Host Lynne on welcoming travellers and creating friendships

Lynne and Graeme own a peaceful farmlet five minutes away from the famous Hobbiton Movie Set in Matamata. Recently they began hosting with Campable, welcoming motorhome travellers to stay the night on their land. Here are Lynne’s thoughts on sharing her place in the world with travellers.

What appealed to you about hosting with Campable?

I think just giving people the opportunity to see a different side of New Zealand, and to meet local people in their own environment. For us it’s great to meet people from overseas and to learn about them as well. I’ve discovered that travellers do enjoy the tourist things, but also want to have quiet time out - that’s the main thing we hear, “your place is so quiet and relaxed”. We have a 6-and-a-half acre hobby farm - really it’s a lifestyle farm for us - and it’s nice to share that with people. Kids especially get a kick out of it, meeting the animals.

What has your experience been like so far?

Absolutely awesome. We’ve made friends through hosting, and there are people we’ve met who we’ll keep in contact with. It’s also been an eye opener to meet people from other parts of the world, and a neat education experience for both us and them.

What do you find rewarding about hosting?

It’s giving something to someone that’s really cool and that they didn’t even realise they were looking for. Seeing people react to our place is also really amazing - it’s hard to put into words, just the expressions on their faces when they see our farm.

What sort of experiences do your Guests have?

I like to be there to greet them, I prefer to - it’s nicer. That we can also email them beforehand is really nice, then we know when they’ll arrive and I can do my best to be home when they get there. I’ll sit down and chat with them, tell them about the area, and show them around our property. Sometimes I’ll share a home cooked meal with them as well. Our visitors know that they’re welcome and safe, which makes a big difference compared to a campground or freedom camping.