Hosting With Heart

Kirstie-Lee Smith always knew she wanted to be a photographer, she just had to unearth what kind. Starting off, as many photographers do, shooting weddings, she soon moved into real estate photography, which despite her initial misgivings, she ended up absolutely loving. This subsequently morphed into a passion for photographing short-term accommodation, ultimately leading her to formally establishing her own practice based on Victoria's Bellarine Peninsula, about 3 years ago in the midst of Covid. Since then and in part spurred on by listening to this very podcast, Kirstie-Lee made her foray into photographing accessible accommodation, voraciously learning about what sort of photos prove most meaningful to guests with diverse access needs in the process. This chat was a really enjoyable one which I know you'll get some terrific value from.

While many hosts focus on the material details of the stays they manage, Sal Bellanger's approach to running her accommodation business, Sanctuary South Stays, is refreshingly unpretentious. Having taken ownership of the former family home of her husband Justin, now known as Nornalup Homestead, in 2018, Sal has since turned this into a haven for lovers of both nature and history. This is a property with a rich familial backstory, encouraging guests to reconnect with one another and with the surrounding landscape in a meaningful way. More recently, Sal and Justin have on the same property opened Sanctuary Train, a considerately equipped tiny home that aims to provide a similar experience for singles and couples, also extending the capacity of Nornalup Homestead if larger families and groups wish to getaway together. Sal is a formidable human with a big heart who exemplifies what it means to live and work in accordance with your values. It was such a pleasure chatting with her and I'm sure you'll get a lot out of this episode today.

Like many of us, Benj Bailey-Webb has had his fair share of trials and tribulations over the past 5 or so years. The owner-builder of the now widely lauded permanent tiny house in Victoria's majestic Grampians region, Nook On The Hill, started off wanting to design and build a small footprint, sustainable home for himself and his then-partner, Holly. As the process played out, however, and also through a global pandemic, significant bushfires in the local region and his father being seriously ill, Benj's objectives evolved and changed and ultimately, the decision was reached to open the property up to guests. Benj's story is one that is resoundingly human and one that many of us in the short-term accommodation sector will fiercely identify with. It was such a pleasure chatting with him a few weeks ago and I'm sure you'll get a lot out of this episode today. A quick content warning too that this episode does include discussion of terminal cancer.

Seeking to indulge their mutual love of renovating and holidaying on Tasmania's beautiful east coast, couple Joel Challis and Nick Graham in 2022 were routinely scrolling realestate.com.au when they stumbled across an intriguing piece of land available for sale not far from the small hamlet of St Mary's. And the rest, as they say, is history. Since then, this environmentally conscious, super industrious duo have spearheaded the design, build and opening of a highly sustainable tiny home named Candlebark Ridge, considerately crafted with myriad sustainable features, underpinned by the goal of creating a warm and inviting cocoon in which guests can completely disconnect and recharge. Just as I did, I'm sure you'll find my chat with Joel and Nick a real treat. Please enjoy.

With a background in graphic design and a childhood penchant for garage sales, Alison Kenna, now the parent to three young boys, is one busy woman. When not working part-time in the marketing department at her local TAFE or assisting her husband James in the day to day running of his air conditioning business, Alison is busily managing Warrnambool Retreat, a property with three separate titled residences in the heart of the regional Victorian town of the same name that the couple bought and commenced renovating in 2019. This was a fantastic chat about how grit and determination can pay off when bringing an historic property back to life, let alone throughout the early days of a global pandemic. I thoroughly enjoyed this chat with Alison and I know you'll enjoy it too.

My guest on today's episode of Hosting With Heart, architect Shae Parker McCashen, has long been what she refers to as an 'architectural green sheep'. With an upbringing that instilled in her a respect for people and a passion for the environment, Shae went on to qualify as an architect in the early 2000's and has today amassed over 24 years of extensive industry experience, including 14 years at the helm of her own Melbourne-based practice, Green Sheep Collective. As a sustainable design advocate with a number of awards and commendations under her belt, Shae relishes the opportunity to share her considerable knowledge with other experts and members of the community, including those in the short-term accommodation space. The valuable insights that Shae shares in this episode are aplenty and I hope you get as much out of listening to this conversation today as I did having it.

When she's not busy managing Milton Beef, her family's successful ethical beef farm, or helping support the local refugee community, you'll find my guest on today's episode of Hosting With Heart, Janelle Wallace, busily welcoming guests to her newly opened, fully accessible hempcrete retreat, Figtree Cottage of Milton. Janelle's journey to becoming a host was lined with many twists and turns, but she's ultimately created a property with such an abundance of accessible and sustainable features that upon listing it on the Heartful platform in late 2024, it immediately assumed the No.1 spot. I hope you enjoy this truly inspiring chat.

With a background in psychology and outdoor education, my guest on today's episode of Hosting With Heart, Clare Reilly, now works as a disability advocate, blogger, podcaster, social media influencer and writer. Diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in 2017, Clare is currently planning to become the first person to traverse the Munda Biddi Trail—the world's longest off-road cycling route in Western Australia—using a wheelchair. Her journey, planned to take place in the first half of 2026, aims to raise both awareness and funds for multiple sclerosis. Please enjoy my chat with Clare today. ……… For more information about Hosting With Heart and to access our archive of over 100 episodes, visit the HWH website at www.hostingwithheart.net.au or follow us on Instagram at Instagram (@hostingwithheart) Join our private Facebook group of 1300+ hosts from around Australia at Hosting with Heart Community Group | Facebook Sign up and list your property on Heartful now at Host with Us | Heartful Travel

In today's episode of Hosting With Heart, I chat with Phil Janson who, along with wife Lyndel, are the owners and hosts of Willow's Retreat, a sustainable property located on 50 acres of pristine bush and pasture land in Fernances Crossing, approximately 100km directly north of Sydney. During our chat, Phil talks about what led he and Lyndel to hosting and explores the joys and challenges they've experienced since opening the doors to the property - which comprises an off-grid, self-contained eco-lodge, multiple campsites and even the option to bring your horse - a couple of years ago. Enjoy the episode today.

