We recently took a fantastic mini-break to Central Victoria and stayed at the beautiful Hurlstone Homestead.

As you can see below the Homestead is gorgeous, surrounded by lovely gardens featuring mature trees, ponds, a lake and plenty of lush green lawn. It seems incredible that this oasis was little more than a dusty paddock 25 years ago.

Our extremely personable hosts Marg and Kerry Atley were happy to share the history of the property's transformation and to tell me about HelpX, a program that I'll certainly be making use of the next time we travel.

HelpX or Help Exchange, is a program which links B&B's, farmstays, lodges, ranches and sailing boats with travelers. The general idea is a that of a cultural exchange, whereby travelers work for 4 hours per day in exchange for meals and accommodation. The exact conditions and length of stay can vary from place to place, but you can view host and traveler profiles on HelpX's website and get in touch to sort out all of the details before you even arrive.

For anyone starting a new venture, farm, hostel, etc, it is a great way to get some helping hands on the scene if you have a room to share.

Every time I have traveled I find that it is the experiences which bring me into close contact with the local community that provide the richest experience and the best memories, not the overnight stays in homogeneous 5 star hotels.

If you feel the same way then you might want to consider checking out HelpX before you plan your next trip.

Enjoy!