Join our whales, seals and ocean adventures near Newcastle, NSW, Australia

Details

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  Description

  Hi, I'm Ryan and I live on a peaceful one acre property in Salt Ash, New South Wales, just outside Newcastle and Port Stephens.
  
  I own and run a spearfishing, freediving and snorkelling retail business that I've been running for over 16 years. It's a well established local business with hundreds of reviews on Google and Facebook.
  
  Outside of work I'm pretty much always around the ocean. I love fishing, freediving, spearfishing, snorkelling, boating and exploring the coastline and islands around Port Stephens.
  
  I share the property with my housemate Bailey (23), my 14 year old Kelpie Suzie and a small flock of sheep. Depending on the time of year we also have baby lambs running around which are always a favourite with guests.
  
  I've been hosting travellers for over 3 years through Abroadly and Facebook and I also host through HelpX and Workaway. I've hosted people from all over the world and have many verified reviews from previous guests on Abroadly. I've met some awesome people through hosting and really enjoy showing people this part of Australia and sharing some of the things we get up to here.
  
  The property is in a quiet rural area around 20 minutes from Nelson Bay, 22 minutes from Newcastle and only a short drive from Newcastle Airport. There's a bus stop less than a minute from the house with connections to Newcastle, Nelson Bay and surrounding areas.
  
  Most guests I've hosted haven't had their own vehicle and have had no problems getting around on public transport. Newcastle is also easy to get to from Sydney and other parts of Australia by train or coach and if I'm available I'm happy to pick you up from Newcastle Interchange.
  
  Obviously having your own car or van gives you more freedom to explore, especially some of the more remote beaches and national parks, but you definitely don't need one to stay here.
  
  If you love the ocean you'll probably fit in pretty well. In my free time I regularly go freediving, spearfishing, snorkelling and boating and I've got plenty of spare equipment. If I'm heading out and everything lines up, guests are more than welcome to come along.
  
  When the weather and conditions are good I often take my boat out around the local coastline and islands. Depending on the season we regularly see dolphins, humpback whales, seals, rays, colourful fish, lobsters and sharks.
  
  I've had some pretty awesome days out with previous guests seeing whales, dolphins and seals, swimming and snorkelling around places like Broughton Island and sharing fresh fish and lobster I've caught.
  
  The boat and ocean stuff isn't part of the Workaway exchange and isn't a tour or anything commercial. It's just what I enjoy doing in my free time and something I'm happy to share with guests when I can. Obviously none of it can be guaranteed because it depends on the weather, ocean conditions, my work and what I've got going on.
  
  I do like guests to settle in and get some of the help around the house done before we start organising boat trips or bigger days out. Hosting is an exchange and I think it needs to work both ways.
  
  The help I need is only around my home and property. It's mainly cooking, general cleaning, laundry, changing and washing bedding, keeping shared areas tidy, gardening and some basic jobs outside.
  
  There's no help required with my retail business, or any other commercial work.
  
  The arrangement is up to 3 hours a day, 5 days a week. I'm pretty flexible with when you do the help and can usually work it around what you've got planned so you've still got plenty of time to explore and do your own thing.
  
  Food isn't included in the exchange, so you'll need to buy and prepare your own food.
  
  We do sometimes cook and eat together and if I've been fishing or diving I'm usually happy to share fresh fish, lobster or other seafood I've caught. That's just something I enjoy sharing when I've got it though and isn't something that's included or guaranteed.
  
  Bailey and I both work and we don't have set dinner times or organised meals every night. Some nights we might all cook and eat together and other nights everyone just does their own thing.
  
  I'm not looking for anyone with special skills. Just someone friendly, reliable and easy going who's happy to help out, use some common sense and initiative and take a bit of pride in what they do. Someone who enjoys cooking is always a bonus.
  
  It's a pretty quiet and relaxed household. I'm often working or out doing my own thing, so you'll have plenty of privacy and free time as well. If we're doing something and you're around you're always welcome to join us.
  
  This place will probably suit you best if you're independent, easy going and comfortable doing your own thing rather than needing every day planned out.
  
  I'm looking for a minimum stay of one week. It takes time getting everything ready for someone to stay and I want there to be enough time for everyone to settle in, get to know each other and for the exchange to work both ways.
  
  Before I confirm anyone I also like to have a quick video call. Nothing formal, just a chat to see if we get along and if it's going to be the right fit for both of us. It's also a good chance to go over the help, food, transport and what staying here is actually like so everyone knows what to expect before arriving.
  