In this short launch episode for Season 9 of Hosting With Heart, Jen Clark covers off on what she's been up to for the last 9 months (namely, building new accommodation marketplace, Heartful) and what's in store for this brand new, exciting season of the podcast. ……… For more information about Hosting With Heart and to access our archive of over 100 episodes, visit the HWH website at www.hostingwithheart.net.au or follow us on Instagram at Instagram (@hostingwithheart) Join our private Facebook group of 1300+ hosts from around Australia at Hosting with Heart Community Group | Facebook Sign up and list your property on Heartful now at Host with Us | Heartful Travel

My guest today on Hosting With Heart is Jodie McQueen, owner and operator of Paradise Road Farm, a two-cabin farm stay in Sheffield, the gateway to Tasmania's Cradle Mountain world heritage area. With a diverse professional background including time spent working in Japan and Australia in a variety of communications, tourism and sustainability-focused roles, in 2016 Jodie and her then-partner determined it was time for a tree change and went on to purchase a 100 acre property in Tasmania. By 2019 and then newly single, she embarked on a permanent move to the property and soon after got the wheels in motion on the build of two modest, sustainably-constructed cabins, supporting the small-scale, regenerative farm she had already established. Having opened the doors to Paradise Road Farm to the public in October of 2020, she has since built a highly successful, adults-only accommodation business, all the while maintaining an operational ethos that prioritises the planet and encourages guests to leave their stay with an enhanced level of respect for the natural environment.

Vince Hunt and partner Angela Brickwell truly do personify what it means to be a heartful host. After purchasing a 120 acre block of land in the idyllic town of Billinudgel on the northern New South Wales coast some years ago, they went on to construct two cabins - one of which is fully accessible - on the land, all the while indulging their passion for permaculture, regenerative farming and a philosophy that places the therapeutic value of getaways at the centre. With a personal background in landscape design and art, complimented by Ange's skills as a kinesiologist, this hardworking and empathetic couple have experienced great success as short-term accommodation hosts in the four years they've been managing their property, now known as Rosalita's Rest. It was an absolute pleasure speaking with Vince about their journey to date a few days ago and I think you'll really enjoy this episode today.

In this first episode of Hosting With Heart for 2024, host Jen Clark provides an update on the recent equity crowdfunding campaign for Heartful, a new short-term accommodation booking platform focusing on sustainability and inclusion, helmed by Jen, that will launch mid-year. She also discusses her plans for season 8 of the podcast, which will move to a more flexible fortnightly format and have a focus on featuring guests who exemplify the ‘heartful hosting' ethos, based both here in the Australia / NZ region and overseas. It's set to be another incredibly big and exciting year!

It's the FINAL DAY of the Heartful equity crowdfunding campaign, with our public investment offer closing at 10pm AEDT on Thursday 2nd November, 2023. As of 8pm AEDT on Wednesday 1st November, Heartful had welcomed 109 new investors, with a total of $119,392.00 raised, something Jen is extraordinarily proud of and of course, very excited about. She touches on some of the recent successes of the campaign in this episode, delivered a little bit later than planned due to the extreme busyness of the past fortnight. To ensure you don't miss out on this incredible opportunity to invest in a purpose-driven, female-founded startup that aims to transform the Australian and New Zealand short-term accommodation sector into one that is more inclusive and sustainable, visit the Heartful Birchal campaign page at Heartful Group Pty Ltd - Reimagining the way we stay. Once 10pm AEDT rolls around, sadly there will be no further opportunities to invest at this early stage. It's time to seize the moment and put your hard-earned dollars where your values are! Please follow Heartful on Instagram, Facebook or LinkedIn via the links below: Instagram -Instagram (@heartful.travel) Facebook - Heartful LinkedIn -https://www.linkedin.com/company/heartful.travel

Well, it's CRUNCH time in the Heartful equity crowdfunding campaign, with EOIs closing on Monday October 16th at 10pm AEDT and Jen needing to raise $50K during the private offer period (that's just 48 short hours!) in order for the public offer to go ahead. The private offer period opens at 12pm on Tuesday October 17th and will run until 12pm on Thursday October 19th, following which the public offer will open if Jen meets that ambitious target. If you didn't manage to submit an EOI but still want to invest in the private offer period and take advantage of Birchal's delayed payment terms, meaning you don't have to pay for your investment until the public offer ends on November 2nd, please shoot an email to Jen at jen@heartful.travel and she'll ensure you get sent an invite to the private offer. To express your interest in investing in Heartful, request an invite to the private offer OR to invest now, visit the Birchal campaign page at Heartful Group Pty Ltd - Reimagining the way we stay. Please follow Heartful on Instagram, Facebook or LinkedIn via the links below: Instagram -Instagram (@heartful.travel) Facebook - Heartful LinkedIn -https://www.linkedin.com/company/heartful.travel

This third instalment in our equity crowdfunding campaign mini-series is a re-recording of Jen's recent presentation at the Heartful Investor Webinar held on October 4th, 2023. It contains a wealth of info about Jen and her personal / professional background, the backstory of Hosting With Heart, an insight into how the idea for Heartful originated, the many reasons the platform is needed and what Jen's incredibly ambitious yet exciting plans are for building, launching and growing the platform over the coming months and into the longer-term future. To express your interest in investing in Heartful, visit the Birchal campaign page at Heartful Group Pty Ltd - Reimagining the way we stay. Expressions of Interest will close on Wednesday October 11th and the no of EOIs we receive will determine if the investment offer goes ahead, so please get your EOIs in ASAP if you'd like to own a part of this groundbreaking new platform. Please follow Heartful on Instagram, Facebook or LinkedIn via the links below: Instagram -Instagram (@heartful.travel) Facebook - Heartful LinkedIn -https://www.linkedin.com/company/heartful.travel Check out the Startup Daily TV interview with Jen here at the 43min mark. Or have a read of Jen's recent interview about all things Heartful on the Peppermint Magazine website.

