OUR ANIMALS

Help us feed and support our animals

Our model relies on the brilliance of our animals. Each of our animals has a unique personality and contributes in varying ways to our model of care.

Dogs 

Mr Dibs

Mr Dibs is a 5 year old Parsons Jack Russell who came to the farm as an 8-week-old puppy. He has been likened to a cat demonstrating that he has 9 lives getting himself into trouble on a regular basis. He is a highly sociable, fun and loving little dog who is highly attuned to young people’s needs and can often be found consoling someone or simply providing a good laugh.

Zues

Zues is a German Sheppard. He is highly relatable with extraverted adolescents and is adventurous, energetic and playful. He is still learning about his place on the farm and can often be seen getting into mischief. Zues is very loving and friendly despite his big build and will often be the first to greet you at the farm.

Horses

Sir Baron (Baz man)

Baz is a 15 year old pinto standardbred whom was introduced to the farm 4 years ago. Baz has a cheeky and charismatic personality with a strong sense of curiosity. He is quick to introduce himself and can provide the opportunity for people to explore and learn to express their own needs and personal boundaries.

Nahla

Nahla is an 13 year old warmblood thoroughbred cross and the good life farm princess whom was born and breed on the property. She has been part of the family all of her life and as such displays a highly affectionate, self-expressed and loving nature. She would love nothing more than to join in the daily program activities with us all and is trust worthy in large groups or one on one.

Shadow

Shadow is an 8 year old pearlino cross breed whom often attracts interest due to her blue eyes. She became part of the good life farm following a paddock accident as a yearling. She has difficulty trusting humans due to negative early life experiences and can therefore be slow to warm. She is clear with her personal space and touch boundaries and is often relatable to young people with challenging histories.

Addie

As Nahla’s daughter, Addie is a second generation princess born at the Good Life Farm in September 2021. Addie appears to follow in her mother’s footsteps with an affectionate and curious nature. Addie’s young and sometimes sassy spirit brings out laughter and joy for many while offering an opportunity to build awareness of self and others.

Pepsi

Pepsi is the shortest horse to take residence at the farm. With what he lacks in height, he makes up for in personality. He is full of energy and loves to run and play. He often brings joy to those around him with his cute and mischevious manner and can support young people with building confidence to work with the larger animals and horses on the farm.

Flossy

Flossy, a 10 year old Irish Sports Horse is the newest member of the Good Life Farm family.

She is currently settling in to the Farm way of life, making new friends and enjoying the company of other farm animals and humans alike.

Pigs 

Archie

Archie is 5 year old large black bore whom came to the farm as a mischievous adolescent. He has a strong stature and personality with a inner teddy bear nature.

Wilbur

Wilbur is a desexed male whom was hand reared from a week old. He loves to go for walks and adventures on the lead with the dogs and young people. He also likes to participate in group activities wherever he can.

Alpacas

Rosa and Peanut

Rosa and Peanut are like chalk and cheese. Both were hand reared as orphans and demonstrate a strong sense of herd and highly protective instincts. Rosa is fully self-expressed and loves to express her needs to participate in morning check ins and feeding. On the other hand, Peanut is very sensitive and has difficulty being around crowds due to a medical problem which led to having an eye removed as a 4 week old.

Poultry

Geese

Geese have long lifespans. While Paddy is only young Sweet Pee has been with us on the farm for around 17 years. These two provide a strong sense of family and model close relationship. They provide the opportunity for young people to overcome fears and how to self- regulate and navigate difficult feelings and situations.

Turkeys

Mr Gobbler and his girls offer healing and connection through laughter. They also have a strong family bond and an impressive courtship display.

Chooks

The chooks are fascinating to watch and learn from. They demonstrate a hierarchy and model a functional pecking order. Collecting the eggs is always a highly sort after activity.

Donkeys

Mini Me, Tarco & Boo Boo

Mini Me and Tarco joined the farm around 3 years ago, we then welcomed Boo Boo in November 2021. Mini Me is mother to both Tarco and Boo Boo, all three sharing a close bond.

The minature donkeys love being with people and involving themselves in everything. Mini Me is self- assured and clear in communicating her wants and needs.

Sheep & Goats

Scooby & Shaggy

Scooby and Shaggy, our miniature goats are two of the cutest farm residents!

While Shaggy enjoys roaming around and down time snuggling on a lap, Scooby is adventurous and is often searching for something new and exciting to do.


Gypsy & JJ

Gypsy and JJ are the resident sheep on the farm.

Gypsy and JJ were both hand raised on the farm and are like chalk and cheese. Gypsy will join you for a car ride given the opportunity whilst JJ enjoys the peace and quiet of her own company.


Cow

Annabelle

Annabelle is our hand reared cow.

She adores being groomed and fed, often spending time relaxing, lying down and chewing her cud.

She also loves to play and can support people with grounding, learning boundaries and building confidence.

We also acknowledge the strong connections and contributions from farm family members from past.

Dogs: Sasha, Zac, Lucy Lou, Nip, Mitzy Moo, Bilbo

Horses: Chantilly Lace (Tilly), What a kid (Kid), Vitesse Daring to Dream (Cooper), Zackary, Elmo

Cow: Stimpy, Honey

Goats: Ester, Angel, Dori

And a collective acknowledgment of the many other creatures great and small that have blessed the farm with their presence.

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Principal, Chum Creek Primary School

Lesley and the staff at Good Life Farm build a wonderful rapport with participating students and this facilitates open discussion about appropriate behaviours and the effects of inappropriate behaviours on others.

Participant Parent

W’s involvement in the Farm this term has certainly been beneficial.

He is finding ways to deal with his anger and anxiety that has impacted his ability to go to school the past few years.

He is in a much happier space and the consistent approach farm has provided him has improved his self-esteem and wellbeing.

I wish to thank all the Good Life Farm staff for their hard efforts.

Participant Parent

The impact of the program has meant that S has been able to build an identity of self and to connect with people from a strengths based perspective – solid ground.

S found the environment at the Farm a very safe place which I am sad to say he has not had at school or in some family environments.

This term I have seen S grow into a young person who is taking some first steps into the world such as his first job.

Prior to his attendance at the Farm, his experience was too overwhelming for him to make sense of it.

S has a direction forward and concrete experiences of kindness, respect, excellence and commitment that he gained through his time at the Farm.

It takes a village to raise a child – and the Farm has been part of that village for S.

Participant Parent

I want to thank you for all that you have done to help J become the amazing person that he is. He shared with me your reflections on him and his journey at The Good Life Farm and it brought me to tears to think how much pain he was in before he found you.

I am so grateful for the loving kindness, support and space you and the animals have shown him. I am so proud of my young man and know that moments he shared with you are going to help him for the rest of his life.

In a super stressful time where we often didn’t know what to do next, he found a place at Good Life Farm where he could recover his sense of self and heal from the traumas and misunderstanding and school. I am excited for him to face the world with all that you have helped him know about himself.

Thank you for all that you do.

Assistance Principle, Healesville Primary School

“In our experience, students attending the program have become more engaged with school, developed greater resilience and strategies to assist with conflict resolution and recognition of the impact their behaviour has on other people.”

We acknowledge and respect the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin nation, the traditional custodians of this land since time immemorial. We are learning that the land is not ours to own, but to look after and that if we listen, we may hear in it the calling of the eternal Spirit. Responding to this call, we commit ourselves to work for justice, reconciliation and care of the earth.