Profile information
Host rating
100 %
Last replied
22 Apr 2025
Reply rate
93.6 %
Usually responds within 4 days
Feedback
15
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Details
Description
We have enjoyed the journey of building our small eco-home in Yanchep with lots of wonderful WorkAwayers, and we are now building an extension to our family home in Mt Lawley close to the Perth CBD.
Mt Lawley is in a great location for visitors to Perth. It's close to the Derbarl Yerrigan (Swan River), public transport, wetland walks and bikeways ~ and we have bikes for you to use!
While our big backyard in Mt Lawley has been rather neglected in recent years, in the past it has provided us with a wonderful bounty including eggs, vegis, bananas, mangos, avocados, goats milk, firewood and even hardwood for our kitchen benchtops. This came from a tree which we planted over our 2nd son's placenta 40 years ago!
Our home in Mt Lawley has an eclectic, retro green style and all cleaning and personal care products are biodegradable and SLS-free.
There is always some gardening and maintenance work to do in both Yanchep and Mt Lawley.
The design of our Yanchep home (opposite the ocean and only 40mins north of Perth) is passive solar and was built with a low cabin footprint. The construction is lightweight using SIPs and phase change materials to moderate temperatures. Water is harvested for gardens and we used many recycled products in the build. We have 18 solar panels to power the house and our electric car. The project was an owner-build with Linda project managing while Ian continued with his day job (CEO at Central Desert Native Title Services).
Your room in Yanchep comes with views of the ocean!
If you love the surf, sunsets over the ocean and have lots of muscles and/or building experience we'd love to hear from you.
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In return for 4-5 hours work we offer accommodation and (mainly vegan) meals each day. Depending on our schedule we find it often works well for helpers to work 2 full days followed by a day when you can be independent and discover Perth.
On days off you are welcome to stay in either home - on these days only breakfast and accommodation is provided , so Linda gets a rest from cooking too 😀
We hope we have inspired your curiosity and that we get to meet you soon!
In anticipation and with gratitude,
Linda and Ian
PS. I know she is often mentioned in our reviews however our darling dog Lola died recently so sadly we won't get to share her joy with our WorkAwayers anymore 😢
Types of help and learning opportunities
Help with Eco Projects
Gardening
DIY and building projects
Creating/ Cooking family meals
Help around the house
General Maintenance
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
Both Linda and Ian have had diverse and interesting professional experiences including having co-managed a remote Aboriginal community in the Ngaanyatjarra Lands in the early 90s. Ian has a background in architecture and worked for the renown Bulgarian architect Iwan Iwanoff. Linda has written and directed documentaries for television and has a passion for empowering people to birth and die well.
Projects involving children
This project could involve children. For more information see our guidelines and tips here.
Help
The work will be mainly building, landscaping and gardening...cooking too if you like to : )
Languages spoken
English: Fluent
Accommodation
Comfy rooms in both locations.
A little more information
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
How many Workawayers can stay?
Two
Feedback (8)
We were delighted to meet Saria and Matteo, and as it happened we also invited Matteo to… read more
Linda & Ian are such interesting people - we learnt a lot about Australian culture, in particular aboriginal communities and… read more
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Feedback
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(5.0)
Cultural exchange:
(5.0)
Communication:
(5.0)
We were delighted to meet Saria and Matteo, and as it happened we also invited Matteo to… read more
Linda & Ian are such interesting people - we learnt a lot about Australian culture, in particular aboriginal communities and… read more
The work Ari assisted us with ranged from pulling down a balcony, building a retaining wall and general… read more
It was such a refreshing blessing to work (but basically play) in your wonderful little urban jungle and enjoy your happy company in such beautiful home. I am so grateful for having met the smartest of all pups (at heart), shared all those delicious meals, sweet treats, teas and coffees and heard about the meaningful… read more
As an architect and experienced site manager, Paul arrived at the perfect moment to help us with the kitchen in our eco-home. He drew up and refined our kitchen design on SketchUp, installed gyprock and IKEA cupboards, constructed door frames, carted bricks, walked Lola… read more
Helping and meeting you was fantastic! we had fun and we felt part of the family! We miss you and we miss Lola too!
Can't wait to see you again, next time in Spain!
Lots of love from Melbourne