This second short and sweet episode of our Heartful crowdfunding campaign mini-series sees Jen talk about some recent wins in the press, reaching over 115 Expressions of Interest from potential investors in Heartful and her thoughts on why now is the time you need to embrace accessibility as a host. To express your interest in investing in Heartful or register for our forthcoming Investor Webinar on Tuesday 3rd October at 1pm AEST, visit the Birchal campaign page at Heartful Group Pty Ltd - Reimagining the way we stay. Please follow Heartful on Instagram, Facebook or LinkedIn via the links below: Instagram -Instagram (@heartful.travel) Facebook - Heartful LinkedIn -https://www.linkedin.com/company/heartful.travel Check out the Startup Daily TV interview with Jen here at the 43min mark. Or have a read of Jen's recent interview about all things Heartful on the Peppermint Magazine website.

In this first episode of our 6-week podcast mini series documenting the equity crowdfunding campaign for the new ethical accommodation booking platform Jen is proudly launching in 2024, she talks about how the idea for Heartful was realised, gives an overview of what equity crowdfunding is and how it all works, and provides a general update on how things are progressing 30 hours after the campaign launch. To express your interest in investing in Heartful, visit the Birchal campaign page at  Heartful Group Pty Ltd - Reimagining the way we stay.   Please follow Heartful on Instagram, Facebook or LinkedIn via the links below: Instagram -   Instagram (@heartful.travel) Facebook - Heartful LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/heartful.travel  

In this milestone 100th episode of Hosting With Heart, Jen Clark and partner Kirstie Innes-Will reflect on almost four years of what has become a dearly-loved, phenomenally successful podcast and all they've learned along the way, along with Jen's incredibly exciting plans to launch a new, ethical accommodation booking platform, Heartful. For those who've followed the Hosting With Heart journey since day dot to those who've only recently discovered the podcast, online community and website, this episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in helping make the short-term accommodation sector more inclusive, sustainable and community-focused.

My guest on today's penultimate episode of season 7 of Hosting With Heart is author, travel writer and environmentalist Nina Karnikowski. Having worked as a travel writer for the past decade, Nina now writes about travel that conserves, educates and uplifts more than it destroys, and aims to demonstrate how travel can help solve societal and environmental problems. The author of three hugely successful titles, Nina has just released her fourth book, The Mindful Traveller, a stunningly written memoir about the ethics of modern travel. In this unique and inspiring book, Nina takes an expedition to the very essence of travel, reflecting on the profound and transformative experiences to be had heading into the wild or just staying put, and demonstrating how to travel in a way that is as nourishing for the places we visit as they are for us. Nina's travel writing appears regularly in The Sydney Morning Herald's Traveller, The AFR's Life & Leisure, Condé Nast Traveller and more. Nina mentors writers, teaches writing and creativity workshops and is also a mentor at The Conscious Travel Foundation. It was an absolute pleasure discussing all things ethical travel with Nina a few weeks back and I have no doubts that you'll find this conversation an energising and inspiring one.

Having finished a journalism degree and set off on a post-graduation gap year abroad, Simone Williams eventually indulged her Mum's call to come back home to Australia and secure herself a job. And that she did, although not as a reporter, but as a flight attendant for Australia's beloved Qantas - a career she anticipated might last a year at best but that ultimately morphed into a 30 year stint that would prove one of the most rewarding experiences of her life. Yet despite the joys of constant travel, Simone had a yearning for a simpler life on a farm. Newly married to now-husband Bruce, she spontaneously happened upon her dream property in Queensland's Currumbin Valley while scrolling the web one day during a stopover in Frankfurt. Little did she know that sometime later, she and Bruce would serendipitously drive past that exact same property, Hillview Dairy, and find it once again for sale. The duo scraped together every last cent they could find and fortuitously, managed to make it theirs. Since then, Simone and Bruce have welcomed three sons and have raised them on the farm, all the while chipping away at restoring both the homestead and more recently, the dairy, with the aim of one day welcoming guests to stay. That day eventually arrived in January, 2020 and Simone hasn't looked back, having achieved an enviable 258 Airbnb reviews with an average score of 4.98, an expanse of press and a continuing 80-90% occupancy rate. My recent chat with Simone about her journey to date and newly-hatched plans to restore the property's stables was a real pleasure and I'm sure you'll find this conversation equally insightful and entertaining. Please enjoy.

 It was the acceptance that she had chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) that led Sarah Williams to seek out a lifestyle and career that was more compatible with her health and values. After many years working in the fast-paced, corporate-like higher education sector in urban environments, Sarah had to re-evaluate her work-life balance, or lack thereof. A subsequent relapse of CFS drew a firm line in the sand, with Sarah ultimately deciding to return from Melbourne to her home state of Tasmania and to the property on which her grandfather had painstakingly built a timber cabin some 40 years prior in the idyllic town of Meander, in the state's central north. Following her return, Sarah decided that hosting guests at the cabin might be an ideal way to combine her need for regular rest with generating a recurring income and accordingly, set out to complete some modest renovations to the cabin in preparation. Since finishing the renos and opening the doors to what is now known as Cedar Cottage Meander some 3 years ago, she's had enormous success, with the property receiving consistently exceptional reviews and being named a finalist in 2022's Airbnb awards in the 'Best Nature Stay' category. Sarah is a passionate advocate for the disability and chronic illness community, a multi-talented creative and technologist and a lover of sustainability and the natural environment. As I was speaking with her, I felt an immediate sense of kinship and solidarity. I really hope you get as much out of this chat today as I did.

