From: Netherlands & Australia
Couple account
Australia
15/03/2021 - 15/03/2022
Travelling
We are travelling around South Australia at the moment, working and volunteering along the way.
We are John and Anna, an Australian/Dutch couple that has been travelling on and off for about eight years now.
We met in Argentina in December 2013. Anna was backpacking, John was riding his pushbike from Colombia to Patagonia. We fell in love and started an adventure together; riding in Australia! We did that for about a year, then house sat for friends in Mount Gambier (SA), spent 18 months working and living in The Netherlands before hopping on our bikes again to explore Europe. By that stage Anna had been granted permanent residency in Australia so we ventured back and settled down in McLaren Vale (SA) for 2 years.
Early 2020 we set off to ride from Adelaide to Darwin but due to COVID we had to cut that short and went back to work. Later that year we did do an outback pushbike trip which took us from Adelaide via the Oodnadatta Track to Alice Springs. It was quite an adventure! We stayed put in Roxby Downs (SA) for a while, working and living there but it is time to move around again! By car this time.
When we stay put and work, we do all sorts of things. Apart from working in his trade as a linesman, John has got other skills such as truck driving, tree surgeon, fireman, machine operator and station hand (sheep farm). Anna has got ample experience working as a project manager, done hospitality and worked as a farmhand (chicken and sheep farm).
We have house sat, lived in shacks on lakes and in motor homes. We enjoy a simple lifestyle when we stay put and usually don't have television. In our spare time we like to go camping, enjoy hikes/walks in national parks or watch a series. Anna likes to cook and experiment with recipes that don't contain processed foods or sugar. In the past we have made our own bread and we would like to know more about making kombucha and growing and preserving our own food.
Our dream is to one day have our own block of land where we can build a small, off the grid, energy passive house. We are interested in sustainable living and building and prefer rainwater over tap water, moonlight over city lights and travelling by bike over travelling by car (although that has got its advantages).
DIY and building projects
Eco Projects
Charity Work
Gardening
Being an elderly companion
General Maintenance
Creating/ Cooking family meals
Life at a Farmstay
Helping around the house
Language practice
Helping with Computers/ Internet
John grew up on a sheep station and has a hands on mentality. He has a farming/forestry/earth moving background and also knows his way around electricity. He has got experience in animal handling, fencing and general station jobs and maintenance.
Anna has good organisation skills due to her Facility Management background and isn't afraid to do things she hasn't done before. Show her how you want something to be done and she will pick it up and do it. She has experience in being a farmhand at a sheep and a chicken farm where she did some animal handling, fencing and odd jobs around the farm. She is also quite handy with computers.
We have helped out on farms before, putting up fences, helped out at a caravan park, doing gardening, cleaning and general chores and did a few Work Aways where we helped maintaining the house and garden by clearing the property, doing some painting, moving and chopping up trees and weeding.
We both are active, tidy and organised people who love to work outdoors. We are physically fit and strong and can always find something to do. We don't need guidance all the time and enjoy working independently, making sure jobs get done.
Languages spoken
English: Fluent
Dutch: Fluent
Spanish: Beginner
More details about my language interests
Anna is originally from the Netherlands so she is able to teach Dutch. We both speak some Spanish and are keen to learn and practice more.
40 & 46
Dutch, Australian
We are not big drinkers but do enjoy a glass of wine or a cold beer every now and then although we can easily go without.
We are quite sociable but we also enjoy our own space. That means that we are more than looking forward to interact with the Work Away hosts, but that we also like to retreat sometimes.
We keep track of our tour cycling trips on our Facebook and Instagram accounts Good Life On Bikes. Feel free to check them out!
Smoker
Driver's licence
Allergies
Special dietary requirements
No requirements although we generally enjoy wholefoods, eat very little refined sugars and are okay with both eating meat and vegetarian meals.
