volunteering

We welcome likeminded, driven and passionate individuals to come, work and live with us on the farm as part of our volunteer program.  This position is a value exchange suited to those who are keen to learn more about sustainable agriculture/living, contribute to the greater good and experience what it is like to live off-the-grid.

Our farm volunteers work 25 hours per week (5 hours per day Monday to Friday) in exchange for all their meals, a private room with your own ensuite, some meals in our nearby restaurant and the opportunity to learn more about Permaculture and explore the beautiful Capricorn Coast.

We see ourselves as one big family on the farm. Everyone is welcome to contribute equally. We live by the permaculture ethics of land care, people care and fair share.  Wherever possible, we reduce our waste, use available resources and eat directly from the garden.

We have a 4 week minimum for those wanting to WWOOF with us. Many have come for 4 weeks and ended up staying for 6 months or more. The experience of living away from civilisation in a small, close-knit community, growing your own food and living in harmony with animals and Mother Nature can be deeply gratifying for many people who are fed up with the society we live in. People often find they get to the end of their time here and they do not want to leave.

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We want to be clear with you that you will be joining a working farm where we are trying to create a permaculture-based business model that can actually support itself without relying on outside philanthropy. This is a huge challenge in itself and requires a lot of hard work such as weeding, mulching, prepping garden beds, digging holes & fencing but we must remember we are in the foundational stages of creating something that will last and that has already touched many people's lives. We will do our best to teach you as much as we can about Permaculture and about the different aspects of our operation as we go along as well. The position is well suited to people who want hands-on experience growing their own chemical-free food and learning how to create a dynamic eco-business model that includes tours, events, a paddock to plate restaurant and education. 

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**All potential volunteers and interns should be aware that High Valley Dawn is a drug and alcohol-free farm. 

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INTERNSHIP PROGRAM

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We are now offering a 6 Month (Unpaid) Internship Program that will see participants rotate around a number of different departments of our business and learn how to set up and run a dynamic eco-business operation. Your time as an Intern may include:

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• Market Gardening

• Food forestry

• Composting

• Plant propagation

• An introduction to Permaculture

• Animal systems including time-managed, regenerative grazing

• Business management, administration, events, marketing, sales & project management

• Cooking from the garden

• Fencing

• Day-to-day running of a rural, off-grid property including energy and water management

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We will also be giving you some autonomy with an area of your choice. You may like to take on your own section of the garden, get experience in the restaurant, run an event, become the leader of a certain project or department or launch a new revenue stream. 

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Spaces for Volunteers and Interns are limited. Please express in your application below whether you are interested in applying as a Volunteer or an Intern. 

accessibility 

The Volunteer and Internship Program are open to all, however, may not be suitable for people with mobility limitations. The workers accommodation on the property does not have a ramp for wheelchair access.

However, we do welcome people who may be struggling with mental or emotional health distress to work with us on the farm as a part of their healing journey.

Individuals with assistance animals are welcome to join the volunteer program as long as long as their animals (in particular, dogs) are de-sexed or female, as we run a dog breeding program for a specific breed on the property.

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