As our recent conversation progressed, I came to the realisation that Bel du Bois, co-owner of Queensland's Grain Shed Retreat, could almost be deemed the perfect heartful host. Having a few years back moved to the Darling Downs region a couple of hours south-west of Brisbane, Bel fortuitously went on to reconnect with an old school friend Neil, a former dog trainer and behavioural therapist. A highly experienced occupational therapist, Bel originally made the move in search of new adventures, but eventually got lured by the local community back into private practice. All was not lost, however, as Bel and Neil made the decision to take advantage of Neil's incredible 900 acre property and open a multi-disciplinary health and wellness practice, Darling Downs Wellness Therapies, allowing their diverse client base to take advantage of their nature-based, holistic therapeutic approach. One thing was missing though - the opportunity for clients to stay onsite, experiencing the benefits of a longer-term therapeutic retreat. So with sustainability and accessibility at the forefront of their minds, Bel and Neil resourcefully converted the old grain shed on the property into self-contained accommodation that would go on to be crowned Airbnb's best regional stay in Australia in 2021. Meeting people like Bel really does make my heart - pardon the pun - sing. I believe that her approach to hosting is truly pioneering. I was absolutely delighted to have a chat about her journey and hope you, too, will be left inspired and energised by this episode.

Sunny South in so many ways epitomises what heartful hosting is all about. A former teacher, she and husband Brett have forged a deeply enriching life for themselves in the Hawkesbury River region about an hour north of Sydney, one that has been built around a love of art, creativity, community and hospitality. With a background in restoring and renovating historic properties and having determined that - for a variety of reasons - the Hawkesbury was the right location for them to secure a holiday house, Sunny and Brett serendipitously happened upon a property that ticked all the boxes, going on to purchase it very fortunately without the involvement of real estate agents. Over the 6 months that followed, with the added challenge of the house only being accessible by water, they worked hard to bring the property back to its former glory, replacing the roof and stumps but maintaining most of its original features and opting to retain a number of pieces of vintage furniture. They subsequently named the property Riverbreeze and first welcomed guests in November of 2021, managing all of the housekeeping themselves and doing so with a focus on simplicity, efficiency and organisation - an ethos which has worked perfectly for them since day dot. Sunny's passion for involving the local community in the running of Riverbreeze absolutely shines through in this episode, as does her respect for the natural environment and for the need to be continuously mindful about consumption. I thoroughly enjoyed our chat and I'm positive that no matter where you might be in your hosting journey, you will get a lot out of it too.

Back in 2018, the town of Tanunda, located in the heart of South Australia's beautiful Barossa Valley, had no idea that two passionate Melburnians, Max Niggl and Neale Gerlach, were about to make it a central part of their life story. With surprisingly similar personal backgrounds, Neale originally from South Australia and Max from Victoria, this enterprising couple met in 2013 in Melbourne, forging a life partnership where respect for history, the environment, the concept of place and for our diverse culture is central to their lives. Max and Neale set out with the original goal of purchasing a simple set-and-forget investment property, however after further discussion decided that they actually wanted to be able to enjoy a second property from time to time, with a view of transitioning to rural life in the future. This ultimately led them to the Barossa - a place that they shared a love of and one in which they fortuitously stumbled across and went on to buy a characterful circa 1900 house, a firm fixer-upper with a rich history. Over the next three years, the duo planned and painstakingly restored the property with careful attention to detail, melding their own personal style with that dictated by its heritage. They subsequently named it Basedow Haus, in a nod to both the couple's and the area's German origins. Max and Neale are people fervently dedicated to living with respect, compassion, grace and empathy, something that shines through in everything they do. It was an absolute pleasure chatting with them about their hosting journey to date and I'm sure you'll get a lot out of our chat today. Please enjoy.

Much like many others who have embraced and excelled at the practice of hosting, Madeleine Lawler wore many different hats prior to opening the doors to the completely captivating Tasmanian property now known as The Post Office, Waratah. After early stints in the hair modelling and hairdressing sector, she moved to the UK for a period where she spent time working in Michelin-starred restaurants and at the helm of an energetic and innovative tech start-up. Upon arriving back to Australia and having welcomed a daughter and farewelled her father in the intervening time, she and her partner Andy decided to indulge their long-held dream of purchasing a holiday shack. When one day scrolling realestate.com.au they fortuitously came across a modest yet charming 110 year old post office for sale in the small hamlet of Waratah, some 400km north-west of Hobart. After a spontaneous one day trip to view it, they made an offer and the very next day it was theirs. In this episode, enjoy listening to Madeleine tell me the story of the 7 month renovation that followed the purchase, including the challenges that both its heritage and location posed, but that ultimately culminated in a visually enchanting, wonderfully unique property that has already won many a guest's heart. Please enjoy.

When at its very best, hosting is an endeavour underpinned and driven by one core thing - empathy. And that's something my guest today, James Hudson, had in droves when it came to establishing his hugely successful Byron Bay eco retreat Blackbird. After many years working in Sydney's fast-paced and often gruelling hospitality sector and with a young family in tow, James reached a point where he decided it was time to embrace a slower, less hectic way of life. This ultimately led him to a former banana plantation in the Byron Bay hinterland, a property he'd go on to buy and - with an eye for innovation and sustainable re-use closely informed by his skills in industrial design - resourcefully convert into the critically acclaimed retreat now known as Blackbird Byron. Since the property officially opened its doors to guests in 2018, James and his extended team have gone on to receive an enviable array of accolades and awards including a Master Builder's Award in 2020, finalist status in Network Ten's 'Hotels by Design' series and being named one of Tatler Magazine's top 101 hotels in the world. With Covid only proving to increase demand for stays at Blackbird, James has gone from strength to strength and is now supported by a tight-knit and dedicated team of staff he views as family. Please enjoy our chat today.

