Jerusalem Springs

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, rather 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 are keen to host helpers with circus skills for our 11 year old son's development.

One day a week we have a professional gardener working here who may spend the day with you teaching as they move around the property.

We expect four hours work a day for five (or six) 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
We provide all food for your self-catering. You tell us what you like to eat and we will endeavor to provide it.

Accommodation is a detached sunny self-contained flat (called The Barn) near the main house overlooking one of the orchards, with glorious views into the valley below. Previous helpers have sat out on the patio and watched the sunrise through the mountain mist, listening to the morning chorus of birds.

It has a wood fire on which you can also cook. It keeps the place toasty warm and dry in winter.

The kitchen has a water filter, fridge, electric frypan and a hot plate, a microwave and a small griller oven, plenty of pans, cutlery and crockery.

It has a queen size bed (with mosquito net if needed) and a single bed. It is ideally suited to a couple, friends or siblings traveling together. We provide all the linen. Bathroom/toilet are en-suite. 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 yoga teacher, nurse and remedial massage therapist. She provides a yoga class once a week, which you are welcome to attend. Peter is a writer, painter, a couple therapist and a meditation teacher. He provides formal and informal teaching in the practice of Tonglen.