Profile information
Host rating
80 %
Last replied
11 Mar 2025
Reply rate
70.4 %
Usually responds within 15 days
Feedback
155
Facebook verified
Email verified
Host offers payment
Badges (3)




Find your perfect host
Details
Description
Hi my name is Geoff and we are currently looking for help in our small Homestay on Auckland's West Coast of New Zealand. You will share with my family of 13 year old son, Layla the dog, Chuey the Ocicat and the 10 chickens :)
Helping here is an opportunity for members of Workaway to have a unique NZ cultural experience in the remote coastal village of Piha Beach in the Waitakere Ranges Regional Park.
Preferably you can help for period of 3 weeks or more.
We can only book a few months ahead for our helpers so when you know your travel plans in our area send us an email and we can figure out the best time for you to come.
*️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️*️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️In the subject line of your email please put the dates you are available to help*️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️*️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️
Please also include your:
-Dates available to help and intended length of stay
-Gender: male/female (so we can match helpers sharing accommodation)
-Age
-Nationality
-Past experience,
-Hobbies, interests
Please note that this is not full-time employment, it is an opportunity to stay by a beautiful beach. to meet other people and experience the remote coastal village and surrounding beaches and forests. Essentially it is work in exchange for accommodation.
As a Workawayer your intention should be that you genuinely wish to help and learn new things and enjoy a NZ experience with us
We can provide accommodation which will be deducted from your pay, but not food, other than from the garden and eggs from the chickens =)
There is no major supermarket at Piha so best to do all your food shopping before you arrive here (although we can give you a ride to the supermarket during your stay) Also no ATM or petrol station.
Please make sure you have researched the area and that it is a place you would like to stay as it is quite remote from the city/urban life
*️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️ Please note this account is not checked on a daily basis - usually only when we are looking for helpers- so your email may not be answered right away. Also as we can receive a lot of enquiries sometimes it is not possible to answer every email.
*️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️*️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️In the subject line of your email please put the dates you are available to help*️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️*️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️Types of help and learning opportunities
Language practice
Help with Eco Projects
Gardening
DIY and building projects
Animal Care
Babysitting and creative play
Help around the house
General Maintenance
Help with Computers/ Internet
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
It is a homely atmosphere here with plenty of social interaction with the guests from around the world and the friendly Piha locals. Also a good opportunity to improve your English language.
Experience the New Zealand culture and people- We visit local community events for example ANZAC day and visit the local clubs - the Piha RSA, Piha Surf Lifesaving Club, Piha Bowling Club where you can meet local people and experience the real New Zealand culture and not the usual tourist thing. As this is also my home with my family of my 12 year old son and Layla the dog we have birthdays and other holiday celebrations which you can be involved in.
Learn about gardening and NZ native plants and the removal of invasive weeds with our project restoring the native ecosystem on the property and in the local community.
Learn and improve your surfing skills. Piha is popular for surfing and a hub for beach culture. I can give you my local knowledge and advice as a Piha Lifeguard and Surfer.
You will also learn how to run a guesthouse and we can teach you to use the booking management system (several of our helpers have gone on to open their own accommodation businesses after their experience here)
Learn the guitar - we have two here for you to use and many of our helpers have started playing guitar while staying here.
There are also many awesome bush and beach walks and waterfalls nearby and you will have plenty of time off to explore the area and its and culture.Projects involving children
This project could involve children. For more information see our guidelines and tips here.
Host offers payment in line with the minimum wage
This host offers accommodation and payment.
Help
Housekeeping, helping with guests and general help around the house looking after the vegetable garden and chickens and some dog walking.
General maintenance eg Mowing the lawns, chopping firewood, painting and other building projects, and help with our never-ending eco project - the removal of invasive weeds and the restoration of the native ecosystem on the property and around the community.
Work hours are minimal, less than 3 hours per day, so that you have plenty of free time. This is not full-time employment, rather work in exchange for accommodation. It is an opportunity to stay and meet other people and experience the remote coastal village and surrounding beaches and forests.Languages
Languages spoken
English: FluentThis host offers a language exchange
This host has indicated that they are interested in sharing their own language or learning a new language.
You can contact them directly for more information.Accommodation
Accommodation is shared with the guests. All bedding, linen and towels provided. Using the guest house area shared kitchen, lounge, bathrooms and laundry.
Free WiFiWhat else ...
There are a lot of activities you can do in this area, Surfing, swimming, bush walks, beautiful sunsets, native bush, water falls. You will have plenty of time off to explore the area.
There is no major supermarket at Piha so best to do all your food shopping before you arrive here. Also no ATM or petrol station.
! Please make sure you have researched the area and that it is a place you would like to stay as it is quite remote from the city/urban life !