What do you get when you pair a talented illustrator and designer with an experienced and resourceful carpenter? The answer is simple - Mill Cabin, an understated yet wildly appealing bush retreat based in Crackenback in the New South Wales' Snowy Mountains. Back in 2019, when owners Niki and Trent first secured the plot of land that would go on to house the cabin, formerly the site of a timber mill, their vision was to create something that was unmistakably in sync with - and sympathetic to - the natural environment. Putting their combined skills and experience to use, the resulting structure is one that is a modern nod to the Australian stockman's hut, built using locally sourced timber and granite and furnished and fitted out with a range of handcrafted items painstakingly designed and assembled by this industrious pair. Since opening the doors to the property in 2022, Niki and Trent have gone on to receive widespread media coverage and a coveted array of 5 star reviews, reinforcing the powerful way their uncompromisingly sustainable ethos has resonated with the travelling public. Refreshingly, the couple have no plans to expand or multiply their current hosting operation, opting instead to work on regenerating the land on which the cabin sits where necessary, but largely leaving nature to do its own thing. My catch up with Niki and Trent a week or so ago was a thoroughly enjoyable one which I know you'll also find fascinating.

 If there's one word that sums up husband and wife team Michelle and Murray Prior's hosting ethos, it's respect. Respect for the environment, for history and for knowledge. Having relocated to the Gundaroo area in the New South Wales Southern Tablelands region just over 5 years ago, this industrious couple and their two young daughters quickly set about turning the property's former standalone barn into a sustainably-minded, luxurious, family-friendly retreat. The result is the property now known as The Barn at Nguurruu Farm, a visually striking, architect-designed, rammed earth building that can comfortably accommodate up to four guests across two bedrooms and a single bathroom. 'Nguurruu' is the Walgalu word for 'camp' and was chosen by Ngambri Walgalu custodian, Paul House out of respect for the many bush camps that have existed on the banks of the Yass River down through the ages. Indigenous heritage and considered land regeneration are central to the way this family are managing the evolution of the 220 acre plot of land on which the barn sits. They've enlisted the help of scientist, author and regenerative farming pioneer Charles Massy to help guide them in the way they manage the land, all the while ensuring guests have the opportunity to gain an insight into its cultural roots and indigenous backstory. I came away from this conversation with a very full heart in the knowledge that there were people like Michelle and Murray out there doing so much good in the world. I'm sure you'll feel the same way after listening. Please enjoy.

Kristy Plumridge and her husband Neil are a complementary match in more ways than one. With Kristy's background in marketing and event management and Neil's background in finance and management consulting, it was with a creative yet strategic ethos that they approached the construction of a 10 year family plan that would ultimately herald a complete life change, moving from city to country. Having taken the time to canvass multiple rural properties, it was in the end the first property they looked at that won their hearts and minds - a 150 acre farm in the Victorian town of Yarragon, a hidden gem only 90 minutes from Melbourne. With a deep respect for the environment, they subsequently dedicated themselves to regenerating and nurturing the land, ensuring its future success as a thriving grass-fed beef and garlic farm. They also built their future forever home and converted an older dwelling on the property into accommodation, now known as The Ridge House. Their journey to date has garnered much attention from the media, most notably including a dedicated episode on ABC TV's acclaimed series, 'Dream Gardens.' Now, Kristy and Neil want to share their knowledge and experience with others dreaming of their own tree change, recently launching a one-day workshop called 'Let's Buy A Farm', designed to guide and support individuals in navigating the process of transitioning to a sustainable and financially rewarding lifestyle. I recently had the pleasure of speaking with Kristy - a conversation filled with many valuable insights and much inspiration. Whether you're considering a tree change or are simply intrigued by the idea of sustainable farming, this episode is teeming with practical information and advice.

Whether it's running one of Sydney's most famed pie shops or managing an award-winning, self-built cabin for guests in the stunning Blue Mountains region of New South Wales, Nicole Landgrebe is a woman who intimately knows the value and rewards of good, old-fashioned hard work. Having made the decision to handover the reigns of their thriving Sydney-based small business to another owner, in 2019 Nicole and her husband David decided to purchase a property in Wentworth Falls, one of the country's most breathtakingly beautiful locations. Their aim was to creatively and resourcefully design, build and furnish a self-contained cabin on the property to rent out to guests, all the while living onsite in the neighbouring house to manage it. After many months of grit and tenacity, the property now known as Falls Rest was eventually realised and the couple opened it to guests, receiving a flurry of five star reviews and landing Nicole the title of Australia's Best Female Airbnb Host for 2022. Nicole very kindly put her hand up to come on the podcast for a chat a few weeks back and it was a real pleasure learning all about hers and David's hosting journey thus far. I hope you enjoy our catch up today.

Edwina Bartholomew is no stranger to the art of juggling. Along with her successful career as a journalist and newsreader with Channel Seven's Sunrise program, she also has a flourishing side-gig as a short-term accommodation host. In 2016, Edwina and her husband, Neil Varcoe discovered an original 1890s sandstone property on 100 acres in the New South Wales Capertee Valley. They have meticulously restored the house and transformed the property into a luxury accommodation business called Warramba. Now, the next challenge. The couple recently sold their meticulously renovated Dulwich Hill home in Sydney to pursue their second, decidedly more ambitious project as hosts, the restoration of an guesthouse in the historic town of Carcoar, New South Wales. Neil will run the project from Carcoar while Edwina will remain in the city with their two kids, Molly and Tom, who makes a charming cameo in this podcast. With the new hotel ‘The Victoria' slated for opening in 2025, they have a busy few years ahead of them. It was such a pleasure catching up with Edwina to learn all about their forthcoming plans as well as the enormous amount they've learned on their journey so far. I've no doubts you get a lot out of this chat today.

To me, there's a single word that immediately comes to mind when describing Clare Hillier's approach to hosting - 'artful'. With a professional background working for various media platforms, along with running her own brand storytelling consultancy, Clare and her partner Sean in 2020 purchased a 70's era house in Blairgowrie in Victoria's ever-popular Mornington Peninsula region, with hopes to transform it into a one of a kind, design-led holiday retreat. After a period of time camping out in the property to better understand its idiosyncrasies, they spent 18 months renovating and reconfiguring the home. Following that, Clare lovingly crafted a brand framework that would go on to closely inform the way in which guests experienced the house, from the selection of original artwork adorning the walls to the way in which their now trademark welcome negroni would be presented. The name of the property, Camillo House, was another product of this creative process. Clare has learned a great deal in her 6 or so months as a host thus far and it was an absolute delight catching up with her recently. I really hope you enjoy our chat today.

