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Description
Eight years ago my partner Andrew and I (Rita) bought a very run-down place that needed a huge amount of love. Since then we’ve been slowly bringing it back to life and turning it into our own little organic food bowl. We’ve got a big veggie patch and a small fruit orchard that keep us well fed and very busy. There’s always something happening depending on the season, and we’re always trying out new ways to make the work easier or more efficient.
We grow more than we can eat, so we share a lot with family and friends, and we pickle, preserve and bottle whatever we can for winter. The extra apples and pears usually end up as cider, and some of the stone fruit becomes homemade wine. Anything that doesn’t get used or stored is swapped with neighbours or donated to local soup kitchens. We try not to let anything go to waste.
Our 6.5 acres are home to our cats, some sheep, chickens and bees. We enjoy our privacy and a peaceful home life, and although the farm doesn’t bring in money, the reward is knowing we grow our own food and live in a way that feels right for us. We both love to cook and eat, so we grow what we enjoy and try to follow the seasons as much as possible.
We’re in Mount Martha on the Mornington Peninsula. If you walk down our driveway and turn left, a boardwalk along Balcombe Creek takes you straight into the village and then on to the beach. The village has a few cosy cafés, restaurants and a supermarket.
If you turn right, you’ll find The Briars Wildlife Sanctuary directly across the road. It has native bushland, wetlands, kangaroos, emus and the occasional koala, plus different events throughout the year like music festivals and Sunday markets.
Types of help and learning opportunities
Help with Eco Projects
Gardening
DIY and building projects
Animal Care
Farmstay help
Creating/ Cooking family meals
General Maintenance
Interests
Pets
Culture
Self development
Movies & TV
Farming
Plant care
Gardening
Cooking & food
Carpentry
Astronomy
Animals
Outdoor activities
Cycling
Nature
Fitness
Beach
UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
My background is Lebanese and Andrew is half Italian and half Austrian. We’re second and third generation migrants, and we really enjoy the mix of cultures in our home. A lot of what we do here is based on how things used to be done, especially when it comes to preparing and preserving food. I try to make as much as I can from scratch and avoid buying processed or ultra-processed foods.
We’re always happy to share what we’ve learnt over the years, whether it’s gardening, preserving, cooking or looking after animals. And we love the idea of learning something from each person who stays with us too, like a new recipe, a bit of language, or anything you’d like to share.
We host mainly because we enjoy meeting people from different places and sharing the way we live here. We like to work alongside our Workawayers when we can, whether it’s in the garden, cooking together, or doing small projects. We learn a lot from the people who stay with us and love hearing their stories, recipes, traditions and different ways of doing things. For us the cultural exchange is just as important as the help around the property, and we always hope everyone leaves here having learnt something new, including us.
Help
We’re looking for travellers who enjoy getting outdoors and trying a bit of everything. Our place is run organically and we have a veggie patch, a small orchard, chickens, sheep and bees, so there’s always something going on.
Some of the regular things you might help with include:
-gardening, weeding and watering
-potting up seedlings
-feeding and preparing garden beds
-pruning fruit trees and roses
-mulching paths and areas around the orchard
-splitting wood for winter (we heat the house with a fireplace)
-general tidying around the property
DIY tasks:
Every now and then we have small building tasks, like putting up a little garden shed or using recycled materials to create storage or work spaces. We’re happy to show you what we’re doing as we go.
Seasonal jobs may include:
-preserving and bottling summer produce
-making fruit wine
-making apple and pear cider
We offer accommodation and food in exchange for around 25 hours of help each week. We’re flexible with how those hours are spread out and don’t have strict “on” or “off” days. We can work out a plan together depending on what’s happening that week. We’re pretty relaxed as it’s just the two of us here and we appreciate having an extra set of hands to keep things ticking along.
We’re still learning ourselves and we love sharing what we know with anyone who’s interested.
Languages
Languages spoken
English: FluentThis 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.
Accommodation
We have a lovely fully set-up caravan on the property for our Workawayers. It has its own shower and toilet, a double bed (comfortable for a couple or two friends who don’t mind sharing), a small kitchenette and a little sitting area. It’s cosy and quiet, and gives you your own space to relax at the end of the day.
We provide the ingredients for breakfast, lunch and dinner so you can cook whenever it suits you. The caravan has everything you need to prepare meals, and we often share dinners together when it works for everyone, as I love cooking and baking. Our meal times can vary day to day and are sometimes late, so this setup suits people who are happy to be a bit independent with their food.
We do eat meat and I’m not able to prepare separate meals for different dietary needs, but you are very welcome to cook your own food in the caravan. Fresh produce depends on what’s ready to pick that day, no one ever goes hungry here.
We especially welcome helpers who enjoy a relaxed, self-sufficient style and who don’t mind looking after their own meals when needed. And if you enjoy cooking, I love learning new dishes from around the world.
What else ...
Things to do:
- Swim
- Fish,
- bush walk in National Parks
- hang at the beach,
- go to events held at the Briars Wildlife Sanctuary
- Peninsula Hot Springs
- visit wineries
- local markets
A little more information
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
Can host digital nomads
We are unable to provide internet access however if you have your own dongle the signal is the area is strong.
Space for parking camper vans
We've got plenty of room for parking with water and power provided.
How many Workawayers can stay?
Two
My animals / pets
Sheep
chooks
Photos
