44 overseas visitors at our property, and with each visitor we we continue to learn more about other cultures.
Help
PROJECTS
We have a range of different landscaping and property maintenance projects on the go around our small hobby farm that we are looking for help with. Our current priority projects include:
- Landscaping: Improving a river bed style drain beside our driveway and constructing a one-course high retaining wall/garden edge. (See photos)
- Property Maintenance: Collecting and stacking firewood/sticks from the paddocks, spreading mulch, maintaining garden edges with the whipper sniper, and weeding the garden around the house.
We will demonstrate/teach you any new skills required to work on the particular project, but are looking for enthusiastic, trustworthy with practical hands on helpers who are then able to work interdependently.
Our project listed above would best suit those looking for outside physical work in a rural environment.
Languages spoken
German: Fluent
English: Fluent
Accommodation
ACCOMMODATION
You would occupy one part of our house with your own pin-code access from outside, with your own large bedroom (double bed) with small sitting/eating area and private bathroom, as well as access to a shared laundry with small kitchenette (kettle, microwave, fridge, freezer) and our outside gazebo sitting area with BBQ with a side gas stove-top. The bedroom has a movable oil heater, we are on the NBN network and have Wi-Fi throughout the house.
Our house is a no smoking or vaping zone. We ask you to please respect this if you choose to stay.
LODGING OPTIONS
We offer 2 options depending on if you want food provided or not.
- Option A: 3 hours per day, 5 days a week (2 days off) with no meals provided. Total of 15 hours for a 7 day stay.
- Option B. 5 hours per day, 5 days a week (2 days off) which includes all meals. Total of 25 hours for a 7 day stay. Breakfast and lunch is self serve from items in the fridge and pantry and dinner is a warm cooked meal.
We are flexible around how the hours are worked. You can work your dedicated hours each day or bulk them together if you want more days completely free to go and explore.
Helpers must have their own travel insurance and working holiday visa.
What else ...
We live in the heart of the scenic Yarra Ranges where there are lots of beautiful nature/bush walks,so we are close to national parks and famous tourist attractions like Puffing Billy Railway and Dandenong Ranges National Park. From our property it's a short walk to Sherbrooke Forest where there is a beautiful array of ferns and native shrubs amongst Mountain Ash and Messmate Stringybark forest, along with plentiful wildlife, including laughing kookaburras, wombats, wallabies, lyrebirds, crimson rosellas, eastern whip birds, Australian king-parrots, echidnas, and both sulphur crested and large black cockatoos. At our property we are shielded from the city glow, so on a clear night you can enjoy a stunning view of the Milky Way.
We are also close enough the Melbourne CBD for a day trip or evening outing (50 mins bar car, 1 hour 30 mins by public transport). Belgrave station is a 5 minute drive or a 30 minute walk/bus trip from our property, and from there it's a 1 hour train trip to the city.
We are keen walkers and have done many short and long hikes in our local area as well as travelled extensively around Australia. Hence we are are happy to offer advise on local hikes/attractions as well as planning trips further afield.
Our house is a no smoking or vaping zone. We do however enjoy a beverage after a hard days work.
A little more information
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
Can host digital nomads
As long as you are able to meet the work requirements, you are free to use our internet to undertake your work as long as it doesn't breach any legal or ethical boundaries.
Space for parking camper vans
As we are on 8 acres, we are able to offer parking space for most RV's and Caravans with Power and water connections. We can't guarantee that the WiFi signal strength at your Caravan/RV parking spot.
How many Workawayers can stay?
Two
My animals / pets
Scruffy and Bossy
