Join our forest home where music, nature and community meet in Newham, Victoria, Austalia

Details

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  Description

  Hello! I’m Charlotte — a musician, composer and facilitator of creative singing and movement (taking a break from leading camps/retreats for at least 2026 while I finish an album and begin more committed research period/looking back on 23 years of facilitation and developing ‘The Musical Body’). I live with my playful 3-year-old son, Henry, and our gentle Cavoodle, Willow, on a beautiful bush property surrounded by forest and wildlife. (Aware parenting (Aletha Soltar) nerd / I am also!! )
  
  Our home is a creative family space that welcomes artists (and artists in residence), travellers, gatherings of peer-exchanges (ie. vocal improv gathering monthly) and friends who enjoy living simply, connecting deeply, and sharing music, dance, art, nature, food and laughter.
  
  Just down the road, we have a music and dance studio where we sometimes host community events, creative gatherings and cultural exchanges. We’re gradually growing a small, intentional community centred around creativity, mindfulness, connection and care for the land.
  
  We offer a flexible rhythm of shared help and time off. This isn’t about strict hours or ticking boxes — it’s about balance, communication, initiative and mutual care.
  
  We can negotiate the arrangement that best suits both our rhythms at the time of your visit:
  
  We particularly value people who are independent and proactive — comfortable noticing what needs doing, finding things for themselves, asking when unsure and taking initiative without needing constant direction.
  
  Confidence with cooking, cleaning and practical household tasks is a real bonus.
  
  I speak only Spanish with Henry, so if you’re a Spanish speaker and are happy to speak Spanish with him whenever he is home, we would be incredibly grateful. Spanish-speaking visitors can become a really special part of his language world.
  
  If you enjoy translating children’s books into Spanish, there may even be a little of that to do too!
  
  Other languages are very welcome as well.
  
  Helping on camps, where I lead groups in body-based improvised singing, may also be possible in the future. Our camps are currently on pause until sometime in 2027.
  
  We love welcoming people with their own interests and skills too — whether that’s permaculture, music, yoga, crafts, cooking, photography, languages or mindful living. We’ll find ways for your gifts to fit naturally into daily life.
  
  It’s simple, cosy and peaceful, with beautiful forest and starry skies all around.
  
  
  We live slowly-ish — I do have a toddler! — with a strong value on kindness, creativity, communication and connection.
  
  We like “help” to feel more like a shared rhythm of living than a job.
  
  Our Ideal Guest
  You might be a wonderful fit for our home if you:
  
  Genuinely enjoy young children and can meet the unpredictability, playfulness, noise and changing rhythms of life with a three-year-old with warmth and flexibility
  
  Love nature, creativity and simple living, and enjoy being somewhere peaceful and rural
  
  Enjoy a balance of connection and independence — sharing meals, conversations, music or adventures sometimes, while also being happy to have your own space and organise your own time
  
  Are independent and proactive — comfortable noticing what needs doing, asking when you’re unsure and getting on with agreed tasks without lots of direction
  
  Are practical and willing to contribute to everyday household life — cooking, cleaning, tidying, gardening and generally caring for the spaces we share
  
  Are respectful, responsible, warm and open-hearted, including respecting each other’s privacy, belongings, boundaries, energy and need for space (**And - it is always a bonus for Charlotte in particular if you love to give and/or receive hugs!!)
  
  Are committed to open, restorative communication and repair when tension, hurt or misunderstandings arise. This is non-negotiable in our home. We don’t expect perfect communication or a conflict-free household. We do ask that everyone is willing to come back into conversation, listen to each other, take responsibility where needed and work towards repair rather than leaving difficulties unspoken or unresolved.
  
  Are comfortable with communication and feedback going both ways — able to tell me what you need or when something isn’t working for you, and open to hearing from me when something needs adjusting too
  
  Bring something of yourself into the exchange — perhaps your language, culture, music, art, cooking, gardening knowledge, humour, stories, skills or simply your curiosity and presence
  
  And if you speak Spanish and would enjoy speaking it with Henry, we would LOVE to hear from you! Spanish isn’t essential, but it’s a beautiful bonus for our family.
  
  We’re not looking for perfection. We’re looking for someone kind, trustworthy, communicative and willing to participate in the rhythm of our home.
  
  If this sounds like your kind of place, send me a message introducing yourself — who you are, what you love, what you’re interested in and what draws you to this experience.
  
  We can then arrange a friendly WhatsApp video chat and get a sense of whether we might be a good fit. If it feels right for both of us, we can organise your visit.
  
  A Gentle Alignment-Check Period
  For first-time visitors, we begin by treating the first two nights as an initial trial period of if we feel aligned, with a check-in together before confirming the rest of a longer stay.
  