In life, there are two kinds of people - the sayers and the doers - and architect and leading climate adaptation specialist Digby Hall falls firmly in the latter camp. Having spent 30 years in the Australian property sector as a sustainability specialist and advocate, Digby works as a consultant specialising in managing climate risk in property assets through design, sustainability, adaptation and resilience planning. He also works confidentially with corporate executives to help them deepen their appreciation of the climate risk facing them, and to craft personalised strategies that help drive meaningful change within their organisations. Outside of this, Digby and his wife Katherine host a number of properties in Tasmania, giving them a unique insight into the most effective actions that hosts can take to minimise their environmental footprint, especially in the areas of food waste, energy provision, the purchasing of goods and services, and reconnecting us all with nature. It was an absolute pleasure chatting with Digby earlier today and I hope you get as much value out of listening to our chat as I did participating in it.

Like many before them, it was the discovery of and love for a particular oceanside plot of land in Brooms Head, New South Wales, that ultimately led to the realisation of a dream future forever-home for couple Katie Clarke and Matty Neeson. Having early in their relationship stumbled across the land that would ultimately become the wabi-sabi inspired, self-contained house now known as Boketto - meaning to 'gaze into the distance without purpose' - Katie and Matty set out to create a property layered with meaning. Having finished what was a somewhat laborious process involving the design and build of the property in 2021, the results are breathtaking. Every living space and window in the home frames a view, and draws you into its natural surrounds. Much of the furniture in the home has been painstakingly handcrafted using reclaimed timber and decorative items sourced during the couple's travels. And the considered nature with which this property has been realised is now starting to pay off financially as well, with Katie and Matty now enjoying a steady stream of bookings largely from repeat guests, most of whom have booked directly. I've been following Katie and Matty on social media since they formally commenced their endeavour as hosts just over a year ago, and have frequently marvelled at what a visually disarming yet fundamentally simple piece of architecture they've managed to create. I really hope you enjoy us reflecting on their journey in this episode today.

When it comes to running short-term accommodation, outdoor spaces are almost always lower on the priority list than a property's interior, but award-winning, Victorian-based landscape designer and seasoned host Kathleen Murphy is determined to change that. After a brief stint in the corporate world, Kathleen trained in horticulture in the Dublin Botanical Gardens in Ireland, completing further studies with the Royal Horticultural Society and Melbourne's Burnley University following. Having relocated back to Australia in the subsequent years, she established Kathleen Murphy Landscape Design in 2006 and has been designing gardens with her small team ever since, maintaining a strong focus on linking the architecture of the house and buildings to the surrounding landscape. Despite her foray into hosting starting with her holiday property Inlet House in the seaside Victorian town of Inverloch, she recently took this off the short-term rental market in order to move into it with her family full-time, transforming her former primary residence in the Macedon Ranges into a stunning, self-contained getaway. I've long-admired some of the incredible gardens Kathleen has cultivated over her professional career and it was truly a delight to be able to chat with her for the podcast recently.

The Wiradjuri word Girragirra means to 'be well, happy and merry' and it was with this spirit in mind that fourth generation regenerative farmers Wendy Muffet and her husband Kim built their luxury eco retreat of the same name, located in the regional New South Wales town of Forbes. With their children having all left home, Wendy and Kim embarked on securing a piece of land for themselves that they could realise the dream of custom building two fully sustainable pavilions on - one for them and one for visiting family and other guests. Thanks to the prowess of the highly experienced, sustainability-focused architect they engaged, the resulting dwellings not only met but in many ways exceeded Wendy and Kim's brief for a home and lodging that had minimal environmental impact, maximum comfort and was low maintenance. Not only this, but the buildings have since served as the perfect backdrop for the many other productive activities going on on the property, including the cultivation of a thriving permaculture garden and the hosting of occasional workshops focused on cooking and other aspects of green living. It was a real privilege having the opportunity to chat with Wendy a couple of weeks ago about her's and Kim's journey and I'm sure you too will get a lot out of this chat.

By the time I'd finished chatting with Tess Astbury and Ben Slore, the incredibly resourceful and consciously-minded couple responsible for establishing Huntingdon Tier Forest Retreat in Dysart, Tasmania, I'd realised this pair were truly a couple of kindred spirits. With an unflinching commitment to sustainability and repurposing of materials, Ben and Tess, via Facebook marketplace, procured a decommissioned school bus otherwise destined for scrap metal and relocated it to a picture-perfect plot of land in the Tasmanian Southern Midlands. What followed was a process of painstakingly converting the bus and immediate surrounds into a truly one of a kind, minimal footprint getaway for two, utilising found and secondhand items. This included the property's hot tub, which after much trial and error Ben managed to eventually set up to operate using the process of thermosiphoning, or in layman's terms heating without a traditional pump. Now almost two years down the track, Tess and Ben have accumulated 262 Airbnb reviews with an average score of 4.98 out of 5 and were last year named finalists in the Airbnb host awards for best unique stay. With their future plans including the set up of another converted bus on the same site, this industrious duo have a bright and creative future ahead of them. I hope you enjoy hearing all about their story in this value-packed episode today.

