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River

River

Picture of House Sitter, House Minder and Pet Sitter at Aussie House Sitters, Australia. User River
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About me

personSolo

49, Artist

Artist and retired chef, Clean, reliable, and grounded.
I bring calm, cleanliness, and care, your pets will be pampered, your plants thriving, and your home in good hands.

favoriteWhy I love house sitting

I love creating calm, cared-for spaces and helping people travel with peace of mind, offering loving attention to their pets, plants and home.
It’s a quiet, grounded way to live and contribute.

I’m a warm, responsible and respectful woman with a background as a head chef, turned restaurant manager - and as a mother of five, now all flown the nest - I’m no stranger to keeping spaces clean, calm, and running smoothly.
I’m naturally nurturing and take real pride in looking after homes, animals, and details with care and attention.

I’m currently focused on quiet, creative artwork, wall murals, pet portraits, hand painted handbags and spending time in grounded, peaceful environments. ... Read moreI’m a warm, responsible and respectful woman with a background as a head chef, turned restaurant manager - and as a mother of five, now all flown the nest - I’m no stranger to keeping spaces clean, calm, and running smoothly.
I’m naturally nurturing and take real pride in looking after homes, animals, and details with care and attention.

I’m currently focused on quiet, creative artwork, wall murals, pet portraits, hand painted handbags and spending time in grounded, peaceful environments.


Why I’m House Sitting:

I choose house sitting because caring for animals gives me purpose, grounding, and genuine happiness now my children have left home. I love creating a calm, nurturing environment for pets while keeping homes safe, clean, and well-loved.

For me, house sitting isn’t a stop-gap, it’s a meaningful exchange built on trust, care, and presence.

Experience with Homes & Animals:
• Experienced with dogs, cats, and small animals (and a soft spot for all creatures). Spent many years training Guide Dogs in my early 20's.
• Years of keeping homes, kitchens and hotels clean, organized, and well cared for.
• Comfortable in city apartments, rural homes, or anything in between.
• Experienced in meal prep, tidiness, and managing busy households.
• Non-smoker, clean, calm, and considerate.

What You Can Expect:
• A peaceful, grounded presence in your home.
• Thoughtful and loving care of pets.
• Regular communication and updates if you’d like.
• A clean, respected home upon your return — always left better than I found it, I'm even happy to do a bit of diy.

Availability:
Available for house sits of 4 weeks minimum to longer length throughout Australia.

References:
Happy to provide character references or meet via video or phone for a chat.

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Pet care

I’ve trained guide dogs, ran a dog-walking business, grew up on a farm surrounded by animals.
I’ve rescued cats, bred gerbils, and now paint pet portraits — caring for animals has always been second nature to me. They're part of the family.

petsWilling to care for these pets

DogsDogs
CatsCats
FishFish
BirdsBirds
Rabbits/Guinea PigsRabbits/Guinea Pigs
Chickens/Ducks/GeeseChickens/Ducks/Geese
Farm AnimalsFarm Animals
HorsesHorses
ReptilesReptiles

Trust

Silver member12 months
reviews5 star reviews

Availability

eventNext 12 months

Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul

eventCurrent bookings

2026: 24 Jun - 17 Nov | 30 Nov - 16 Jan 2027

chairOn a house-sit right now

Preferences

scheduleHouse sit duration

2 - 4 weeks, 1 - 2 months, 2 months +

where_to_votePreferred locations

Anywhere in Australia

travelTravel plans

Currently in Queensland

Reviews (7)

We had the absolute pleasure of having River sit for us. What a wonderful caring lady. She not only looked after our fur baby but also did a bit of gardening, thank you for that River, as well as keeping the house spotless clean. My dog was happy as can be when we returned and did not suffer any of his normal anxiety when we returned. That to me is a great sign of a good house sitter and carer I will recommend River any day to look after your house and pets. Naomi & Pieter
River & John did a fantastic job caring for Pablo, my home, and all my plants. They went above and beyond-fixing the garden gate & even painting the outdoor table & front steps. I came home to a spotless house and a very happy puppy, which says it all. Highly recommend them to anyone looking for reliable and thoughtful house and pet-sitters.
I don't want to give a review for this most amazing pet sitter...i want to keep her a secret, i dont want to tell how she looked after my animals as if they were her own, how they were loved and cared for, how clean the house & fridge was, how much the dogs missed her & how comforting it was to know River was here caring for them. ❤️
Awww thank you Lisa, can't wait to come back and spend quality time with the animals again soon.
We had the pleasure of having River stay at our acreage home in Thornlands and to take care of our 2 staffies. Communication was excellent and we had a couple of video calls whilst in Europe to check on our two pooches. Oscar and Koda were looked after so well they were super relaxed and happy which was a great relief. We liked the fact that River was home most of the time as she did her artwork from home which helped while looking after our pets. River was very reliable and always on hand ... MoreWe had the pleasure of having River stay at our acreage home in Thornlands and to take care of our 2 staffies. Communication was excellent and we had a couple of video calls whilst in Europe to check on our two pooches. Oscar and Koda were looked after so well they were super relaxed and happy which was a great relief. We liked the fact that River was home most of the time as she did her artwork from home which helped while looking after our pets. River was very reliable and always on hand should we needed to contact her. I would recommend River as a house sitter to anyone wanting a reliable sitter to look after your home and pets.

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It really was my pleasure to have such a peaceful and loving space to paint in and my artwork certainly reflected my environment. Having Oscar snuggle up on my lap as I painted was particularly wonderful. Thank you for all your support. I know we'll stay in touch 😊
River was a reliable Housesitter who looked after my greyhound Ava with great care. We came home to a beautiful clean house and tidy garden - a special treat were extras like the colourful plants added to my barren pots and a stunning painting to welcome us home. Thank you River we appreciate all you did to keep our home and Ava girl well cared for. Lawns were mowed and the pool well maintained, I can highly recommend River for great housesitting!
We were so grateful to have River look after our pets and home for six weeks while we were away. They took wonderful care of our dog Jean and our cats Darcy, Bonnie, and Theo — keeping everyone happy and well-loved. Our pets clearly bonded with River, and we came home to relaxed, content animals and a clean house. The garden was nicely maintained and the home left tidy and organised, which made our return stress-free. We truly appreciate River's reliability, care, and regular updates ... MoreWe were so grateful to have River look after our pets and home for six weeks while we were away. They took wonderful care of our dog Jean and our cats Darcy, Bonnie, and Theo — keeping everyone happy and well-loved. Our pets clearly bonded with River, and we came home to relaxed, content animals and a clean house. The garden was nicely maintained and the home left tidy and organised, which made our return stress-free. We truly appreciate River's reliability, care, and regular updates while we were away. We highly recommend them to anyone looking for a trustworthy and caring pet sitter. Thank you again for doing such a fantastic job! — Upul & Himashi

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River looked after my house and treasured fur baby for over 10 weeks. I was happy with Marli's care and the house was left clean and tidy on completion of the housesit. Marli had lots of exercise which she loves and happy to recommend River for further house sits.
Peace of Mind

Happy you!

With a house sitter looking after your pets, house and garden - you can really relax. Happy days.

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Aussie House Sitters is a big fan, and corporate supporter of RSPCA Australia, who do extraordinary work 24/7 for pets and other animals nationwide.