There is no public transport to Piha, so if you dont have your own vehicle we can possibly meet you at the nearest train station depending on your arrival date, and can also give you a ride to the supermarket and other places during your stay.A little more information
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
Can host digital nomads
We have free fibre WiFi and it is fast enough for most internet use. We also have a desk/work area for use.
Space for parking camper vans
Yes we have space for a campervan if you would prefer that.
How many Workawayers can stay?
Two
Feedback (66)
Our main tasks were to clean the bathrooms, bedrooms and common areas. The work was straightforward and well organised, which allowed us to get the most out of the experience.
The accommodation is very welcoming and really feels like home.… read more
The work was straight… read more
Many thanks to you both!
The work was always easy and never took long.… read more
Photos
Feedback
These are extra optional ratings when members leave feedback. The average rating left for each option is displayed.
Accuracy of profile:
(4.9)
Cultural exchange:
(4.8)
Communication:
(4.8)
Our main tasks were to clean the bathrooms, bedrooms and common areas. The work was straightforward and well organised, which allowed us to get the most out of the experience.
The accommodation is very welcoming and really feels like home.… read more
The work was straight… read more
Many thanks to you both!
The work was always easy and never took long.… read more
I had such a good time in beautiful Piha. The area is great for hiking, surfing and i met so many lovely people from all over the world.
Geoff and Jeff are really kind and helpful and Layla the dog is just adorable :)
I can highly recommend this place and i would always come back!
It really felt like home right away. There was another Workawayer who I became friends with so working went by even more quickly (although 2-3 hours in… read more
The job was really easy and Jeff was patient with us. We cleaned up bathrooms and bedroms everyday (not much than 2h/day) and also have done some painting.
Thank you Geoff for this opportunity !
We really enjoyed the "Piha lifestyle", the place is so peaceful and people are very welcoming.
Goeff and Jeff are well organized and it's a pleasure to work with them, we learned a lot.
Geoff was very busy but despite this, he still took time to talk with us and shaw us around Piha.
We can only recommend… read more
I recommend them both to any workaway or employment position.
Many thanks to you both!
Thankyou so much to both of you.
I had light tasks like cleaning and gardening in exchange for a private room, which I thought was a very fair deal. I really enjoyed my stay, especially since currently only residents, booked guests, and workers are allowed in Piha due to the cyclone in January, so we had the whole… read more
Piha is incredibly beautiful and there's lots to do… read more
They are both very lovely people and were amazing help for us.
I highly recommend them to any other workaway host or employer, I am sure that they would be outstanding in any work given to them.
Thanks so much Sam and Shanae, I really enjoyed meeting you… read more
I highly recommend them to any other hosts or employers.
Much thanks to you both and i wish you all the best.
Geoff and… read more
Thankyou to you both
I… read more
She learned everything easily and was a great help.
Thanks Heidi!
Always a positive, happy and friendly attitude.
I recommend to any other workaway positions.
Highly recommend to any other workaway host or employer.
Thanks Naomi!
Thanks Jeanette!
Thanks Minna
I highly recommend her for any position as she is a quick learner with attention to detail.
It was a pleasure to have her stay with us.
Thanks Lotte!
Piha is simply stunning and I'm glad I made it my first port of call after arriving in New Zealand. Geoff made me feel very welcome from the moment I… read more
Thank you so much!
Camille & Merlin
Thanks so much for having me :)
The work is not too hard and Grazie and Geoff are great hosts.
I felt very welcoming and i had a great time there! It was hard for me to leave this place but i will definitely come back!
Also piha is a cute and beautiful place for everyone who loves nature and surfing :)
Recommended workawayer!
Thanks Gina
Recommended workawayer!
Geoff and Gracie are amazing! They are great hosts who made me feel welcome and become really good friends, they went out of their way to introduce me and the other workers the area and make us feel comfortable.… read more
A very nice and open torque.
Thank you very much for this 3 week
Thank you for the great time.
Cheers,
Matthias and Kathrin
Very proactive and motivated workers. Got along well with the other workers and the guests.
I recommend them both.
Thanks for your help.
Cheers,
Geoff
Thanks Geoff for helping me opening my NZ bankaccount, for taking us to your friends' barbecues and for letting us stay at your place over christmas and new… read more
She is very good all-round worker who is a responsible, reliable and friendly person with a high-standard of work. Fast learner with attention to detail.
We have all enjoyed your company thanks Laelia.
Happy to recommend to future… read more
Left us without workers for a week.
Not happy with these two..
Very conscientious worker who has great initiative to get the job done right with minimal supervision; a pleasure to have him around with the guests.
I highly recommend Michael to all.
Thanks Michael… read more