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Description
Rebecca, Jono and our furry team mate, Athena the Great Dane German Shepherd cross, live off-grid on 128 acres of coastal bush block on Aotea Great Barrier Island. Just 80kms away from Auckland, the island is an outdoor-lovers and hikers paradise with exquisite beaches, bush trails, hot pools, breathtaking sunsets and our own private bay and peninsula with kayaks and paddle boards to enjoy.
As you can imagine, living off-grid comes with a pretty hefty to-do list, that's why we're excited to host Workawayers. We built our house from completely repurposed materials and have a small vegetable garden and the property to maintain. If you're handy with a toolkit, enthusiastic about pitching in and ready to learn about off-grid living, we'd love to host you!
Types of help and learning opportunities
Help with Eco Projects
Gardening
DIY and building projects
General Maintenance
Interests
Events & social
Pets
Sustainability
Vegetarian or vegan
Movies & TV
Plant care
Astronomy
Cooking & food
Gardening
History
DIY & crafts
Books
Art & design
Animals
Mountain
Hiking
Water sports
Outdoor activities
Sailing / Boating
Yoga / Wellness
Nature
Camping
Adventure sports
Beach
UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
We love living off-grid and all the joys and challenges it offers. From being resource conscious to understanding native plants and getting familiar with the night sky constellations in our Dark Sky Sanctuary. Great Barrier is a small but tight-knit community, with a buzzing and friendly local Irish Pub, two social clubs, a golf course and plenty of nature reserves and conservation land to explore, including the spectacular Aotea Track. We'd love to host Workawayers from diverse backgrounds, either geographically or age range. Jono and Rebecca are keen travellers and believe the greatest joy of travel is the people you meet and the shared experiences you have on the road.
Help
We'd love to host good all-rounders who are happy to get stuck into anything as there's never a dull day on the island! One day you might be helping us plant new veggies, the next, weeding the garden, harvesting veggies, doing a beach clean, or walking the through the bush with us, checking for invasive weeds on our unique property.
We work hard but prioritise play, too. Sundowners on the deck, having a good yarn and overlooking the bay is always a great way to wrap up the day, followed by a hearty meal catered to your dietary needs—Rebecca is a vegetarian/vegan friendly cook!
Languages spoken
English: Fluent
French: Beginner
Accommodation
We have a private cabin with a queen-sized bed with a gorgeous view of the bay, and space to unwind on your own deck. The kitchen and bathroom are shared with Jono and Rebecca, just 10 metres away in the main property. The waters edge is just 50 metres from your front door. You're welcome to use the kayaks and paddle boards any time. Breakfast, lunch and dinner will be provided, and you're welcome to store food in the fridge if you want to buy your own snacks.
What else ...
Jono runs a car rental business on the island and can provide you with a vehicle for your stay. There's no public transport on the island so this will be essential for getting around, though if you decide to hitchhike, plenty of friendly locals will happily pick you up and have a chat along the way!
A little more information
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
Can host digital nomads
We have super fast Starlink Wifi, as Rebecca works online remotely too. Your bedroom in the cabin has a full desk and work space set up.
Can possibly accept pets
If you're traveling with a friendly dog, we'd love to host you. Athena, our Great Dane German Shepherd cross loves other dogs and has made many furry friends over the years of us hosting friends and travelers.
How many Workawayers can stay?
Two
My animals / pets
Athena
