New Zealand
Favourited 6 times
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17/03/2021
Two friends (Tom and Annelise) have recently co-bought a 30-acre section of native forest up the top end of the Omoto Valley, on which to create a space where ourselves, friends, and family can feel at home.
There's a small cabin which sits up on an old river terrace, under a canopy of rata and rimu trees, with a view out across a valley of Podocarp forest, where one sees no sign of habitation, nor hears any road noises. There's no vehicle access to the cabin (it's a ~7 minute walk from the road end) and there's no utility services connected - so it's pretty simple living.
Gardening
DIY and building projects
Help around the house
The West Coast bush is one the most remote and beautiful places in New Zealand. Omoto cabin offers the opportunity to live in what feels to be a very remote location (but yet close to town for anything you need) and close to the endless outdoor pursuits!
The summer of 2020 / 2021 saw us both living + working on the land for nearly 3-months, with our desires to achieve a lot of work certainly being fulfilled. The conversion of our 350-meter long mud slurried, unbridged access route to the cabin into a graveled, trainer shoe friendly track was the first project. The planting of some 80 fruit trees, digging of a vegetable garden, cutting of a 2-km long trapping network track, and helicoptering of 8-tones of materials, were a few projects that followed. Our main focus was then directed to the building of a second 25m2 cabin, which is being created mostly out of recycled timbers + materials and is currently at the stage of being a water-tight shell with the future promise of becoming a guest / project room. Along with the time required to lay the associated electrical + plumbing lines, we're hoping to draw this project to a finish by the start of winter, with Tom envisaging being based on the coast for the rest of the year, while Annelise is back up in Nelson for her work position there. In spring / summer 2021 we're looking at starting renovations on the original cabin, with possible side projects including making a pizzas oven, fire-bath, composting toilet, further track cutting, etc.
Practical building skills, self-initiative and creativity would be three great assets for anyone to bring with them, but don't worry if you're not from a carpentry / building background; if you're keen to help or learn, then your time will still be much appreciated by us.
This is our story in short, and as with any venture - many hands + friendly faces make work easier and more enjoyable, so we're warmly welcoming anyone enthusiastic to come and join us!
Languages spoken
German: Fluent
English: Fluent
Spanish: Intermediate
French: Beginner
This host offers a language exchange
This host has indicated that they are interested in sharing their own language or learning a new language.
You can contact them directly for more information.
Living here is very simple; electricity will (soon) be solar, water is from the roof, the toilet is a well functioning long drop, and showering is (currently) from a bucket, or in a pool in the local creek. The cabin itself is only 1-room - and so for volunteers / visitors we'll be setting up tents with mattresses inside and tarps over them (to create larger awning spaces). Surrealy enough there is in fact cellphone coverage from the cabin.
For anyone motivated in joining us, we will happily offer you food + shelter whilst you're staying, and we'll ask for a half day's work in return. We're not fussy about which part of the days you'd like to help out, or if you'd like to take the odd days off to visit the region, but we do ask that you stay with us for 1-week or longer.
Travel from the road end to Greymouth is unbelievably only a 7-minute drive! and we'd be happy to pick you up from there / the turn off at Kaiata.
If you're coming in a van (and wish to sleep there) then conveniently the last 1-km of road is private (with a locked gate), there's a large, flat area at the start of the track to the cabin, and our two neighbours are both friendly!
We are about 7 minutes drive from Greymouth - for supermarkets, petrol stations, shops, laundry, hospital and all the usual supplies in a small local town. There are endless walks and tramping options on the West Coast and lots of coastline to explore!
There is cellphone reception with spark (and some 2 degrees) at the cabin
This host can provide space for campervans.
This host has said they are willing to accept those travelling with a pet.
More than two
Half a day's help
