This was a big one. I travelled all the way up north to Inverell, right on the Queensland border. The property came with two dogs, a lively cat, fence-jumping cows, horses—including one little pony who needed special attention—and a stunning botanic garden, all spread across 100 acres.
I’ve never seen so many breathtaking sunsets in my life.
Not everything was peaceful, though. I was flummoxed when the dachshund killed a rabbit and proudly deposited it on the driveway, and I discovered some cows had jumped fences and wandered where they weren’t supposed to be. A solar pump filled some tanks for watering the garden, way down by the river—a trek each time. Sometimes the pump was surrounded by cows, making access tricky. On top of that, the dogs were eager to help, and demanded to come down to the river, which meant keeping the little one on a lead so she didn’t forget her tiny legs couldn’t get her back if she jumped in. I had to turn the pump off when the tanks were full, turn it back on when they needed filling, and it took several days to get the entire garden watered.
The little pony had founders, so each night he had to be coaxed into a stable (often with a tempting apple or carrot), and each morning he had to be let out for controlled feeding. Stubborn little pony, but I think I managed to charm him by the end… or maybe it was just the apple.
I was there for five and a half weeks. I loved the experience, although by the end, the isolation made me feel a bit lonely. Luckily, a visit to good friends staying in Mullumbimby straight afterwards fixed that fast.
Honestly? I think the owners undersold the gig. Their ad on the housesitting site said “just a few plants on the balcony to water”… clearly they hadn’t accounted for dead rabbits, fence-jumping cows, or a demanding little pony! Still, I’m grateful and have zero regrets. This was my first big house sit, and it taught me the importance of clarity and a balanced agreement when organising future sits.