  I consider everyone who applies and normally just go with whoever seems like the best fit at the time based on availability, what help I need, shared interests and whether I think we'll get along.
  
  If you're friendly, reliable and easy going and you're into nature, wildlife, the outdoors or especially the ocean, send me a message and tell me a bit about yourself, where you're travelling and what you'd like to experience while you're in Australia.

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  Types of help and learning opportunities

  Language practice

  Light gardening

  Creative DIY projects

  Animal Care

  Farmstay help

  Creating/ Cooking family meals

  Help around the house

  Light maintenance
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  Interests

  

  Languages

  

  DIY & crafts

  

  Technology

  

  Culture

  

  Farming

  

  Pets

  

  Movies & TV

  

  Self development

  

  Videography

  

  Van life

  

  Music

  

  Photography

  

  History

  

  Cooking & food

  

  Animals

  

  Winter sports

  

  Cycling

  

  Fitness

  

  Camping

  

  Nature

  

  Sailing / Boating

  

  Team sports

  

  Outdoor activities

  

  Mountain

  

  Beach

  

  Water sports

  

  Hiking

  

  Adventure sports
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  Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

  I enjoy meeting people from different countries and hearing about where they're from, their culture and their travels. I've been hosting travellers for over 3 years now and have met some awesome people from all over the world and made some great friendships along the way.
  
  Staying here gives you a chance to experience a bit of the real Australian coastal lifestyle around Newcastle and Port Stephens. I'm always happy to share what I know about the area, the beaches, islands, national parks, wildlife and good places to explore.
  
  The ocean is a massive part of my life. I've been fishing, spearfishing, freediving and boating for years and I'm always happy to share what I know about the ocean, marine life, ocean safety and local fishing with anyone who's interested.
  
  When the weather and conditions are good I often head out on the boat, freediving, snorkelling or exploring the local islands and coastline. If everything lines up guests are more than welcome to come along. Depending on the time of year we can see whales, dolphins, seals, rays, sharks and heaps of other marine life.
  
  Obviously none of that can be guaranteed. It all depends on the weather, ocean conditions and what I've got going on at the time. It's just stuff I enjoy doing in my free time and enjoy sharing with guests when I can.
  
  I also enjoy hearing about where people have travelled and what life is like back home for them. That's one of the things I enjoy most about hosting and I've learnt a lot from the different people who have stayed here.
  
  For me the whole idea is that it works both ways. You get to experience a bit of Australian coastal and rural life, hopefully see and do some pretty cool things while you're here, and we get to learn a bit about you and where you're from as well.

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  Help

  I'm looking for friendly, reliable and easy going people who are happy to help around the house and property.
  
  Most of the help is pretty simple stuff like cooking, general cleaning, laundry, changing and washing bedding, keeping shared areas tidy, gardening and some basic tasks outside.
  
  You don't need any special skills. I'm mainly looking for someone who's happy to get involved, use a bit of common sense and initiative and take pride in what they do. If you're a good cook that's always a bonus.
  
  The help is up to 3 hours a day, 5 days a week. I'm pretty flexible with when you do it and can usually work it around your plans so you've still got plenty of time to explore and do your own thing.
  
  Food isn't included, so you'll need to buy and prepare your own food. We do sometimes cook and eat together and I'm usually happy to share fresh fish, lobster or other seafood I've caught when I've got it, but that's just something I enjoy sharing and isn't part of the exchange.
  
  All the help is around my home and property. There's no help required with my retail business, or any other commercial work.
  
  I do like guests to settle in and get some of the help done before we start organising boat trips or bigger days out. I've had people come mainly for the experiences in the past, so I just want to make sure the exchange works both ways.
  
  Anything we do outside the house like boating, freediving, snorkelling or exploring the islands is just something I sometimes invite guests along to in my free time. It's not part of the exchange and obviously depends on weather, ocean conditions and what I've got going on.
  
  I'm looking for people who can stay for at least one week. I find anything shorter doesn't really give us enough time to settle in, get to know each other and make the exchange worthwhile for everyone.
  
  Before confirming anyone I also like to have a quick video call. Nothing serious, just a chat to see if we get along and make sure it's the right fit for both of us. It also means everyone knows what to expect with the help, food and general setup before arriving.

