Shipping Container Delivered

After a few cancellations due to the rain, we finally saw a window of opportunity to have the container delivered and start the set up of our carport.

Day 1
We woke up at 4am and did all our last minute packing. We were ready by 5. Johnny arrived just after 5 and we headed down the Hume, first stop Goulburn. We were meeting the Container delivery driver at a town called Bigga.

At Goulburn we had breakfast and topped up our caffiene levels. We needed to make one more stop at Bunnings for some fibreboard and paint.

We met the Tow driver Mal at Bigga. We had a chat and he seemed anxious about taking his 12 tonne truck on the property. I had already organised my excavators to move it into location if weather turned foul but it was going to hold up alot of progress for the weekend.

The truck struggled on the uphills to the property and must have drove the mountain in first gear. We were fully laden with 400kg of concrete tools and a camper trailer, we found the hills a challenge more than usual.

When we arrived at our main gate entry, our local excavators arrived at the same time to quote a driveway improvement. We all drove to our property gate where i got out and opened the gate. The tow driver asked how far to the site while his son started kicking and pushing on the ground to test the surface. His body weight had no resemblance to the 12t weight of the truck but told his dad if feels ok to driveon. The excavators said it wont be a problem. The row driver managed to get to the location hassle free! Yay! Container delivered!

Work began and we didn’t stop until 2pm when some rain hit. I made everyone lunch while the rain subsided.

They went back to work and I went on a wildlife walk. I took my gold pan down to the creek but found nothing! We are located in an old gold mining field.

At about 5pm, the worst storm possible hit! The mountains disappeared and it just bucketed down! About 20mm in 20 minutes. We had lightning above us and the rain came in from everywhere. The camper managed to stay dry so super happy with that! One trickle from a seam.

The boys worked up until 8pm when they ran out of light. We cooked sausage sandwiches for dinner and had a few bevvies.

We were all in bed by 1030!

Day 2
Started at 6am. A slight dew covered the ground still wet from yesterday’s storm.

Chris and I reluctantly climbed out of bed and immediately started the kettle boiling for coffee. We weren’t hungry so put breakfast aside and started work.

The sunrise came over the eastern mountain not long after 630am and it was nice to feel the sun again especially after last nights storms. Everything dried out quickly and the flies soon returned.

Piece by piece the framework came together and soon did the roofing panels. After the second roof panel the rain started again so the boys decided to have a break. I went to the shops and bought ice cream for everyone.

After the storm cleared, I went for a walk to the otherside of the creek and then down to the waterfall. Lots of birdlife around with the Blackberries fruiting and an abundance of grasshoppers.

By 6pm the lean-to was complete. We all packed up then marked out the base of the cottage for our next project! Josh and Johnny left for the night around 730pm and Chris & I went to the state park for a hot shower.

We sat in front of the fire to unwind and went to bed at 10pm.

What a big day!

Day 3
We had a rough sleep due to howling wind tearing through the valley! We woke up multiple times through the night and eventually rose out of bed at 7am. Chris went straight to work on drilling holes in the container for locks. Unfortunately his drill went flat and only managed to fit 2 of the 5 locks.

I cooked breakfast then we packed up. It was really cold but there was no frost or dew on the camper canvas but the wind made packing the camper up a struggle! We did a last check for rubbish around the campsite and headed home.
We ueled up at the local service station and purchased necessary coffees for the trip home.

Water Catchment and Storage

Firstly, we bought 2 x IBCs to hold water on the property for washing and gardening etc but mostly for capturing grey water. They have had engine oil in them from Shell so we have set them in the sun and dumped kg’s of kitty litter to soak up. They won't be used for drinking water for humans or stock. We referred to the MSDS of Shell Oil to check on the method of cleaning up the product they were used to hold. There is an abundance of IBC’s on Gumtree and eBay and courier company’s have been known to mix chemicals old and new so always be sure with what was in it previously or leave it alone.

So while the oils are soaking up in the IBC and the greywater is taken care of, I took advantage of some discount offers at Masters Hardware and purchased a 5000lt water tank, Bushmans brand. It took 2 weeks to arrive being a special order, I wanted blue! Although we are nowhere near ready for set up, the tank will safely sit at our residence until such required time.

The 5000lt tank will be positioned next to our container awning once built in December, to act as a source of water whilst building.

Chris' Solo Trip: 30th October 2015

Chris headed up to the property by himself today. He managed to rustle up some concrete blocks to store the container on up off the ground.
He took down the ride on mower to clear the shed site but soon found how therapeutic it was and spent the next 4 hours mowing and exploring!