We all know the saying 'when the going gets tough, the tough get going', however in Kerry Williams case, when the going got tough for her travel-loving Mum, who has Mutliple Sclerosis, she got busy starting a business. Kerry discovered the hard way that there was an enormous gap in the market for genuinely accessible accommodation. She'd stayed with her Mum in short-term accommodation that claimed to have certain accessibility features but in reality didn't and came to the quick realisation that something tangible needed to be done about that. That was four years ago and the business she subsequently founded is the now multi-award winning Accessible Accommodation, part of the broader company known as The Accessible Group, which also includes another arm known as Accessible Experiences. Since launching The Accessible Group, Kerry has grown the business exponentially and now has a team of 9 staff, all of whom bring to the table different lived experience of disability. The Accessible Accommodation website now features over 200 listings, from hotel and resort rooms to independently hosted accommodation, each ranked according to a three-tiered rating system, also developed from the ground up by Kerry. This is a woman who is determined to make the travel sector more accessible and she is someone who I have utmost respect and admiration for. I can't wait to see what she does next and I was delighted to have a chat with her last week, which I know you'll get a lot out of. Please enjoy.

Like many before her, it was being a Mum that ultimately led to Tania Walker's foray into hosting. Originally from Perth, she eventually moved to Melbourne where she met and married her husband Matt. When her daughter Tess was a toddler, she met a local mum at the gym who happened to run a leading Victorian holiday rental business, which Tania was fortunate enough to be able to help out with. Fast forward a number of years and once again, via a discount voucher won at a Mother's Day lunch, she was able to take part in a group stay in Merrijig, a stunning small town located about 7km from the entrance to Mt Buller, one of Victoria's most popular skiing resorts. It was on that stay that she fell in love with this relatively unknown and untouched riverside hamlet, eventually leading to her and Matt purchasing the property they've now been operating with great success as a short-term rental for two years, Hume House. It was a delight having a chat to Tania earlier today, who given her firm and ongoing commitment to inclusivity and sustainability is also part of our Hosting With Heart advisory group. I hope you glean some value out of our chat.

Steph King knows a thing or two about Victoria's Bellarine Peninsula. After all, she's lived there for most of her life and is part of a fourth-generation family known for cultivating consciously-minded businesses focused on giving back to this beautiful coastal region. About 8 years ago Steph and her landscape designer husband Jason landed their dream property in the delightful seaside town of Ocean Grove, complete with two self-contained cabins ripe for refurbishment. Without overdoing it and while raising two young daughters in the process, they worked to respectfully overhaul the cabins by way of fresh styling and a moderate renovation, enabling them to open to guests in 2016. Since then, they've gone from strength to strength, having seized every opportunity possible to support and showcase products from local businesses to guests, all the while educating them about the local wildlife and the town and property's heritage. The Woods was last year named the winner of the Victorian Tourism Industry Council's award for self-contained accommodation, an accolade that involves embarking on a significant and prolonged application process. Steph has been an active member of the Hosting With Heart community almost since day dot, having generously lent her advice and support to so many other hosts, including myself, on many occasions. It was a long held goal for me to get her onto the podcast and I am so thrilled that I finally did. I hope you'll get a great deal of enjoyment out of our chat today.

Renee Thurston epitomises, lives and breathes the term creative entrepreneur. This is a woman as industrious and hardworking as they come. Having over her life run many businesses of varying scales and sizes, she's now finally landed where, as a child, she said she'd always land and that is in the world of professional photography. Just prior to that, however, she had been operating a short-term property management service for a number of owners right across Tasmania and at one point had 14 properties on her books. That said, the advent of Covid meant she had to downscale that business, which she successfully did, enabling her to focus on her burgeoning photographic career and to ultimately purchase and open her own short-term rental, now known as The Wilds in Zeehan. Renee is both a powerhouse of ideas and a truth-teller. In all aspects of her life she firmly believes in keeping things both real and fair. It was such a pleasure having a chat with her a week or two ago, which I'm sure you'll really enjoy.

It's fitting in more ways than one that my guest on today's episode of Hosting With Heart, Rachel Walters, named her property as a welcome gesture towards those she shares a kinship with, because following our chat I also felt a real kinship with her. Rachel, owner and manager of The Kindred, a warm and stylishly decorated apartment based in the Canberra suburb of Braddon, is a Sydney based former scholarship director and long-time devotee of all things pre-loved. Having been fortunate enough to secure a piece of prized real estate in one of Canberra's most vibrant localities, Rachel took the opportunity to use the property as a canvas for her to fully indulge her love of secondhand furniture, artwork and homewares, purchasing only the linen and towels for the property new. And the resulting interior is phenomenal - and completely original - a testament to her steadfast dedication to sustainability and to avoiding at all costs contributing to the thousands upon thousands of tonnes of furniture waste generated by each of our capital cities every year. It was not only a pleasure, but a true source of both inspiration and motivation speaking to Rachel a couple of weeks back. I hope you enjoy our chat and please also check out her newly published article on the Hosting With Heart blog about how you, too, can create a beautiful, unique home exclusively using pre-loved items.

Susan Weil is a true pioneer of the hosting space, having managed multiple accommodation offerings in and around her home town of Bellingen, NSW for 22 years. A qualified marriage counsellor, Susan moved to the area with her daughter following the dissolution of her own marriage many years ago, and shortly following stumbled on the 8 acre property that would ultimately evolve into what is now known as Weilhouse Living. Weilhouse Living comprises four unique dwellings that embody Suz and her family's love of nature, beauty and timeless simplicity, three of which are set on a biodynamic working farm and the fourth only an hour's drive away in a similar environment. From the sprawling, beautifully rustic Bellingen Farmhouse to the cosy ambience of the Hernani Wilderness Hut, this is a host who has aimed to craft an accommodation offering for everyone. Suz is an avid, unapologetic believer in repurposing, sustainability and the slow stays movement - a philosophy and values system that has directly informed her extensive use of vintage materials and furnishings throughout each dwelling. I've been wanting to get Suz on the podcast for a chat for some time now and it was a real pleasure to finally do so last week. I'm sure you'll enjoy our catch up.  

