Join us and explore sunny Nelson at the top of the South Island, New Zealand

Availability

  2025 

 Min stay requested: No minimum

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Details

  • Description

    Description

    Richard and Carolyn live in sunny Nelson at the top of the South Island. They have the best of both worlds... walking distance to town and the great outdoors on their doorstep. Richard works full-time in mental health and Carolyn runs a small Bed & Breakfast, and also looks after her mother Lorna who has been living in the house next door since 2017. Lorna is a very cheerful 98 year old who ran a dairy farm with her husband for 42 years. She is a big animal lover and has ridden horses all of her life. Lorna's dog passed away so Carolyn and Richard's dog spends a lot of time at her house, keeping her company. Lorna has been an amateur artist all of her life and her paintings cover the walls in her cottage. She also writes poetry and loves reading. Lorna has home help mornings and evenings so needs no other personal cares. Her needs are simple....help with things she can no longer physically do such as gardening, making and tending to the fire in Winter, clothes washing , cooking, house cleaning and going places in her car or in her wheelchair. She uses a walker to mobilise around her house but her arthritis prevents her from going for walks of any length.
    Richard and Carolyn are both active and enjoy hiking and cycling. Their dog Mia is a very friendly (spaniel/poodle cross) who is always up for a walk in the hills or a run at the beach. They are both passionate about cooking and coffee and love growing things in the garden. They have travelled and lived overseas and enjoy meeting people of all cultures and backgrounds. Their diet is largely vegetarian but they eat seafood also.
    Nelson is well known for it's lovely climate, wealth of outdoor activities, incredible arts community and a very positive upbeat atmosphere. It is close to the sea, the bush, the mountains and four beautiful National Parks, the most famous being Abel Tasman National Park. Cycle trails and hiking tracks are everywhere.
    Half of their house is a dedicated Bed and Breakfast suite where they host one group (of up to 3 guests) at a time.

  • Types of help and learning opportunities

    Types of help and learning opportunities

    Language practice
    Elderly Companionship
    Gardening
    DIY and building projects
    Animal Care
    Creating/ Cooking family meals
    Help around the house
    General Maintenance
  • Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

    Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

    Both Carolyn and Richard are happy to share their knowledge and experience. Carolyn works from home so will be on hand if there is anything you want help or advice with. She is happy to provide language practice for those travellers wanting to improve their English and she is interested in learning other languages too.

  • Help

    Help

    We would like help with gardening, cooking and house tasks especially when the B & B is busy. We are pescatarian ( eat vegetarian and seafood) so if you are into cooking those sorts of meals then we are happy to give you the run of the kitchen. Carolyn's elderly mother Lorna has moved into the house next door so she also needs support with similar tasks. We welcome people with DIY skills, as we often have other types of tasks on offer such as painting, simple building projects and general maintenance.
    We are looking for mature, independent people who show initiative. We welcome people who are able to help unsupervised, once they have been shown what is required. Outside of help time we hope you will enjoy exploring our beautiful region.

  • Languages spoken

    English: Fluent

  • Accommodation

    Accommodation

    We are able to take single people. Our workawayer guests stay at my mothers house next door as it is nice for her to have company and she has a large spare room with a Queensize bed. There is a separate bathroom for workawayers to use. Meals and project tasks are shared between our two homes.

  • What else ...

    What else ...

    There is no shortage of things to do in our region and Carolyn and Richard are happy to assist you with planning trips and outings when you want to explore further afield. There is a local bus service as well as tourist bus operators connecting Nelson with Abel Tasman National Park and other local attractions.

  • A little more information

    A little more information

    • Internet access

    • Limited internet access

      Limited internet access

    • We have pets

    • We are smokers

    • Can host families

  • Space for parking camper vans

    Space for parking camper vans

    A campervan that can fit in a park on the street, but no large motorhomes as the street is quite narrow.

  • How many Workawayers can stay?

    How many Workawayers can stay?

    Two

Host ref number: 923643528398

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Photos

The image shows a selfie of a man and woman in front of a blooming cherry blossom tree. The couple is smiling and wearing hats.
The image depicts an older man sitting in a red leather armchair, with a black dog resting on his lap. He is wearing a black shirt and has a wooden cabinet behind him.
The image depicts an elderly woman standing beside a vase of flowers on a wooden table, surrounded by a kitchen and artwork on the walls.
The image depicts a red coffee cup and saucer on a wooden table, featuring a spoon and a latte with a leaf design on the foam.
The image depicts a breakfast spread on a wooden tray, featuring a teapot, pancakes, fruit salad, and various toppings, arranged on a colorful tablecloth.
The image depicts a bedroom with a bed, chair, and bookshelf, featuring a collection of framed paintings on the walls.
The image depicts a bedroom with a double bed, a window, and a chair, featuring a floral patterned duvet and pillows, and a collection of framed pictures on the wall.
The image depicts a bedroom with a bed, dresser, and window, featuring a collage of photos on the wall and a bookshelf with a canoe on top.
The image depicts a bedroom with a bed, dresser, and closet, featuring a collage of black and white photos on the wall and a few framed pictures.
The image depicts a lush avocado tree with vibrant green leaves and several unripe avocados, set against a clear blue sky.
The image depicts a serene beach scene at sunset, featuring a dog running along the shoreline, with a tranquil body of water and a cloudy sky in the background.
The image depicts a serene body of water, with a distant lighthouse and a mountainous landscape in the background, set against a blue sky with wispy clouds.
The image depicts a serene river scene with a rocky shoreline, surrounded by lush greenery and trees, and a sandy bank in the foreground.
The image depicts a man and woman posing with a black dog in front of a house, with the man wearing a dark shirt and the woman in a light-colored jacket.

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