I have been considering "Wwoofing" as part of my travels.  I'll be interested in hearing from anyone who has already given it a go.  It could be a safer option for solo nomads as well.

This is the email I just recieved from wwoof.com.au

a good idea, however I must recommend you excercise extreme caution, some of these people who are in the wwoofer setup can and do exploit people young and old, I suggest you find out exactly what it is that is expected of you before you say yes or no, I know of one suburban couple who said yes to a small organic farm stay only to find out that they had to run a vast cattle property with no experience and the owners already nicked off overseas. the idea is great, the exploitation factor is also very great, beware is all I say. the term w.w.o.o.f. is willing workers on organic farms, make sure that is all it is

WWoofing, by my memory, and I am old enough to mistrust it at times, started through the "Grass Roots" mag, some 7-10 yrs ago. There were enough people looking to sample "Alternative" lifestyles, to form a group. It seems they now are a formal group - thats a good thing - I would be surprised if the majority, were not friendly, and genuinely looking for assistance and offering some learning exchange. Maybe I trust the mag to be involved or at least monitor it - they are good people - little bit out there, but we need the walls to bounce off, to see where we fit.

apparently it originally started in the u.k. in 1972 and spread to europe it was introduced here and started by lionel pollard in 1981, all info can be found at wwoof australia, according to that website and a couple of old mates of mine the expected minimum working day is between 4 and 6 hours per day for a days keep, but that varies on the ammount of work the landholder has, if he has lots of work then you work longer hours, some work will be on organic gardens, but it is also expected that you go on to fully operational ordinary farms and stations, I am not saying dont do it I am saying get info first, you must be registered as a wwoofer ($55.00 fee incurred plus insurance) and be of a fit level mentally and physical. just sounds like a good way to get relatively free labour to me. used to be called weekend workers on organic farms, but the farmers thought it was such a lark they made it through the week as well. probably are a lot of good people in the industry and I am sure there are those that are not real flash either

I would like to hear from those grey nomads who have already given it a go. Which hosts would you recommend and which to avoid?

Please I'm not interested in "chicken little" predictions of the sky falling in. By the time I sift through opinions - on and off topic - to get to the facts my ISP has put me onto shaping. Please have mercy.

We have volunteered several times on a cattle station in WA and on National Parks in NT.
The cattle station needs prior arrangement but National Parks might be easier to arrange. You could try contacting them in advance (in your preferred area), or just show up and knck on the door.
Once you have done it once and have 'proved' your value, they will welcome you back and provide intros into other Parks, if you want them.

This slide show shows pics of some Volunteering (and exploring) we did at Gregory NP and Keep River NP in the NT last year.


Cheers,
Peter

-- Edited by Peter_n_Margaret at 09:55, 2008-09-19

short and sweet, I would'nt volunteer for a farm, station, organic farm or a national park, all of these are more than sufficiently self funded to employ you, if a company or an organisation has a days work for you then great but pay a bloody days wages, I volunteer for the elderly and the needy if you want to volunteer in this then terrific, if a profitable organisation wants workers then hey show me the money, if you work the obligatory 4-6 hours at $20 an hour then that is $120, I have worked for stations and farms and mining companys, I have looked after caravan parks and cemeteries but ALL for pay, I can get a bed and a sandwich a lot cheaper than that, give me my $120 and we will both be happy thank you, I've worked enough. thats chicken littles thoughts anyway

That is fine, dave06, but IMHO it is a very narrow view. Volunteering has got us into country that was otherwised closed to us (and everyone else) and has allowed us to do things that we would be unable to do any other way. There are other rewards for effort other than $$$s, even when dealing with 'financially viable' organisations. Cheers, Peter

I tend to agree with Dave on this one. I have done lots of volunteer work in the past but always for schools and other not for profit organisations. The reward from this was that I felt good helping people who really needed and appreciated it. If some one is going to make a quid from my labours then I think I should have a share of it.. Kieth

narrow view or otherwise, without the $$$$$ one cant travel especially the distances I travel, but of course if you fill your vehicle on volunteer fuel then great, me I got to pay for mine and I like it that way, dont owe nobody nothing, I have given plenty of reward to companys over the years, it's my turn to reap the reward myself now but hey if you want to, then go ahead, but dont run down other peoples thoughts that dont support your kind of thinking, I couldnt care less what sort of country it allows you into, I am saying what I would do, what you do, I couldnt care less