We live in the rainforest hinterland behind Byron Bay. The nearest town is Mullumbimby 20 minutes away, Byron is another 20 minutes from there. We are developing an edible forest garden on a permaculture design beginning with about 2 hectares of our land, and slowly returning the rest to rainforest. We are chemical free, working with the weeds. We are not aiming to be self-sufficient in food, rath
er to have an abundant food supply, which we supplement from the butcher, the grocer and the deli. WORK
We benefit from all the help that is offered in developing the place, and love the companionship of sharing the journey with like minded folk or those just beginning on the path of growing food. We hope for 4 hours work a day for five days a week. Our helpers have stayed from a minimum of two weeks to a maximum of two months, and some have left for a beach break, and then come back. Work includes maintaining and establishing gardens; weeding, digging, mulching and planting; window and house cleaning; preparing food for preserves such as lime chilli pickle and grapefruit marmalade; building maintenance; rainforest regeneration; collecting composting materials such as cardboard and newspaper from town; cow poo from a nearby dairy, and mulch from street side dumps. These are for the large hot-compost bins. We spread the compost over the fruit trees and into the vegie garden. We are building a koala corridor through the back of our property. Each koala requires a large number of special trees for a year's supply of leaf tips. We are planting and maintaining the corridor with trees donated by Koala Connections. During the mating season they are noisy. Last year one girl was right next to the house in a giant lemon scented gum but mostly they are out of sight. Please bring old clothes, boots and wet weather gear as we carry only a few spares. We get ours from second-hand disposal stores and charity shops. There are five of those in Mullumbimby! FOOD & ACCOMMODATION
Accommodation is a large room of 38 square metre, beside the pool, a separate bedroom with air conditioner, a large lounge room and toilet. Outside is a sink, water filter and a hot shower overlooking the pool. The pool is filtered by pump, tadpoles, and reeds, but still needs occasional scrubbing and cleaning. The kitchen includes a fridge, electric frypan, air fryer, toaster, electric jug, cutlery and crockery. We stock the kitchen with whatever foods you prefer and will reimburse you if you bring your own. It has a double bed, sofa and a spare single. It is ideally suited to a couple, two friends or siblings traveling together. We provide all the linen. We have a clothes washing machine and dryer in the house. The mountain air, the feeling of isolation and the quiet is fantastic. Well, it's not always quiet. The early morning kookaburras and forest birds are noisy, cicadas in summer evenings, and at night you may be disturbed by the frogs, fruit bats, flying foxes, wallabies, koalas and other native animals eating, mating and chattering above and around the building. They are mostly nocturnal creatures and hard to find during the day. At night when it is really noisy we sometimes use ear plugs to sleep. We advise you to bring your own! Occasionally we share an evening meal, and plan activities for the week, chat over a glass of wine or beer and sometimes play a card or board game. We have a permanent spring giving us beautiful water, and a swimming hole beneath it, which we are slowly emptying of years of accumulated mud and silt - by bucket and hand. The drinking water comes from world heritage listed Nightcap National Park adjoining our place. It's a 90 minute challenging climb into the national park or a leisurely five hour walk around the back road and on to Minion Falls. TRANSPORT
If you don't have your own transport, we can partly assist by including you in our own travel plans for the week. There is also a school bus service from our place to Mullumbimby and a bus service from Mullumbimby to Byron Bay. VISA
We are not certified to give a second year visa. WHO WE ARE
Mary is a chemical free bush regenerator and nurse. Peter is a poet, painter, a couple therapist and coach.
