13/08/2026
🌿 FAR NORTH WORK EXCHANGE – PRIVATE CARAVAN + ECO LIFESTYLE 🐕🌴
Are you a backpacker, working holiday traveller or someone looking for a beautiful place to base yourself while you find work and explore Northland?
We’re looking for one or two responsible, animal-loving people to come and stay at our 10-acre property in the Far North.
🏡 YOUR OWN PRIVATE CARAVAN
While our caravans are between bookings, we’d love to offer you your own private space to stay in exchange for around 2 hours of help per person, 3–4 days a week, including keeping your own caravan clean and tidy.
This is a relaxed eco-lifestyle work exchange — giving you plenty of time to explore, meet people and find work locally.
🐕 THE IMPORTANT PART — OUR DOGS
We have two much-loved Labradors, Molly & Milo. They’re fantastic dogs and part of the family, but together they are little escape artists! 😄
Their safety is our number-one priority, so one dog must always be on a lead when they are together, and gates need to be kept securely closed.
Other animal care includes:
🐔 Feeding the chickens in the morning and checking on them
🥚 Collecting eggs and keeping the coop tidy
🐄 Keeping an eye on the cows as they move around different paddocks
💧 Checking their water when needed
🌱 Helping monitor our planted areas and eco-restoration projects
✂️ Spending a little time cutting invasive rat’s-tail grass with scissors while walking around the property
Nothing is high-pressure or overly demanding — we’re looking for someone who is reliable, practical, responsible and genuinely enjoys animals and being outdoors.
🌿 A GREAT BASE FOR TRAVELLERS
We’re in a beautiful rural part of Northland, with plenty of privacy and space to unwind.
📍 Around 10 minutes from Kerikeri
📍 Around 20–25 minutes from the Bay of Islands
📍 Close to Ngāwhā Hot Springs
📍 Near the famous Packhouse Markets
📍 Beaches, walks, hikes, forests and waterfalls all within easy reach
There is also lots of seasonal and casual work in the wider area, including orchards, hospitality, housekeeping, restaurants, cafés and tourism. As summer approaches, opportunities around the Bay of Islands increase, and there can also be work on boats and around the islands.
🚐 BUILD YOUR VAN
We also have a workshop on the property with basic tools, so if you're travelling around New Zealand and building your own van, there’s space and facilities to work on it.
You could spend a couple of hours in the morning looking after the animals, then head off for the day to explore, go for a hike, visit the beaches, look for work or work on your van.
🌱 THE DOWN-TO-EARTH LIFE
This is not a commercial farm or a busy hostel.
It’s a large private property where we’re developing an eco-restoration project, growing food, looking after animals and creating a beautiful place to live.
There’s space to find your own quiet corner, walk around the property, collect eggs, pick some vegetables, sit by the water and enjoy the Far North.
If you’re responsible, independent, love dogs and want a peaceful base while you get established in New Zealand, we'd love to hear from you.
📩 Send us a message with a little about yourself, where you're from, your travel plans and when you're available.
🌿 Down to Earth NZ – Waimate North, Far North, New Zealand 🌿
Accommodation is provided in exchange for agreed animal/property care. This is a work-exchange arrangement, not a paid position.