The colour of the landscape has evened out and well into that dry summer pasture that crynches under foot. The crickets are thick and dart in different directions as you walk.

Here are some pics he took. Check out the storm that rolled in!

Above: Storms coming!

Above: Super proud hubby!

Above: Shed site cleared and looking neat!

Above: Bricks for the container base

Above : Looking from the fence line

Above: Driveway mowed!

The Essential Rural Storage: Shipping Container

29th October 2015
Purchased our shipping container from a local guy who is asking minimal dollars for delivery as his rural property is near ours. We got a shipping container for cheaper than any other vendor and its in very good shape. Only down side is that its burger ring orange!! We will be fitting a container lock to it before it goes down there. We can finally start keeping our things down there!
We will be putting a carport off the side to cover the caravan which will be our temporary accomodation.

Compost Toilet System

Check back as we are only in the early stages of planning.

Here's a few links:
Splendor Festival Toilets

saoirsepermaculture.org

Day Trip 25th October 2015

Today we travelled down to organise the layout of our container, cabin and get some plans underway to build.

We met up with our friends at the State Park who had stayed the weekend fishing and then all made our way to the property.

Simon, Sacha and Daniel with Johnny, Simone and Caitlyn were all welcomed to our retreat.

The grass had not grown any longer and had finished seeding. The driveway we wore in was still visible in the pasture but no sightings of the sheep who had been left behind!

We went for a walk fown to the waterfall while Simon and Daniel went to the dam. Simon saw turtles in the dam while we all saw a Kangaroo.
I showed Simon the caves at the Valley then heard rustling across the creek. We went to investigate and we caught a glimpse of a something best desfribed as a ferret-like, red fur, spotted tail. It was not a fox or cat but quite possibly a Quoll. It disappeared into a small cave then never saw a sighting again.

We returned to the cars and indulged in our first beer we've had on the property. I enjoyed this moment right up until something crawled up my jeans and stung my leg! Twice! The burning pain was uncomfortable and started losing the ability to bend my knee as it swelled. I iced it but it hurt for another 5 hours after!

We drew up cabin plans and measured out the space. The enclosed cabin will be 8m x 8m with a deck that will expand the structure to a total of 12m x 10m. I am hoping to use recycled windows and doors to keep the cost low but be able to house 2 or 3 families comfortably.

We locked the gate for the first time as we left with our new chain and padlock. 

Day Trip 17th October 2015

17th October 2015

Today we went down to the farm for our monthly trip down. She is really missing the sheep! The pasture is above ankle height and in seed. 

It was about 32° but a lovely southerly wind blowing.
I had the unfortunate task of spraying herbicide on some of the blackberry bushes growing around the cabin site. Lots of random Bathurst Burr also. I am hoping to bring in a hedge cutter to attack the bigger wild blackberries however I spotted numerous amounts of Golden Orb spiders nestling amongst the branches and I hate spiders!

Chris drove a new driveway into the grass as the last tracks have overgrown!

We still love the property as much as we did on Day 1 and are now thinking of putting our own flock of sheep on it. The fences will need some patching and retensioning but not a full replacement.

The dam level was full and there is so much feed growing in the lower sections. We still have 2 sheep left on the property that must have escaped a final roundup of the previous owner.
I am also waiting to see if the property that has also sold next door is going to be a farm or weekender.

We did a huge walk down to the valley then up the western fenceline. Thought we were going to pass out from the heat! I had a flannelette shirt on with jeans, knee high socks and gum boots to protect me from snakes, sun, and anythi g else wriggling around. Chris settled for shorts and insect repellant.

It was very dry today however the natural spring and the area around it was still very soft and wet underfoot.

Saw 2 large Kangaroos bounce out from under a small grotto in the gully.

We got lots of spiky seeds in our pants legs from walking around, we saw no snakes or much wildlife. Guessing due to the hotter weather.

We finished the day at the Inlands Park getting ice cream, I took some distance photos of our property from Trout Farm Rd then drove home through the Canola fields of Boorowa.

Above: Me and hubby Chris while out weeding. He just wore his driveway in as his previous efforts were now overgrown.

Above: Chris' handiwork. Next week he will bring the ride on and cut it short.

Above: Chris picking burrs out of his socks on a granite boulder next to a giant fig tree.

Above: The spring is still keeping a section green as the water travels to the dam.

Above: Not our property. Ours is nestled between those mountains in the background. A lovely secluded property.

Above: Canola fields are in full force in the Central West.