Connect with nature in the rainforest, Kalang, NSW, Australia

Infos

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  Description

  Hello, we are a family of four on a farm property, in the Kalang Valley, near Bellingen. Breon (43) Sarah (41) and two primary school aged kids. This is about half way between Brisbane and Sydney. The closest train is Urunga.
  
  Set on 90 acres, the property is a mix of rainforest gullys, regrowth areas and paddocks. There is a beautiful river for swimming (with some shallow areas and deep swimming holes) and a creek that runs past the house.
  
  The water comes from the (will be) Great Koala National park and is some of the cleanest in Australia. The area is known as a place for natural river swimming. Even in town - Bellingen.
  
  The Bellingenshire has some really lovely native forested areas, pristine rivers, waterfalls, bushwalking tracks and nearby beaches. The sort of beach you go to and could have it all to yourself.
  
  We are about 20 - 25 minutes from Bellingen (a fun small town with a lot going on). There are some great restaurants and live music. 40 minutes to Urunga and an hour to Coffs Harbour.
  
  You will love swimming in the river, sitting on the mossy lawns and watching the birds. It's incredibly relaxing.
  
  Our farm is relavtively new and we are working on native bees (stingless) and Davidson Plums.
  
  You won't be asked to help with the farm business. We are not yet selling produce.
  
  We spend a lot of time focusing on bush regeneration e.g. planting lamandra, weeding invasive weeds, paddock grasses etc. As well as fixing up the house you would be staying in. We've been at the property for a couple of years, and are undertaking and planning infrastructure i.e. fencing, water.
  
  The property was cleared in parts about 50 years ago, after the timber getters came through the valley and farmers established farms. So the re growth has a lot of camphour and privet that we are clearing, as well as native re growth that we are giving room to grow. If you end up helping with this, you'll see an instant result and it's such a good feeling.
  
  We have native bees, chickens, an old horse (Cassie), a dog (scruffles) and will be getting some goats and sheep in the not to distant future. I'm in the process of building a movable goat house.
  
  As well as managing the property, we work and study a few days a week.

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  Types d'aide et opportunités d'apprendre

  Aide avec des éco-projets

  Jardinage

  Bricolage et construction

  Aide à la maison

  Entretien général
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  Centres d’intérêt

  

  Ferme

  

  Bénévolat

  

  Musique

  

  Soin des plantes

  

  Menuiserie

  

  Dessin et peinture

  

  Jardinage

  

  Livres

  

  Art et design

  

  Animaux

  

  Nature

  

  Camping

  

  Plage

  

  Activités en plein air
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  Objectifs de développement durable de l’ONU que cet hôte essaie d'atteindre

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  Qu'est-ce que c'est ?
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  Echange culturel et opportunités d'apprendre

  We are an Australian family of four. Breon (43) and myself, Sarah (40) and two primary school aged kids; 10 year old boy and 8 year old girl.
  
  Working together for 2 hours a day (if you stay a week with 2 days off), we will get to know each other. We can have morning/afternoon tea together. You will find out all the good places to go and visit in the area, and can use our farm as a base for your holiday. Families are welcome, especially if you have kids at similar ages. Whilst it's warm the kids love swimming and can go multiple times a day. There are rope swings for the adventurous (kid size).
  
  This would suit a couple or family, who are looking to spend time together and have a nice holiday in the shire.
  
  You would be staying in a seperate house (about 5 minutes walk away, a 2 minute drive). The house is pretty incredible and built by an artist, but does need a fair amount of work. It is more of a hippy house, and has a drop toilet.
  
  Horticulture, native bees and bus regeneration are things that we are into.

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  Projets impliquant des enfants

  Ce projet peut impliquer des enfants. Pour en savoir plus, consultez nos directives et conseils ici.

