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Self-contained camping, learn permaculture, Bridgetown, Australia

The experience

AweVille is 28 acres of land situated in Bridgetown, Australia, on elevated land giving stunning views, and with majestic granite outcrops amongst Marri-Jarrah regrowth Forest. A place of beauty and tranquillity. We are a family that live very simply and hope to inspire others to do the same. Our legacy is to leave a cleaner, more beauty-full, productive and joyous environment for the future generations. To be the change we want to see.

What you offer

10 hours of help per week

Animal Care: Help look after and take care of animals.

Building & Repairing: Help with a wide range of repairs or building.

Farming: Plant crops, sow seeds and help in outside tasks.

Gardening: Help grow plants and cultivate gardens

What you get

2 days off per week

Tent: You will sleep in a tent at a camping site.

Dinner: You are entitled to a free dinner, every day of your stay.

Yoga classes: Take free yoga classes at our place.

Requirements

Fluent English

Welcomes solo volunteers, couples, and partners of volunteers

What's not included

Flights, Travel Insurance, Internal Transportation and Visa

Program Details

We are looking for people who are respectful, reliable, physically fit and able, enthusiastic and interested in learning and working collaboratively to share knowledge and skills. Most tasks will be done together and vegetarian shared meals offered daily.

Ideally, you will need to be fully self-contained in your own vehicle, swag or tent as we have no permanent accommodation on the property and amenities available are basic. We can set provide a camper trailer, swag or tent if required. There is water and limited power, with access to a camp kitchen and a shared outdoor shower and compost toilet. We ask that you be mindful to minimise your consumption of these precious resources.

We are vegetarian, including eating eggs and dairy. We will provide one shared vegetarian meal a day, likely dinner, although it could be lunch depending on what hours of the day you choose to work. We respectfully ask that if you want to eat any meat products that the communal kitchen not be used to cook it and that you use your own camp kitchen for this.

It is a short walk into Bridgetown, where there are a range of galleries and museums, in addition to many cafes, restaurants, and parks. The surrounding forests have many walking and bike trails, full of flora and fauna. There is a weekly social kayaking group on Sunday mornings on the Blackwood River (walking distance). There is a market at the River Park fortnightly on Sunday mornings and a produce swap on the alternative Sunday.

As a home-schooling family we are often taking day trips in the local area to learn and there is the opportunity to join us on these outings. Many of these are in relation to local fauna and flora, and local history. We are also members of many local groups and we regularly attend weekend workshops in the area.

Activities & Shift

Specific jobs include: collecting and putting medium sized rocks in drainage channels; propagating plants; harvesting; weeding; cutting grass and blackberry; making compost; mulching; digging holes for posts and planting trees; building wicking beds; fencing; maintaining chicken enclosures; moving building materials; helping to build a patio and decking; building shed walls; hanging doors and installing windows; collecting fire-wood; maintaining fire-breaks; and general maintenance.

Rules

At all times while visiting AweVille we thank you for agreeing to:
1) Use respectful, compassionate communication; empathetic, active listening; and respectful actions towards all things.
2) Take full responsibility for your thoughts, words, feelings and actions and those of your dependents.
3) Contribute to the best of your ability.
4) Keep private and confidential, not disclose or discuss publicly, details of what is done on this land.
5) Use water and power consciously.
7) Only cook vegetarian meals for any shared meal.
8) No pets.
9) Not use compost toilets if taking any pharmaceuticals drugs including antibiotics (these can kill the organisms that compost the waste).
10) Only put toilet paper, wee and poo in the compost toilets, all other waste to either go to the chickens, worms, recycling or general waste.
11) Use only naturally occurring body and cleaning products (no synthetic chemicals).
12) Respectful and moderate use of any mind and body altering substance (alcohol etc) in alignment with well-being.
13) No smoking.
14) Campfires only in winter when permitted. Bridgetown is a bushfire prone area.
15) leave the space in the same condition, or better, than when you arrived.
16) Ask if you have any questions, about these rules, or about anything.