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Host rating
100 %
Last replied
8 Feb 2025
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Description
Kia Ora, Gidday, Hola, Bonjour , Salut ,
Before wasting your time reading further (and our time messaging us, haha), we are not interested in what we call "holiday-awayers' this will sound bitter, but sadly, over the past ten years hosting travellers, we have noticed a definite decline in the quality and quantity of help given. I don't skimp on providing comfortable accommodation and plenty of food. Over Christmas, when hosting 3 travellers, my grocery bill for one week was $700. If you are not prepared to work a solid 5 hours per day in return for food and accommodation then we are not interested in subsidising your holiday.
We are situated halfway between Cromwell and Wanaka. A regional Bus from Queenstown passes by, and we can pick you up from the main road, but there is no other sort of public transport for going in and out of town.
We have been self-building our forever home for ten years now. There is still a way to go, so we live in an old bus. You would be accommodated in a modern self contained caravan with power and cooking facilities. We do have running water, flush toilets and internet access so not so shabby!
We have two friendly fur babies, seven human babies (all grown up and left home) and 3 GrandchildrenTypes of help and learning opportunities
DIY and building projects
Animal Care
General Maintenance
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
I was going to say we are just your average DIY self employed Kiwis but, actually, we are not. We do a lot of things "outside the square" e.g. building our own steam bending-timber machine.
Help
General tidying and cleaning of our build site , some pet sitting perhaps depending on when you want to be accommodated. Cutting up of bottles to make our next bottle wall . Shifting of stone in readiness for the stome mason.
Languages spoken
English: Fluent
Accommodation
Caravan - double bed , kitchenette , shower
Also the house has a shower and flush toilet.What else ...
We work from 8am - 5-6pm . For your 5 hours you can choose what time you start . Most start at 8 , we break for lunch then you finish at 2pm so you can have the afternoon to explore. In your time off there is 25 acres here to walk and explore and Department of Conservation land nearby also for walking. 30 minutes walk away is a rock area for climbing.
A little more information
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
Space for parking camper vans
We are on a lifestyle block of land so plenty of space
How many Workawayers can stay?
More than two
Feedback (17)
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Accuracy of profile:
(5.0)
Cultural exchange:
(4.9)
Communication:
(5.0)
We helped painting the ceilings and sanding the timber for the new house but we also organised timber piles from the shed, cleaned the motorhome or helped Cathy cooking and with office tasks.
She was very generous and nice… read more
We planned on staying only a few days but ended up staying closer to a few weeks. Varied jobs, tasty food, and chill/friendly hosts (and their two lil furry beasts that like to show their affection). Would recommend to anyone who is in the… read more
I'm very happy they trusted me enough to let me be a part of it. I helped out wherever I could on their absolutely gorgeous property near to Wanaka.
On my free time I got to explore the surroundings and I loved the many talks during our lunches and dinners… read more
So the… read more
Also Bernie, the little… read more
We had were happy to meet them.
We made coating plastering with lime and clay on the straw bale.We built "lego house" ( said Mike ! ) with straw bales also. (We already knew building with straw bales ! ) it was easy for us !
Cathy prepared very good meals and she's also very good… read more
We not only enjoyed the company of mike and cathy and the other workawayers louise and valentine who were amazing, but also the work itself. You learn a lot about different ways to build a house and the effort they put in it. They have so much plans which is truely inspiring. Wish we stayed longer, one… read more
We learnt a lot about building. Despite the fact that we don't know a lot, they were very patient to explain us how to do.
It's a very pleasant place to stay because Cathy and Mike are welcoming and, don't forget, funny!
There were other… read more
Highly recommend her .
If the awesome construction project they are working on… read more
We're both big, big fans of Grand Designs, as well having interests to build our own place one day, so this was an amazing experience for us.… read more