Stephen & Michelle

Australia
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Profile information

Reply rate
100.0 %
Travel information
We are currently
Travelling
Activities we are interested in:
Fishing, boating, gardening, yoga, walking, music and movies
Our next destination:
Tasmania, Australia - from Sep 2025 until Oct 2025
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Description
Steve is retired from construction industry (Bricklayer and Masonry) and Michelle is a retired RN. Both have some experience in horticulture. We have been housesitters and also enjoyed that experience.
Travelling now we are retired. Live in Queensland by the water. Love gardening, fishing, cycling, walking, yoga, puzzles, boardgames and music. Steve has just started watercolour painting and has played Bridge for many years. Travelled extensively. Enjoy meeting people and exchanging ideas. Seeing beauty in the world all around us is what motivates us all the time.
Interests
Drawing & painting
Cooking & food
Movies & TV
Sailing / Boating
Charity work
Yoga / Wellness
Writing
Gardening
Languages spoken
English: Fluent
Spanish: Beginner
Skills and knowledge we'd like to share or learn
We're interested in:
Art Projects
Eco Projects
Some knowledge of:
Gardening
DIY and building projects
Creating/ Cooking family meals
Helping around the house
General Maintenance
Charity Work
Able to teach about:
Being an elderly companion
More details about your skills
Retired RN and construction worker. Travelling as a couple. Enjoy gardening, fishing, cooking for people, walking, yoga, music, all types of music, extended family, and doing jigsaw puzzles. Travelled extensively. Motivated to keep travelling and staying active. Love talking and interacting with people.
We have handyperson skills, gardening skills and cooking skills.
Steve was a bricklayer for 50 years so has skills in all kinds of masonry work, bricks, blocks, Hebel. He has also managed teams of workers and had many apprentices.
Michelle has caring and companion skills and gardening and cooking skills.
Both have manual car licences and are experienced 4WDers.
Age
69 & 69
What else ...
Both love movies and music
Both play lots of board games
Steve plays Bridge weekly and has recently started to paint watercolours.
Michelle does monthly bookclub and volunteer work ( local area) and choir
Some more information
- Smoker
- Driver's licence
- Allergies
  Some antibiotics
- Special dietary requirements
  No allergies or special dietary needs

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28 Sep 2025

Left by Workawayer () for host (Join us to conserve trees in ...)

This was a educative and enjoyable stay with Julian and Annabel on their diverse farming operations outside of Ross. There was always plenty of jobs to be done and options to use skills . Annabel and Julian were so generous with their time to ensure we understood what was required and how the work they are doing to regenerate native trees on their… read more

(Excellent )

13 Feb 2024

Left by host (Come and share our tranquil ...) for Workawayer ()

Steve and Michelle came at a time when we were starting the process of downsizing - and were daunted by the task that lay ahead. It is going to take a while, but where to start? How to start? What should we tackle ... it was daunting.

The minute they arrived, we felt instantly comfortable and let them have a free hand at the tasks on the Task… read more List. We started together working through the options and it became clear that before we take on another building project (down by the river), we should start the process of reducing stuff in the sheds first.

So, from the get go, they got stuck in and thir work ethic second to none. Even on their day off, they set about cleaning the shared quarters, scrubbing, fixing little things, adding some pavers etc etc.

They tackled our back shed - their greatest gift to us - took everything out and bit by bit sorted into piles: keep, rubbish, and questionable. They seemed to exactly understand our needs and their judgement was impeccable - they checked old electrical equipment, sorted paint cans, cleared mess that had accumulated over many, many years. Steve repaired the broken shelf, fixed the window, replaced beading, repainted and refitted. The shed gleamed again as though new. All sorted and ordered and mended and neat. Just lovely, a massive task done.

In the end, they took on task after task with the same energy and determination. One after the other were ticked off our list. Michelle was also an enormous help in the kitchen and both she and Steve were both a joy to have around. Michelle also managed the younger workawayers in the garden and soon that was neat and ordered again.

I really enjoyed playing board games and chatting and making food together. And our time at the river. and the pub.

Michelle and Stephen kindly extended their stay a few days and it was a joy to have them every day. We were very sad to see them go, I had come to depend on their support, wisdom and shared experiences (they had recently downsized, so knew how hard this task can be after such a long time in the one place). I missed them terribly the following week, the place felt very empty - Michelle is sunshine and Steve so solid!

But their legacy has been to start this task and each time I tick off a major milestone, I will think of them both and the start of this journey. I look forward to their return another summer, and hopefully they will come to see the next iteration of our time in the Derwent Valley. This time in retirement mode!!

All the best to you both. And thank you for everything. I look forward to seeing you again one day soon.

Cheers
Anne and Rob.

(Excellent )

1 Feb 2024

Left by Workawayer () for host (Come and share our tranquil ...)

We stayed 12 days with Anne and Robert on their farm. It is a busy diverse family run business and there are opportunities for Workawayers to do a variety of tasks here. Never a dull moment, which is good, and a chance on Saturdays to travel into Hobart to help with setting up the stall at Salamanca Market. After that, you will have an opportunity… read more

(Excellent )

9 Feb 2024

Left by host for Workawayer ()

I would highly recommend Stephen and Michelle to visit your property. Sadly due to a combination of factors I didn’t get to actually spend time with them, but it is a testament to their ethics that they did a great job without any oversight. I’m hopeful I can tempt them to come back in the future and spend some time getting to hang out and work… read more

(Excellent )

8 Feb 2024

Left by Workawayer () for host (Beachfront island retreat. ...)

This was a wonderful opportunity to see Flinders Island and we are very grateful to Mark for giving us the opportunity to visit his home while he was elsewhere with his family. It is a unique place and if you can afford the airfare to Flinders then our advice is to take Mark up on his offer to stay and work on his property.

We stayed just over a… read more

(Excellent )

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