Descripción
Hello everybody, I'm Manfred. My partner Helen and I operate a licensed Wildlife Shelter where we rehabilitate all types of Australian animals, but specialise in kangaroos. We look after little joeys in pouches, right through to large adult animals. Our purpose is to rescue sick, injured or orphaned animals and raise them until they are able to return to the wild and live a normal, natural life. It can be heart-breaking work, but it is also gives us the most rewarding and satisfying lifestyle imaginable.

We purchased our beautiful 8 Ha (20 acre) forest property in a secluded location especially for this purpose and are surrounded by the Wombat State Forest on 3 sides. We are located in central Victoria, in southeast Australia, but we are only a one hour drive from our capital city, Melbourne. We live in a lovely hand-built mudbrick house where our animals often share our home and lay beside our fireplace. We even have a medical triage clinic in our loungeroom.

We have vast experience in the rescue, care, and rehabilitation of many wildlife species, and I'm considered one of Victoria's leading animal rescuers and trainers in this field. Most days include attending an animal rescue, or 2, or more. Every day ends with many of our precious rehabilitated animals coming home for a visit, a treat or two, or to shelter in a familiar shed.

Our property is beautiful and serene. There are bushwalking trails from our back door leading into natural forest, and our area boasts fresh water creeks, valley and mountain terrain, and a wealth of wildlife. There are incredible bird watching opportunities where you'll witness gang-gang cockatoos, king parrots, kookaburras, and rosellas living their best life. We also have periodic visits by koalas, echidnas, and grey-headed flying foxes, and night walks are particularly rewarding! You can observe even more species such as three varieties of possums, the tawny frogmouth, wallabies, and wombats.

We try to minimise negative impacts on this earth, are solar powered, hate waste, love to recycle and reuse, and strive to live a sustainable life. We seek to be inclusive and provide a safe place for animals and people to exist. Therefore, misogynists, trans-bigots, homophobes, racists and hunters are not welcome here. We really enjoy people that are open minded, forward thinking, and adventurous, but most of all, who respect animals. We welcome singles or couples who can join us for a minimum of a week. But, if we're the right fit, we'd love to have you with us for several weeks or even months.
Tipos de ayuda y oportunidades de aprendizaje
Trabajo de caridad
Proyectos artísticos
Ayuda en proyectos ecológicos
Jardinería
Construcción y bricolaje
Cuidado de animales
Cocinar para toda la familia
Mantenimiento general
Intercambio cultural y oportunidades de aprendizaje
You can learn about our native wildlife, eco-projects, how to rescue animals, and the magic of the Australian flora. We love having conversations about life, culture, and what's going on in the world. We are vegetarian, so you can learn about cooking vegetarian meals or jump in the kitchen and share your cooking skills and ideas with us! We surely don't go hungry in this house lol

In the early evening we like to enjoy a glass of wine and cheese out in the back of our home as we watch all of our "kids" come home for the night. The kangaroos that we have soft-released come back to visit (and our friendly wombat, too). They return to have a bite to eat, a soothing bottle, or to seek shelter for the night. Many will come up and ask for scratch or a bit of love. This also gives us an opportunity to check on them and make sure they're still healthy and thriving. It's one of the many reasons this property is precious to us.
Ayuda
There's always plenty to do here! We work toward living sustainably and have lots of experience in recycling, repurposing, composting, and gardening. We always have several projects around the property and in our home that we could use your skills and ideas to help finish. We're also constructing a volunteer cabin! Anyone with building skills? We'd be so grateful.

And there are our babies of course :) We usually have orphaned baby kangaroos that need daily bottle feedings, and various other wild animals in our care. You'd be more than welcome to join us in preparing the bottles and feeding them. There's nothing quite like it... those precious little eyes looking up at you as they drink from their bottle. It's a truly magical experience no matter how many times we've done it. We could also use help with the light cleaning of the animals' enclosures when we don't have local volunteers on with us that day. There may also be an opportunity for you to join us on rescues or relocations of wild animals if you're up for that. It can be a thrilling experience but could also feel heavy for some especially if the animal is severely injured or we're not able to save them in time.

We love our life. We're grateful for our life. We get it all done but keep a fun, relaxed atmosphere at the same time.
Idiomas hablados
Inglés: Fluido
Alojamiento
Currently we have a private bungalow with a small kitchenette for you to sleep in and are in the process of building a volunteer cabin. We have off-grid power and water using solar and generators with all the power you'll need to keep your devices charged.

The main house, and where we will enjoy our meals together is a place of warmth, openness, and filled with a myriad of unique (and often cheeky ;) art pieces cultivated by my gifted art collecting partner, Helen. We also often have friends, colleagues, and local volunteers that come by regularly. Our kitchen is often the hub of good coffee, good food, and great conversation.
Algo más...
There are fantastic cafes and bakeries within 15 minutes of us and a local pub about 5 minutes away with food trucks every Monday night (with incredible vegan food!). Vineyards, distilleries, and breweries are about 30 minutes away.

The nearest train station is 20 minutes away and we're about an hour from the ocean.

Daylesford, a popular tourist destination in the area is about 30 minutes away. It has numerous spas, restaurants, galleries, natural mineral springs, a cider house, charming gardens, and a popular Sunday Market.

The area we live is known for it's wellness industry with many spas and a focus on natural healing.

There is no shortage of things to do on your days off-- on or off the property!
Un poco más de información
- Acceso a Internet
- Acceso a Internet limitado
- Tenemos animales
- Somos fumadores
- Puede alojar familias
Puede acoger a nómadas digitales
Este anfitrión ha indicado que le encanta acoger a nómadas digitales.
Espacio para aparcar autocaravanas
Este anfitrión puede proporcionar un sitio para autocaravanas.
¿Cuántos voluntarios puedes hospedar?
Dos