NGO, building a village for homeless folk and learning syntropic farming in Frankland River, Australia

Details

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  Description

  Hey there, awesome travellers!
  
  We're building a village for homeless folk, where they can build their own tiny homes and run their own agriculture co-op. We're setting up right now, official opening March 2026.
  
  What's the deal with this place?
  Emma and Berry are two 40-something trans women who went to school together, transitioned together, and decided to put all that accumulated bro-privilege to good use. Emma became homeless in 2021 and found out how hard things can be without a safe place. She noticed the lack of community and purpose made everything harder. She started chatting with Berry about it and two years later, after lots of discussion and planning, they gave birth to this place.
  
  Key principles:
  - give people what they need (food, community, housing, a project, mentors, tools)
  - consent
  - feed the soil

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  Types of help and learning opportunities

  Art Projects

  Language practice

  Help with Eco Projects

  Gardening

  DIY and building projects

  Animal Care

  Farmstay help

  Creating/ Cooking family meals

  Help around the house

  General Maintenance

  Help with Computers/ Internet
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  Interests

  

  Van life

  

  Pets

  

  LGBTQ

  

  Farming

  

  Charity work

  

  Writing

  

  Languages

  

  History

  

  Gardening

  

  DIY & crafts

  

  Carpentry

  

  Cooking & food

  

  Books

  

  Animals

  

  Nature

  

  Mountain

  

  Hiking

  

  Camping
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  UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve

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  What's this?
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  Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

  Emma and Berry speak English and a little AUSLAN (Australian sign language). Emma speaks French poorly and Berry speaks Japanese fluently.
  
  Professionally, Emma has worked as a cook, a neurodivergent coach, a writer, and a bridge teacher. She has special interests in the history of science, van-building, fly-fishing and fly-tying, community-building, soil ecology, foraging, mycology, and native vegetation.
  Berry runs a gardening biz and has done plenty of tech biz stuff.
  
  We go hiking in the mountains, take day trips to the beach, and visit queer events around Lismore from time to time.

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  Help

  We're hosting friends and travellers right now: planting, pruning, building fences, paths, cooking, eating and playing. Tiny-home building will start later in the year.
  
  Right now, because we're just getting started, we need hands on deck with all sorts of things. You could be helping us with:
  •Getting the farm going – prepping the land, planting stuff, learning about our cool farming methods (syntropic agroforestry - ask us for youtube links to learn more )
  •Lending a hand with building - mud huts, tree houses, a shed, a kiln, swales and trenches, an outdoor kitchen...
  •Being part of the community vibe – helping us create a welcoming and supportive space
  
  We like to do two or three hours of of tasks in the morning, and then take ourselves to the shade of the house during the hotter part of the day - cooking, reading, craft, making art, writing, doing puzzles. Y'know, chilling.
  We'd hope you could catch that rhythm - a bit of farm tasks in the morning and a bit of chill in the afternoon

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  Languages

  Languages spoken
  English: Fluent
  French: Fluent
  Japanese: Fluent
  Sign Language (BSL): Intermediate

  This host offers a language exchange
  We would LOVE to host deaf and HOH workawayers. We are desperate to practice signing with others! We would love to learn your language and help you with English. Emma would be happy to set aside one hour each day for language exchange.
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  Accommodation

  Lots of options - a bedroom in the main house, your own hut, or camping - it's up to you. There is one bathroom in the house to share.
  
  We cook a big meal for dinner for everyone to share. Lunch varies - sometimes it's everyone for themself and sometimes we make salads/pasta/whatever. Breakfast is varies too. Some mornings we cook - pancakes, or beans & eggs on toast, or french toast with bananas or who knows! Other mornings we just have cereal or a piece of toast. There is always plenty to eat!
  
  If you come to stay, we will find out what you like to eat first, to make sure we have lots of things in the house that you like.

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  What else ...

  Having an Australian or international drivers license will help a great deal! It's 10kms to the nearest town and 40kms to the nearest shop.
  We're covid-conscious. We have testing equipment here and masks for anyone who tests positive.
  Tell us all about your needs when we communicate and we'll meet them as best we can. Emma has travelled as a workawayer and has had good and bad experiences. We want this to be a great place for you.

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  A little more information

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    Internet access

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    Limited internet access

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    We have pets

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    We are smokers

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    Can host families

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  Can host digital nomads

  Wifi is solid. No mobile reception unforch.

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  Space for parking camper vans

  Brilliant. Park by the creek, up on the hill, next to the dam, wherever you like!

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  Can possibly accept pets

  We welcome your pets. Jackie the sausage is great with all kinds of creatures, including birds.

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  How many Workawayers can stay?

  More than two

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  My animals / pets

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