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  Languages

  Languages spoken
  English: Fluent
  Polish: Beginner

  This host offers a language exchange
  English is my native language. I know a few basic words and phrases in Polish and Spanish, but not enough to hold a conversation. Over the years I have hosted travellers from many different countries and cultures and have helped many guests improve their English through everyday conversations and daily life in Australia. I enjoy learning about different cultures, traditions and ways of life, and hearing stories from around the world. I'm happy to help travellers practise their English in a relaxed and natural environment, and I always enjoy learning a few new words and phrases from my guests along the way. For me, cultural exchange is one of the most rewarding parts of hosting.
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  Accommodation

  Guests will have comfortable accommodation on my quiet one acre property in Salt Ash, NSW.
  
  The main guest room is a large private bedroom with a queen bed and its own ensuite with a toilet and shower, so you've got plenty of privacy and your own space.
  
  There's also another bedroom with a queen bed and a king single bed, so I can host solo travellers, couples or friends travelling together. I've had up to four guests staying here at the same time before.
  
  The house has fast Starlink internet, a fully equipped kitchen, laundry facilities, plenty of parking and lots of space to relax. It's a quiet rural area but still close to Newcastle, Port Stephens, beaches, national parks and plenty of places to explore.
  
  There's a bus stop less than a minute walk from the house. Most guests I've hosted haven't had their own car and have had no problems getting around using public transport. Obviously having a car or van gives you more freedom, but you definitely don't need one to stay here.
  
  Food isn't included in the exchange, so you'll need to buy and prepare your own meals. You'll have full use of the kitchen and everything you need for cooking.
  
  We do sometimes cook and eat together and if I've been fishing or diving I'm usually happy to share fresh fish, lobster or other seafood I've caught. That's just something I enjoy sharing when I've got it though and isn't included or guaranteed as part of the exchange.
  
  Bailey and I both work and we don't have set meal times or organised dinners every night. Some nights we might all cook and eat together and other nights everyone just does their own thing.
  
  The house is pretty quiet and relaxed and I'm often working, fishing, freediving or out on the water, so you'll have plenty of privacy and time to explore and do your own thing as well.

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  What else ...

  Non smokers are preferred. If you do smoke that's fine, just please smoke away from the house and put cigarette butts in the bin.
  
  The property is around 7 minutes from Newcastle Airport and there's a bus stop less than a minute walk from the house. Most people I've hosted haven't had their own car and have had no problems getting around using public transport.
  
  Newcastle Interchange has regular train and coach connections to Sydney and other parts of NSW. If I'm available I'm also happy to pick you up from Newcastle Interchange when you arrive.
  
  There's heaps to do around here in your free time. Port Stephens, Nelson Bay and Newcastle are all nearby, along with some awesome beaches, national parks, sand dunes, islands, walking tracks, whale watching and plenty of other places to explore.
  
  Having your own car or van obviously gives you more freedom, especially for some of the more remote places, but you definitely don't need one to stay here.
  
  I'm pretty relaxed and flexible and want people to enjoy their time here and have plenty of time to explore and do their own thing. All I really ask is good communication, respect for the house and property and that everyone does their fair share of the help.
  
  I'm looking for people who can stay for at least a week. I find anything shorter doesn't really give everyone enough time to settle in, get to know each other and for the exchange to work both ways.
  
  Before confirming anyone I like to have a quick video call. Nothing serious, just a chat to see if we get along and if it's going to be a good fit for both of us. It also gives us a chance to go over the help, food, transport and what staying here is actually like so everyone knows what to expect before arriving.
  
  I'm pretty easy going and want people to have a good time while they're here. I just want people who genuinely want to be part of the exchange, help out around the place and also make the most of their time in this part of Australia.

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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

  Digital nomads are welcome. The property has Starlink internet, providing reliable high-speed internet suitable for remote work, video calls and online meetings. The help schedule is flexible and averages around 20 hours per week, allowing plenty of time for work, sightseeing and exploring the local area. The property is generally quiet during the day, making it suitable for those working remotely. Newcastle Airport is only 7 minutes away, and there are good public transport connections to Newcastle, Sydney and surrounding areas.

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  Space for parking camper vans

  There is plenty of space for campervans, motorhomes and travellers with their own vehicles. The property is flat, quiet and easily accessible, with ample parking available. Power and water are available, and guests have access to bathroom facilities, shower, toilet, kitchen facilities and Starlink internet. The property makes a great base for exploring Port Stephens, Newcastle, the Hunter Region and the surrounding coastline while enjoying a peaceful rural setting close to Newcastle Airport and public transport. If you're travelling Australia by campervan or motorhome, feel free to discuss your setup and requirements before arriving.

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  How many Workawayers can stay?

  More than two

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  My animals / pets

  

  Sheep

  Currently have baby lambs and sheep on property

  

  Suzie

  Suzie is 14 years old and super friendly and loves shaking hands

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