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  Aide

  There are a lot of different projects going on, so we would be able to discuss what your intetrests and skills are and pick something that suits us both. Depending on when you came, we may be working on any of the below examples or many more;
  
  - Bush regeneration, weeding along river bank and edges of paddocks, removing privit from fenceline
  - cutting grass seed heads off and digging out problem grasses
  - checking on and feeding/watering animals.
  - repairing house, maintenance e.g. oiling wood
  - cleaning house; washing walls, clearing fire place, windows etc (the space you are staying in, not the family home)
  - collecting fire wood
  - clearing fire trails
  - weeding vegetable garden, planting vegetable garden
  - Building a portable (on a trailer) goat house.
  - Helping to move mobile chicken tractor
  - Making Jam
  
  Depending on the day, we would work together, or if we are working/school you could self direct. I imagine it would be a combination of both.
  
  The house also needs a fair amount of cutting back and pruning. So some gardening skills or a willingness to learn would be a bonus.

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  Langues

  Langues parlées
  Anglais: Courant
  Allemand: Débutant

  Cet hôte propose un échange linguistique
  English
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  Hébergement

  The house you would have sole use of is an architectually designed red cedar round house. It was built about 40 years ago and is magic. It has a double bed in a mudbrick bedroom off a verandah attached to the main house, a king bed in a bedroom (currently being decorated i.e. preparing for painting). There is a pool table, yoga space, basic kitchen (gass bottle with stove top burners and an outside oven), and a barbeque. There is an open fire place. We also have a king single bed and another double bed that could be moved over if necessary.
  The bathroom is a stone shower that you step into.
  The toilet is a drop toilet, away from the house and up the hill slightly.
  There is electricity and hot water, but no mobile reception. We can keep a UHF radio on at the house and at our house. If you want to use the internet or make a call you would come over to our house. You need WIFI-Calling to make phone calls over the internet.
  
  If you don't like living alone, we also have a cabin near our house that you could stay in. But we would need to work together to move the things out to make it more comfortable.
  
  It's a large space and is incredibly beautiful. It is nothing like a suburban house.
  
  If you do 2 hours a day for 5 days and have 2 days off, we would like you to provide food and cook for yourself. There will be all the basics provided e.g salt, pepper, oil etc. If I make a cake or something, I'll bring some over for you. Whatever is growing in the garden will be shared with you as well. While the garden isn't huge yet, what we have will be shared.
  
  We are potentially open to less than a week, and flexible hours. Happy to discuss.

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  Autres infos...

  Give me a call and ask all your questions. I would love this to work for you and for you to enjoy your holiday, and to use our space as your base. It's a difficult house to describe as it's so unusual, and it's important you have a good understanding of the environment before you come out.
  
  There is a shallow river crossing coming. Having a car to get around is ideal. If it's a small car you could park accross the road and we can come and collect you with your things. It's a nice walk to the house 10minutes when you come in and out (walking).
  
  If you don't have a car, it isn't a deal breaker, we could collect you, However we don't go to town very often unless it is for work or study and there isn't public transport out here.
  
  We could take you to Aldi or a supermarket to get things before you come out.
  
  If you need something specific we are pretty easy going and happy to accommodate where we can.
  
  My husband and I have done a few WOOFING and house sitting stays in Europe, and really enjoyed the experience.

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  Informations complémentaires

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    Accès Internet

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    Accès Internet limité

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    Nous avons des animaux

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    Nous sommes fumeurs

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    Familles bienvenues

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  Espace pour garer des vans

  If you have a van that is 4wd and can manage a shallow river crossing and steep(ish) step out of the river, your welcome. There are quite a few nice spots to camp.

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  Combien de volontaires pouvez-vous accueillir ?

  Plus de 2

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  Mes animaux

  Chickens

  4 laying hens, two pullets and 3 chicks. As at Jan 2026.

  Cassie

  Cassie is about 30. Not a riding horse.

  

  Scruffles

  Cute little fellow. Mix breed; jack russel, toy poodle, maltese and shitsu. Loves a run and being around people. Barks when anyone arrive but settles quickly. Loves a nice cuddle and a couch sit.

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