  We’ve found that actually sharing a home tells us much more than messages or even a video call can. The first couple of days give both you and us a chance to notice how the rhythm, expectations and living arrangements feel in practice.
  
  Sometimes lovely people simply don’t quite mesh as housemates — and that’s completely okay. If either of us feels the arrangement isn’t quite the right fit, we agree to be honest about that and part on warm and respectful terms.
  
  Because of this, if you’re travelling from a long way away, we recommend having a little flexibility or a backup accommodation plan for those first couple of days. Where we reasonably can, we’re also happy to help you think through other local options.
  
  Our hope is that this feels much less like an assessment and much more like a mutual “let’s see how we fit into each other’s rhythm.”
  
  We’re looking forward to hearing from you!
  
  Warmly,
  Charlotte, Henry & Willow

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  Types of help and learning opportunities

  Art Projects

  Language practice

  Help with Eco Projects

  Teaching

  Light gardening

  Creative DIY projects

  Animal Care

  Farmstay help

  Babysitting and creative play

  Creating/ Cooking family meals

  Help around the house

  Light maintenance
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  Interests

  

  Self development

  

  Performing arts

  

  Music

  

  Languages

  

  Drawing & painting

  

  Gardening

  

  Camping

  

  Cycling

  

  Yoga / Wellness

  

  Fitness

  

  Outdoor activities

  

  Nature

  

  Dancing
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  Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

  Creative music and movement is something we specialise in and can share about. We live in an area that has a lot of Old volcanic rock, my parents live down the road, and my mum especially is very interested in native plants and they are part of the local Landcare group, and very knowledgeable-there are beautiful walks and places to visit in the area
  
  What You’ll Experience
  Living with us might offer:
  * Connection with a warm, communicative, creative family and local community
  * Space and time to explore your own art, music or personal practice
  * Shared meals, song, dance and laughter
  * Quiet time and connection with nature
  * Invitations to community events, music sessions and workshops
  * A chance to experience a slower, rural Australian way of life
  * Opportunities to share your own culture, language, skills and stories

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  Projects involving children

  This project could involve children. For more information see our guidelines and tips here.

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  Help

  Option 1 - Food + accommodation
  Around 4–5 hours a day, 5 days a week, with food and accommodation included.
  (This can sometimes depend on our capacity to provide extra food that month.)
  
  Option 2 - Accommodation only
  Around 2–3 hours a day, 5 days a week, with you buying and preparing your own meals.
  
  Days and times are flexible, and we can work around your energy, study, travel plans and other commitments.
  
  Our “help” is really about contributing to family and community life — practical, creative and sometimes playful.
  
  Depending on your skills and what’s happening in our home, this might include:
  * Simple cooking and meal preparation
  * Cleaning and tidying shared spaces
  * Gardening and light outdoor work
  * Playing with or spending gentle time with Henry, usually while I’m nearby
  * Preparing our studio and other spaces for workshops and events
  * Helping with practical household tasks
  * Optional creative contributions such as music, art, photography, writing or community ideas

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  Languages

  Languages spoken
  English: Fluent
  Spanish: Fluent

  This host offers a language exchange
  I’d like to practice Spanish
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  Accommodation

  Room in a home with a bed and bedding, or a caravan and studio
  
  
  You’ll have a private room and/or small caravan, (and on some occasions a self contained cottage has been available) with access to:
  
  
  * Shared kitchen, bathroom and laundry
  * Wi-Fi
  * Musical instruments and creative studio spaces
  * Bush trails
  * Swimming spots
  * Campfire areas
  * Plenty of space to rest, create and enjoy nature

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  What else ...

  Hanging Rock and Mt Macedon and Turpins water Falls are near by
  
  Practical Bits
  * We’re in a peaceful rural area with no public transport within walking distance.
  * I go into town most days and can often offer lifts.
  * We’re around 15 minutes from Kyneton or Woodend, both of which have trains, cafés, shops and other amenities.
  * We’re a strictly non-smoking home, with no illegal activity or drug use.
  * Couples and small families are welcome to enquire.
  * Henry is generally at home Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays. On other days, he spends a large part of the day at kindergarten, daycare or with his Uncle.
  
  A little travel bonus
  For longer stays, we may be able to arrange use of a family car for travel, work or study, provided you’re 25 or older and meet the relevant insurance requirements.

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  A little more information

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    Internet access

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    Limited internet access

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    We have pets

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    We are smokers

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    Can host families

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  Can host digital nomads

  Good Internet

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  Space for parking camper vans

  Lots of space

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  Can possibly accept pets

  Well trained and socially good dog

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  How many Workawayers can stay?

  Two

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  My animals / pets

  Willow

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