We are looking for a housesitter who enjoys living out of town (16ks to one, 9 to the other) on a quiet country road.
We have 1 cat and 1 dog to feed and keep company. Both cat and dog are outside during the day. The cat sleeps in at night but the dog is outside with her bed on the back verandah, or she might be in her kennel. Lady (the dog) likes to walk each morning but is timid so we will see how she is with someone else walking her, before we leave.
The farm is 25 acres, and we have a small herd of Speckle Park cattle (2 cows with calves, 1 yearling steer, and our bull). They need only be checked for water, and perhaps a biscuit of hay or a carrot as they are very quiet.
We have a large garden but at this time of the year it is not a major task to keep an eye on it. We use a zero-turn for mowing the larger areas of grass (not sure I can call it lawn), so lots of time to enjoy the task while listening to music or just enjoying the space. If you are interested in doing any pruning or weeding, that's great, but not required. It's a mixture of cottage and formal, and a park with trees and a labyrinth.
There is a small orchard of apples, pears, cherries, plums, apricots, and peaches but at this time of the year it will not need any work. We have a potting shed with seedlings and potted plants that might need some watering.
There is plenty of space for a caravan/ motorhome.
The house has been set up to provide a 'guest' cabin which is joined to the main house by a closed breezeway. The cabin has a bedroom and sitting room, and there is a bathroom/laundry and kitchenette available through the breezeway. There is air conditioner in the cabin for warmth at night, if needed.
The main house has the kitchen, a small dining room, a large pantry, and the other bedrooms and bathroom. It has a large north facing picture window from which you can watch lots of birds in the garden.
The location is lovely with good walking on a quiet country road and neighbours who run their own properties. We live across the road from the New England Peony Farm.
We are close to the Gwydir River for picnics, near some fantastic National Parks (e.g. we are only about 1 hour from Apsley Falls near Walcha, the Wollomombi Falls and Dangar Falls near Armidale).
Armidale is only 15 minutes away and has lots of cafes, 2-3 art galleries, and a monthly farmers market. Uralla is closer and a pretty village with interesting shops, cafes, a couple of pubs for a weekend lunch, a microbrewery to visit, and an excellent museum. It also has markets each month.
We are OK with a companion pet but it should be good with cats, poultry and cattle. No chasing. We prefer that it does not sleep in the main house but would discuss using the breezeway. Our dog is fine on the back verandah.
Thank you Tori for letting me stay in your lovely home. The garden is beautiful! Birds and butterflies galore! I even had 3 frog visitors. Lady is quite shy yet enjoyed coming up to Billy. Billy loved going for the walk to the back to check on the cows! The area is lovely and I enjoyed the weather; while almost 30 some days, the cool breeze made the evenings very comfortable. Missy is a pretty cat and seemed to enjoy her neck rubs.
I would recommend this sit and hope to come back to check on ... MORE
Tori has a lovely quiet home situated on a property that includes orchids and beautiful gardens. Has a quiet well behaved cat that loves company and a good conversation. Thanks Tori, it was a real pleasure staying and looking after things, the house sit is highly recommended!
