Help us grow a beautiful community place in the Northern Rivers, NSW, Australia

Details

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  Description

  Do you enjoy gardening, bush regeneration, creating, building, learning new skills and getting your hands dirty - and are you drawn to a way of life that combines practical work, nature, community and personal growth?
  
  That’s the kind of place we’re gradually creating - a space where people can come together to learn, create, contribute and grow, in connection with each other, nature and something deeper. We’re on that journey ourselves, learning as we go, following the flow of what unfolds, and staying open to the people we meet and the opportunities that come our way.
  
  We’re Susanne and Ash, a couple developing our beautiful 20-hectare property in the Northern Rivers, about 2.5 hours south of Brisbane and around an hour from Byron Bay. Here, we’re creating spaces for day retreats, workshops, gatherings and small festivals. It’s not a business or commercial venue – it’s something we’re creating to share with others: a place for connection, community, creativity, conscious living, meditation and exploring a more spiritual way of life.
  
  For us, spirituality is not only about personal growth. It’s also about caring about other people and the world around us, getting involved and finding practical ways to contribute.
  
  There’s also plenty to do and enjoy in your free time. Explore the bush on our property, discover nearby country towns, including Lismore, or visit the beautiful beaches, rainforests and waterfalls within about an hour. There are also lovely craft and bric-a-brac markets, galleries featuring Aboriginal art and other local art, and a new rail trail for walkers and cyclists just a few kilometres away - we have bikes you can borrow. Or simply do your own thing: read, be creative, work on your own projects or just chill and enjoy the surroundings. There’s much more to discover, which we can tell you about when you’re here.
  
  Living here is very much about caring for the land. We grow much of our own food, and an important part of our life here is restoring the natural environment through bush regeneration and planting native species. We successfully applied for a grant to plant 8,000 trees, creating habitat for koalas and other native wildlife, and we’re also actively involved with our local Landcare group.
  
  There is plenty of wildlife around our place too. At almost any time of day, you might spot wallabies and kangaroos close to the house - and it’s especially lovely watching the mums with their joeys.
  
  We share delicious, healthy vegan meals, and helpers are welcome to join our daily meditation and yoga practices. We also have a weekly meditation group, sometimes here and sometimes at friends’ homes, offering a chance to meet local people and connect with others interested in meditation and conscious living.
  
  When Landcare or other community activities are happening during your stay, you’re very welcome to join us, meet local people and become part of the wider community.
  
  We’d love to hear from you if this sounds interesting to you.

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  Types of help and learning opportunities

  Art Projects

  Help with Eco Projects

  Light gardening

  Creative DIY projects

  Farmstay help

  Creating/ Cooking family meals

  Help around the house

  Light maintenance

  Help with Computers/ Internet
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  Interests

  

  Politics / Social justice

  

  Events & social

  

  Vegetarian or vegan

  

  Sustainability

  

  Self development

  

  Farming

  

  Charity work

  

  Plant care

  

  Music

  

  DIY & crafts

  

  Books

  

  Art & design

  

  Gardening

  

  Cooking & food

  

  Drawing & painting

  

  Yoga / Wellness

  

  Nature

  

  Fitness

  

  Beach

  

  Outdoor activities

  

  Hiking

  

  Cycling
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  UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve

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  Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

  We’ve lived in Australia for nearly 30 years, so you’ll get a genuine taste of Australian country life, while our German and Indian backgrounds bring a multicultural touch. We’ve also travelled and worked in many different countries over the years, which has been a rich and rewarding experience for us. Some of the recipes we enjoy cooking have been inspired by the places we’ve lived and travelled. We enjoy sharing good food (vegan), nature, local life and good times with people from around the world. We’re always interested in hearing people’s stories, where they come from and what they’ve been up to — and sharing some of our own stories along the way.
  
  If you’d like to, you can also join our meditation group or a Landcare working bee and meet local people.

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  Help

  We’d love to meet people interested in:
  
  • Gardening, planting and growing food
  • Caring for and regenerating the land
  • Sharing your practical skills and working together on small projects around the property
  • Using your creativity to make and beautify things
  • Environmental and conservation projects
  • Learning new skills and getting involved in a variety of activities
  • Bringing your own practical or creative ideas to life
  
  You don’t need to have all these skills - they’re simply some of the things we enjoy doing here. What matters most to us is that you’re happy to get involved and enjoy sharing in everyday life. We especially enjoy having people around who like being outdoors, and don't mind getting their hands a bit dirty.
  
  Sometimes we’ll work alongside you and share ideas or skills, while at other times you may work independently on a task or project. We’ll discuss together what you’d like to get involved in and what you feel comfortable doing, so that the tasks are a good fit for your skills and interests. We value people who are self-motivated, can take initiative and are comfortable working without needing constant guidance.

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  Languages spoken

  Bengali (Bangla): Fluent
  German: Fluent
  English: Fluent
  Hindi: Fluent
  Lao: Beginner
  Thai: Beginner

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  Accommodation

  Helpers share a private room with a separate entrance and their own bathroom. It’s a newly added part of our home, offering a comfortable and welcoming space. We also have plenty of space for campervans or similar, with easy access to our spacious new outdoor bathroom.
  
  We are vegetarians (with only very occasional dairy), and most of our food is plant-based. We enjoy sharing meals together as a lovely opportunity to have a chat and connect with each other. We’re always happy to have a helping hand in the kitchen or someone who enjoys cooking a meal. We do our best to accommodate special dietary needs, so just let us know in advance.

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  What else ...

  We live a happy, healthy life here on the land and don’t smoke, drink alcohol or use drugs. Please refrain from using any of these while staying with us.

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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

  This host has indicated that they love having digital nomads stay.

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  Space for parking camper vans

  If you’re coming in a campervan or motorhome, you’ll have access to power and our spacious outdoor bathroom.

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  How many Workawayers can stay?

  More than two

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