We require a housesitter to occupy our home as if it is theirs, care for a small dog and a cat, to water our lawn once a week, to mow our lawn about once every two to three weeks and to water some potplants and some shrubs every couple of days, a process that normally takes about half an hour. The normal steady stream of mail would be placed aside for our return. Ours is a large two story house. The housesitters would occupy one or two of two downstairs guests' bedrooms but be able to use all of the facilities such as kitchen, dining room, and lounge upstairs. There are toilets, bathrooms, telephones and TVs upstairs and downstairs. We are situated within a short drive of the centre of the CBD and Townsville's beautiful Strand and other beaches. There is a large shopping centre within three minutes' walk which gives access to buses that take you to other parts of the city. Ferries travel frequently daily to Magnetic Island, one of North Queensland's major attractions. There are a number of churches and two cathedrals within a very short drive, as well as parks and two lakes that are popular for walkers and fishing. Townsville has a popular casino, many picture theatres within easy reach, an excellent art gallery in the CBD, regular live theatrical and musical performances, as well as golf courses, tennis courts, and freshwater and sea swimming pools. A housesitter with an appropriate driver's licence could use our car within the city and environs. Interested sitters would no doubt supply appropriate references. We do not leave Townsville till but would like to meet the successful applicants beforehand to introduce them to neighbours and to the house and the pets. If the housesitters wished to remain some time after our return that could be arranged.