WWOOF Australia

WWOOF (Working Weekends On Organic Farms) is an organisation that was started in the United Kingdom in 1971 and has since spread to many parts of the world. And one of those parts is Australia. That has over 1500 WWOOF hosts throughout the country that offers a variety of experiences and opportunities for people who are passionate about organic farming.

How you become involved in WWOOF is quite simple. Membership for 12 months per individual is $60 and if you have a travelling partner (always a good idea) it will knock you and your buddy back $70 for the pair of you, which is a great saving. When you have become a member you will receive a book about WWOOF and a basic volunteer accident insurance plan while you are working at the WWOOF host’s residence.

But, the other benefits of going WWOOFing are manifold, and will probably make your stay in Australia less strenuous, and a lot more life affirming because you have access to a lot more people in the community because of your membership in WWOOF. And the ability to develop good relationships with the WWOOF hosts in Australia and their contacts and communities is a real possibility because you already have your foot in the ‘cultural door’.


While other benefits of WWOOFing are:

In exchange for 4 to 6 hours of labour per day you will get your meals for free, as well as accommodation. And as a member of WWOOF you are given the opportunity to live in a variety of settings from commercial farms to small ‘ma and pa’ organic operations, co-op, and communal living situations. There is also the opportunity to live with local people who are passionate about organic farming, although they might not own a plot of land.

And, the power remains in your hands because you get to choose the living situation that you are most comfortable with. For instance, if you are a science student, you might have a passion for commercial farming, and might want to make a contribution to more environmentally friendly farming practises in your future career.

While a student of the arts, philosophy, or sociology might want to see what it is like living in a communal situation. And as a WWOOF volunteer you have the opportunity to pick and choose what kind of situations you want to contribute to while you are WWOOFing around the country.

How you do this, is by going to the WWOOF bulletin board and amendment list (electronic) that is posted there. The amendment list has the details of all the WWOOF hosts who are still active in the country.

So you can plot your journey around Australia with a higher degree of safety than the average backpacker because you will always be going somewhere and someone (your WWOOF host) will always be waiting for your arrival.

Your 12 month membership in WWOOF Australia could see you in possibly dozens of situations and the witness of some extraordinary phenomena that many Australian’s never see.

So, if you are the adventurous type, than WWOOF maybe the opportunity of a lifetime for you. 

Resource: WWOOF Australia