Jane Cay is an Australian entrepreneur and founder of the fashion retailer, Birdsnest. She launched the company in 2004 from her hometown of Cooma in rural New South Wales, and it has since grown into one of Australia's most successful e-commerce businesses, with a strong focus on customer service, personal styling and body positivity. In mid 2022, Jane and the team at Birdsnest opened Nest Stays, two lovingly renovated, sustainably-minded heritage terrace homes, each accommodating up to 6 guests, also located in Cooma. The properties are designed to provide guests with a comfortable and stylish home away from home, drawing on Birdsnest's signature modern, understated aesthetic. In a relatively short period of time, Jane has achieved more than most could expect to achieve in a lifetime, and it was an absolute pleasure to chat with her earlier this week.

In this season and end of year final episode, your host Jen Clark extends her thanks to all who have helped make Hosting With Heart the resounding success it's been in 2022, as well as outlining plans for the podcast, website and community in 2023.

Ally Oyston is a woman on a mission. The former lawyer turned disability advocate, along with her husband Matt, earlier this year purchased Bimbala Cottage, a 100-year-old, lovingly restored, meticulously decorated house located in Jervis Bay, New South Wales. Having purchased it from another highly successful host, Ally and Matt were fortunate enough to acquire all of the furniture in the property as part of the sale, making the process of marketing it and opening it to the public enviably expedient. Once they opened however, Ally's aims were way broader than that of an average newbie host. Having seen and experienced first-hand the rate of burnout amongst Australia's enormous community of full-time carers, she wanted to offer up the property as a place where they could take some much-needed time-out for themselves and properly relax and recharge. As part of this, she and Matt offer 'sponsored stays', whereby a short break at Bimbala can be purchased as a gift for a carer in particular need of respite. Ally is one of those people whose generosity and compassion knows no bounds. She is every bit the heartful host, and it was a total pleasure to have a chat with her recently.

In 2013, Sam Bloom, an avid traveller, keen sportswoman, nurse, wife and Mum to three young boys, was holidaying in Thailand with her family when in a literal split second, she fell six metres through the decayed railing of an observation deck fence, landing on concrete. As a result of the fall, she suffered devastating injuries, including severe damage to her spinal cord that left her paralysed from the chest down. The personal journey and unexpected bond with an injured magpie her sons named 'Penguin' that followed her accident went on to be documented in a hugely successful book named 'Penguin Bloom', photographed by Sam's husband Cam and written by acclaimed Australian author Bradley Trevor-Greive. But what followed that went beyond Cam and Sam's wildest dreams. Actress Naomi Watts soon came calling, wanting to produce and star in a movie version of the book, which was released internationally in 2020 to critical acclaim. If this wasn't enough to cultivate a prolific public profile for Sam, she also went on to take up kayaking and became a two-time World Parasurfing Champion. I had the absolute pleasure of catching up with Sam about her experiences as a traveller both before and after the accident recently. Her insights proved to further fuel my drive to do as much as I can to increase the amount of high-quality accessible accommodation both here and the world over. I hope you enjoy this very special chat between myself and Sam today.

Amanda Bertoldi-Ward and Gareth Ward have a mindset and approach to hosting that is thankfully becoming more and more commonplace as time goes on. An architect and a carpenter respectfully, they started out with an ethos centered on sustainability, wellness, quality and charity, and have carried on in the same vein ever since. Having started the building process of what would become the first two of Homeostasis Retreats' evolving stable of properties in 2018, Amanda and Gareth, along with their 3 young kids, eventually opened the doors to their house and cabin, situated in the lush surrounds of Queensland's Mount Tamborine, in late 2020. Since then, they have created an adaptable property catering to both couples and families that enables guests to effectively tailor their own holiday experience, be it a health and wellness focused recharge, or simply relaxing, doing nothing and enjoying some local wines and Netflix. It was a complete pleasure chatting with this warm and industrious couple. I hope you enjoy our chat as much as I did.

Liz Hayes and her husband Andy have created something so desperately needed in this ever-demanding day and age; a sustainable retreat that encourages guests to reignite their childhood sense of curiosity. Set amidst the trees of Million Springs Farm, overlooking the glorious Hakataramea Valley, smack-bang in the middle of New Zealand's South Island, Nest Tree Houses is the realisation of a long-held dream for Liz, a qualified journalist and writer and self-confessed childhood treehouse lover. Starting out with one treehouse, Liz and Andy opened their doors to guests just as Covid hit, which turned out to be a blessing in disguise given the vastly increased appetite for unique and remote local escapes that ensued. Such was the level of success of their first treehouse, they sometime later decided to construct a second one, enabling them to develop a thriving accommodation business which is today fuelled entirely by direct bookings. And if the treehouses themselves weren't enough of a treat, guests are able to explore the incredibly historic, six-generation old family farm and surrounds during their stay, including the option of heading to a neighbouring whisky bar by helicopter or milking one of the property's many resident cows. Liz and Andy have cultivated such a rewarding life for themselves and their three kids and it was an absolute pleasure to hear about their journey when Liz and I caught up a short time ago. Please enjoy our chat today.

Yael Katz is one of those rare people that absolutely radiates strength and goodness. Having spent her early life in Israel where she worked in training, she went on to travel to Australia where she ultimately wound up working with indigenous communities helping to establish new businesses, predominantly in the tourism space. It is this shared passion and respect for Indigenous knowledge and culture, and love for the Australian bush, that brought Yael and future husband Rob together, eventually resulting in them realising their dream of embarking on an experiential nature-based tourism business of their own. Flash forward a number of years and Yael, Rob and their two young daughters are now the proud owners of Ecopia Retreat, two luxuriously appointed rammed earth eco villas - and an occasionally available larger residence - situated on 60 hectares of pristine native bushland on Kangaroo Island off the South Australian coast, now classified as a wildlife sanctuary. Since opening the doors to the retreat in 2018, Yael and Rob have experienced phenomenal success and an abundance of 5-star reviews, yet they've also had to endure an assortment of challenges, including withstanding the ups and downs of Covid and the threat of bushfires. That said, this is a couple whose life and business is fiercely driven by their values and you can't help but think that for them, the best really is yet to come. Please enjoy my chat with Yael today.