A Place of Peace

Established in 1989, A Place of Peace (formerly Ballyoncree) provides a permanent home for animals, mainly horses and dogs, who were once in need. A Place of Peace currently provides a forever home for over 40 horses (including 28 brumbies), six inside dogs, and various goats, sheep, cats and other feathered and four-legged friends. Many of our animals have had special needs and all are treated holistically.  While we no longer take in animals (really, we are at capacity), over the years we have given loving care to dozens of horses, dogs, cats and other animals. Today, our focus is on education, compassionate action, and empowering people to do their part where ever they are.

Who Are We?

A Place of Peace is a family-run, holistic animal haven, run by me (Billie Dean), my husband Andrew Einspruch (he says, “Hello”), and our daughter Tamsin (who would say hello as well, but she’s outside bringing the goats into their evening paddock).  We specialise in educating people to reconnect with nature and Mother Earth, to live passionately and compassionately, to understand the secrets of nature and animals, animal spirituality and behaviour, and healing for animals and humans. This is done through seminars and workshops, private consultations for animals and people (when I am available) as well as films, books, audio’s and other products.

We normally provide updates on what is going on at A Place of Peace in Billie’s newsletter, which is a free service and full of information and insight.

A Place of Peace Stories

Typical of the stories of animals who have found refuge are  Smokey who put a young trainer in hospital, was considered “flighty”, fit for experienced riders only, and had back problems.  Rupert was an ex-racehorse going to be killed, because he was “ballistic” .  We have never seen any sign of this behaviour since he has been here.  Pony Lea needed a home in the drought as her people couldn’t afford to feed her.  We noted her person’s car was a thousand times more modern than ours.

We are German Shepherd Clea’s fourth home.  Her last person got dementia and she went to live in a home where she didnt really fit.  We were told she was aggressive with other big dogs.  She is a gentle dog in a pack of seven others at our place.  Dusty the kelpie needed an urgent home as his carer was in an abusive situation.  He arrived with what our then consulting vet at the time called “trauma”.  He walks permanently with a limp, had lost a tooth, had a massive hernia and a shot nervous system.

We are Willow’s third home.  She is deaf and has seizure challenges.  One of the family is  always with her.  She has intensive  holistic and conventional treatment.

Sarah the sheep’s mother died and she needed another.  She was brought up in the house with goats Samson and Winston, also motherless.  All the goats were hand raised in the house, drinking goats milk and slippery elm powder.

Jaffah and Maverick. Jaffah had been psychically urging Billie to give her a home and Billie felt an urgency to move them from their Canberra agistment. Three days later, the devastating 2003 Canberra fires hit.  Jaffah and Maverick’s home paddocks were struck by a fireball, and their shocked previous person said the horses would certainly have died, as she was in another part of the city, struggling to save her home with two small children in tow.

The ponies Erin and Tammy were both victims of drought. Erin desperately needed a new home when hay soared to $25 per bale. Tammy was found starving on agistment.  Tammy had a happy life here at Ballyoncree, and has now passed.  Erin has won my heart and wants to be a movie star.