Elly & Colin

Travel information

We are currently

Description

We are a full-time, slow-traveling family from New Zealand, on the road since Feb 2017. We have visited 20 countries as a family, and have been based in Australia since Dec 2024. Our girls were born in 2013 and 2019.

We have been house- and pet-sitting full-time since arriving in Australia, and joined Workaway in April 2026. Our younger daughter turned 7 at the start of 2026, and we now feel ready to embark on the experiences that Workaway offers.

We love the freedom, opportunities, and experiences that come from our lifestyle and generally like to take a deep dive into one area before moving elsewhere. We are digital nomads, and our girls are unschooled/self-directed learners, so they can follow their passions and develop their own learning rhythms.

Interests

Vegetarian or vegan

Sustainability

Pets

Culture

Self development

Farming

Charity work

Plant care

Music

DIY & crafts

Books

Art & design

Blogging

Cooking & food

Gardening

Photography

Drawing & painting

Animals

Fitness

Nature

Yoga / Wellness

Winter sports

Mountain

Dancing

Beach

Water sports

Outdoor activities

Hiking

Cycling

Adventure sports

Languages spoken

English: Fluent
Spanish: Beginner

Skills and knowledge we'd like to share or learn

We're interested in:  

Creative DIY projects

Eco Projects

Charity Work

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Some knowledge of:  

Light gardening

Animal Care

Life at a Farmstay

Light maintenance

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Able to teach about:  

Babysitting and creative play

Creating/ Cooking family meals

Helping around the house

Helping with Computers/ Internet

House & pet sitting

More details about your skills

Elly can cook delicious and nutritious vegetarian meals for everyone, clean, garden, walk dogs, look after pets, and babysit. Also happy to run errands and do any odd jobs. In early 2026, she helped paint her grandmother's house in New Zealand. She is a writer/content creator and a highly experienced former health and fitness professional.

Colin can mow lawns (including with a ride-on mower), help with maintenance-type jobs, and handle pretty much any type of tool. He can offer tech assistance (depending on the issue) with websites, online business, or general life admin. He can also help out with children. Although his cooking skills are a little rusty, he's a fantastic dishwasher and great at cleaning up the kitchen. Colin is an SEO (search engine optimization) and AI systems and automation expert.

Ayla was born in December 2013. She can clean bathrooms and help with other cleaning tasks like sweeping, dishes, and dusting, or outdoor tasks like weeding. She can feed pets, bake unassisted, help with cooking prep (and maybe cook the odd meal!), help with dog walking, and is great with younger children. She has some experience as a mother's helper and ran her own brownie business in 2025.

Romy was born in January 2019. She is fantastic at giving your pets loads of love and can assist with feeding them. She can be a great friend to other children. She would love to help out around the house and yard with any suitable tasks you can think of. However, she may lose interest quickly (like after 5 minutes)! Elly is happy to pick up the slack and take on extra jobs to help Romy earn her keep!

We are experienced house and pet sitters and have cared for a wide range of properties, including rural and off-grid homes. Before we left on our travels, we owned an organic food delivery business.

Age

45 & 60

What else ...

We are an active family who enjoys time in nature, exploring, and new experiences. We also like hanging out at home and playing board games.

Some more information

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  Smoker

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  Driver's licence

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  Allergies

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  Special dietary requirements
  Elly, Ayla, and Romy are vegetarian. Romy is fussy, but Elly can take care of that. Colin eats anything.