live-in person

Dalton Park

Job Description

Live-in Person wanted
Live-in person, wanted in exchange for labour (regular hours). Minimum three months, six months preferred with possible further extension by mutual agreement.

The accommodation available to the applicant is in a well-insulated building previously used for eggs incubation. It has two bedrooms, a kitchen with double sink and stove, a shower room, TV, (toilet with septic outside but there is prevision for installing a composting toilet in shower room) and a room with computer and Sky satellite dish.

Free accommodation and also full share of the food produced, depending on commitment, hours dedicated to the tasks and results. Reference required. The position can be also extended indefinitely to a suitable motivated applicant to share self-sufficiency in this unique environmentally sound paradise with owner into growing food, gardening, maintenance etc with the position option to possibly grow into a managerial position. Students wishing to study are welcome.

About the 245 ha property:
Dalton Park covers an area of undulated ground with hills and a valley. It is well timbered with horse trails and supports protected wildlife. There are several paddocks, 18 dams and an artificial lake with Murray cods. A perennial creek supplies water in time of drought. All paddocks have a dam and where necessary reticulation provides water form a large dam on higher ground.

The property consists of 245 ha (610 acre) with a full time Landcare volunteer, manager of the wildlife refuge and residing in a caravan and the landholder residence in a large building to accommodate also periodic visitation of relatives and grand children and other buildings for volunteers from a Landcare group.

Programs:
The whole program is set to educate and promote care of our country and self-sufficiency. To cooperate to set up the adequate infrastructure to restore, support, enhance the natural balance and ambient of the land and a harmonious relationships between all things.

1) Management of a wildlife refuge: 140 ha
a) Vermin control, trapping of wildcats and foxes.
b) Gradual removal of the native woody weed Sifton Bush by brushcutters to provide refuge and nest sites for a large number of birds and other species.
c) Fence checking for kangaroo holes.

2) Box Gum Grassy Woodlands (BGGW) project: 56 ha, (in conjunction with the Fenner school of Environment and Society, ANU, and CSIRO with Federal Government support).
a) Assist the manager of the project when required.
b) Direct seeding and tube stock planting of suitable trees of the BGGW assemblage.
c) Selectively removal of the native woody sifton bush where required.

3) Home compound 49 ha: residence of landholder, and extended accommodation with visiting relatives, separate accommodation available for volunteers in an adjacent building, machinery sheds, double garage, orchard, green house and hatchery, horse training ring and small paddocks for ewes.

a) Management of a background poultry hatchery (less than 100 birds), feeding and cleaning seven small sheds.
b) Green house, extensive vegetable area for home consumption under construction,
c) Orchard fenced off and ready for tree planting.
d) Aquaponics, ready to start with some experience with support of literature.
e) Two horses and training ring for exercise and as an amenity for trail raiding.
f) Sheep management across the property with laneways connecting all paddocks (some fenced are 1.9m high fence) of three small flocks of White Dorper ewes percentage and full blood commercial types from stud stock (naturally shedding fleece and no docking tail required) for weed control and meat production. No dogs or bikes are allowed to move the sheep. Sheep are just left with selected open gates and move around and go where they have to go.
g) Webmaster operation of a website (Apple and Microsoft computer). With update website on wildlife fauna and native flora and programs undertaken with a Landcare volunteer group of the Friends of Oolong, a charitable association nationally endorsed as an environmental organisation.

Amenities: Dalton village (11/2 km away) with hotel, church, Post Office with small corner shop, garage, Gunning town 10km, Yass 35km. Goulburn 55km, Canberra 75 km. A 4x4 Suzuki is available to move around the farm.