Profile information
Host rating
80 %
Last replied
28 Feb 2024
Reply rate
66.7 %
Usually responds within 2 days
Feedback
10
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Email verified
Badges (3)
Details
Description
My partner and I escaped the rat race 15 years ago and magically landed in Kohukohu, Northland, New Zealand.
We fell in love with an old colonial villa and it's rambling overgrown garden. After 'commuting' between our two worlds for the first few years we opted to live here full time. The first thing we did was refurbish an existing cottage in the garden - for our guests to enjoy. We both went on sustainable horticulture courses to learn more about gardening and decided at the outset that we wanted our garden to be spray free. Over time our understanding of the site, light, climatic conditions and soil has grown from the minimal knowledge we had as city dwellers.
The garden is a never ending project and sometimes feels overwhelming but is also a very beautiful and peaceful place to spend time in. Previous owners provided a good framework by planting a variety of now mature trees such as a Himalayan pine, ginko, Australian frangipani,banksias,a red warratah, and NZ native Pohutukawa, Puriri, Cedar,Karaka and Nikau. We also have some big date palms and some growing fan palms. There are a number of fruiting trees in the garden as well.
Types of help and learning opportunities
Gardening
General Maintenance
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
Kohukohu and the wider Hokianga is a beautiful and peaceful place where many artists live and work. Hokianga offers an insight into Maori culture. It is a very friendly and relaxed way of life here and very easy to enter into conversation with the locals. No one is in a rush. So an excellent spot to step back from the hustle and bustle of the 'real' world and take some restorative time out. We always encourage our visitors to enjoy the sights and activities on offer in the area but it's also a really great spot to just be.
Projects involving children
This project could involve children. For more information see our guidelines and tips here.
Help
This winter the village has had a problem with wild pigs coming into the village and digging up our gardens!
We are trying to turn their destructive work into a positive .... over spring the garden needs to be tidied up - weeding, pruning, planting, digging and figuring out what we can do in the places where the pigs have left their mark!
We also have some maintenance DIY work such as water blasting and outdoor painting of decks.
Languages spoken
English: Fluent
French: Intermediate
Italian: Intermediate
Accommodation
Self contained cottage on site. Queen bed and single day bed. Ensuite. Kitchen / dining/living and studio area. All up 52 sq mtrs with a verandah and back deck. The cottage will be ready for you with bed and bath linens and includes food staples for yr stay. These can be arranged following a chat about yr dietary requirements. BYO. Happy to share meals , company and conversation but not every day. This is why this project is ideally suited to a couple or to a self sufficient independant traveller. Wifi is available on the verandah of the Villa but not at Cottage. Also no TV at Cottage but many many books. We are happy to lend you DVDs from our collection if you have yr own lap top.
What else ...
It really is preferable if you have yr own transport to get here and to get around. We can pick you up from the Rawene ferry and you can get to Kaikohe and then Rawene via Intercity and then via the Hokianga Link Bus. As we can't upload url's here - we would need to have the conversation so you can look up timetables as the link bus operates on certain days only.
There are many places of interest such as the Waipoua Forest, the West Coast beaches and the coastal villages dotted about the harbour.
Kohukohu is also an ideal base from which to explore the top of the Far North - being an hour's drive from Ninety Mile Beach and a similar drive time to the East Coast.
A little more information
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
How many Workawayers can stay?
Two
Hours expected
Maximum 4-5 hours a day, 5 days a week
Feedback (6)
Lise and Claudio welcomed us and we immediately felt a good connection. They are both really friendly and open minded. We had really good conversations and we were impressed how much they know about nature,… read more
Feedback
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Accuracy of profile:
(5.0)
Cultural exchange:
(5.0)
Communication:
(5.0)
Lise and Claudio welcomed us and we immediately felt a good connection. They are both really friendly and open minded. We had really good conversations and we were impressed how much they know about nature,… read more
The house is a great spot if you're looking for some r&r or quiet time. There are great walks and views of the surrounding… read more
She helped us out in many ways during v. busy time. We both really enjoyed Katie's stay and not only because of her asistance with our tasks...an all round lovely person . We wish her the very best for her future endeavours.
My tasks ranged from gardening, walking Gina and helping Lise with a few other tasks.
I would often work in the morning and do weeding, raking up grass, clearing the base of trees to help them breath.
I learnt a… read more
Really helpful with morning walks with Gina and all round a friendly can do disposition. We wish him well on his… read more
