FAQ for volunteers

You will want to be prepared to work in any of our volunteering departments (gardening team, kitchen team, cleaning team, temple team, etc) with comfortable and appropriate clothing. Please keep in mind that we are an operating organic farm, so you need to comply with OH&S rules. If you end up working in the garden, you will want to wear proper shoes and have a hat, water bottle and sunscreen on you. Working barefoot or unprotected is not allowed. Please make sure to abide by those rules at all times when working on the farm. If you would like to purchase gumboots, there is a Target shop in Murwillumbah where you can find them for about $20. 

To receive mail, please send your items to:

<Your name>

Krishna Village

525 Tyalgum Rd.

Eungella, NSW 2484

For letters, there is an “inbox” (literally) at the entry of the temple shop where you can find the letters that have arrived over the last few weeks. If you are expecting a parcel, please look out for an Australian Post notification card – you will have to pick up your parcel at the Murwillumbah Post office once it has arrived.

If you give this address to companies (like mobile phone provider, immigration etc.), please remember to notify them of your new address when you leave – we can’t send your mail after you.

The Krishna Village advocates the notion of ahimsa (non violence) as one of the key aspects of yogic living, seeing animals as beings with souls just like humans. Meat, fish and eggs are therefore not allowed onto the grounds of the Krishna Village or ashram. We will, however, provide you with 3 delicious vegetarian meals per day, including a mostly-raw food lunch to support your healthy yogic lifestyle. It is your choice as to how you choose to eat outside of the retreat centre, however many of our guests adopt vegetarianism as they progress in their commitment to yoga and begin to shift their awareness about their interconnectedness with the world.

All our volunteers come as camping (or glamping) guests. We have space for plenty of tents and a few powered sites for vans. Shared toilet and bathroom facilities service all guests, plus laundry facilities and a newly renovated well-stocked community kitchen with campfire and pizza oven. You can eat at the temple and enjoy our raw food offerings, or cook your own food.

If you bring a tent, we recommend bringing a tarp as well, to give you additional protection from the rain. In the subtropics it can rain heavily, so a tarp might make a big difference...

If you would prefer to stay in a Single, Double or Twin Share room, please look at the Karma Yoga stay - a blend of volunteering and retreat that offers affordable accommodation.

Yes, plenty!! You work only during the mornings and then are free from midday onwards. Obviously we encourage you to come to the classes but it's up to you how much you want to participate. Make sure to explore the beautiful surrounds, head to massage rocks or the beach for a swim, hike up Mt Warning to see the sun rise, or read a book in a hammock.

We follow a vegetarian diet, of mostly Indian-style food. As our retreat centre is catering for 100+ people most meals, they are unable to assist with any special diets such as vegan, gluten-free or sugar-free. We do our best, however, to always offer a variety of options. People with nut allergies are advised to self-cater.

Breakfasts are an offering of porridge, kitchari [a dahl and rice stew with veggies], bread and butter, and fruit salad. Occasionally they have pancakes, and warm drinks like sweet chai. Most of the breakfast dishes are vegan.

Lunch has a lot more raw food, and is all vegan and mostly gluten-free or will have a gluten-free substitute. We have different types of salads, coleslaw, and some vegie/lentil soup or stir-fries, and always smoothies and teas. In previous courses those people who were not able to eat very much raw food would bring their own container to take some kitchari at breakfast, or would cook their own lunch at the camp kitchen.

Dinner is Indian-style, and almost always consists of rice, dahl, veg curries, fried bread, salad and desserts like halava [semolina], sweet rice, and sometimes cake. Quite often the curries have home-made paneer cheese, and may use sugar [mostly in the desserts].

Every 12 days we abstain from eating grains for an entire day [a special day called 'Ekadasi'], but otherwise we eat a very grain-based diet with lots of lentils, chickpeas, oats and rice.

Self-catering is possible if required - in our camp kitchen is a large fridge where you can store food items, and cupboard space for dry goods. Best, bring a sturdy plastic box to store personal items. We usually offer small veggie boxes at our kitchen at an affordable rate, so you can cook your own meals, depending on what’s in season in our gardens at the time. Definitely bring some snacks, coffee & teas, and perhaps some cereal or breakfast things if you do not want to eat a cooked breakfast every day. We also make fresh juices and smoothies to order, from $12/ltr. 

The Krishna Farm simultaneously functions as a pure ashram environment for devotees and a retreat centre for visiting guests and volunteers. Many of our guests come for the purpose of giving up unhealthy habits like cigarettes, alcohol or drugs. Seeing a packet of cigarettes or smelling alcohol breath makes it harder for them to let go and simultaneously undermines the atmosphere of purity, health and spirituality. Therefore you should only come if you are happy to completely abstain from intoxication on and off the property during your stay.

Please note that in this regard we have a zero tolerance policy in order to keep things fair and unmistakable. If people are going out on weekends to drink or get intoxicated that’s completely fine and none of our business, but in that case they cannot continue their stay with us.

The lunches we serve at the Krishna Village community kitchen (Sun-Fri, 12:30pm) are mostly raw and cater for vegan as well as gluten-intolerant guests. There are also nut free options available every day.

The daily breakfasts and dinners, as well as Saturday lunches, are served at the prasadam hall near the temple and usually consist of a variety of traditional Indian style vegetarian dishes. Meals usually include vegan options, but we can’t make any guarantees, as the Indian kitchen can include ghee (cleared butter).

So if you have severe food intolerances or strict dietary needs, please let us know about them upfront and – if required – bring your own food in addition to what’s provided. The Krishna Village community kitchen is equipped with fridges, a stove, a pizza oven and plenty of pots and pans, so you can self-cater if required.

We are happy to pick up and drop off people in Murwillumbah if required. If you arrive in the morning, we can take you to the farm at 8:30am (Mon-Fri). Otherwise we can arrange for a pickup later in the day (+$15, 9am–12:30pm), or you can get a taxi (about $30-35 from Murwillumbah to the farm). To get to Murwillumbah from the Gold Coast or Byron Bay, please have a look at our “How to get here” guide – there are regular bus connections to & from all major towns/cities in the area.  

Just a couple of things might prove handy:

• Sunscreen and a hat

• Proper work shoes or gum boots that will suit you in the garden

• A water bottle to keep yourself hydrated

• A torch to walk around safely at night

• Snacks / chocolates / tea or whatever else you need. Murwillumbah, the closest town, is about a 10mins drive away, so it’s handy to have the most important things with you. We are selling yummy vegan treats though...

• Laundry powder – we also sell individual wash packets for $1

• If you are camping, a warm sleeping bag – we are in the subtropics, but nights can still get chilly. And a tarp to cover your tent would be a good idea. When it rains, it can get heavy, and a bit of extra protection can make a big difference!!