2011 Brisbane Floods... a new creek

We were so very lucky during the January 2011 Brisbane floods with so many people affected, losing homes and precious belongings. The impact was long lasting and so very destructive.

Now our good fortune, in most part, was due to the high elevation of our plateau where our shed sits alongside our future home site. But the amount of water which made its way along the lower regions was incredible. The result of such volume and force of water making its way though the land was the re-design of our ‘seasonal creek’ from a low lying creek bed to a fairly deep raven. Not helped by the 15 years of drought experienced beforehand. And because of the erosion it has resulted in the inability for us to access the rear quarter of our property by car or mower. 

There were a few positives which came about after the water subsided:-

• large deposits of river stone along the creek.
• stone that had been brought down from the mountains the exposure of previously hidden large boulders along the banks creating lovely watering holes.
• the blue/red claw and turtle residents are still to be found.
• an understanding of the water flow during heavy rain seasons. A sort of what to look for or consider when planning future work

In the past we had a small dam towards the back end of the property and alongside this we had vehicle access to the rear quarter. Now we have a 2 metre drop to the creek bed.  No vehicles including the mower is getting in through here.

So we are looking to have excavation work done along the creek. We would like to allow for a gradual slope towards the banks and prevent any further erosion. We also have plans to create a couple of paddocks up the back so access is critical.

The idea is to have a few days of large scale excavation. This will be closely followed by a few weekends of planting. What we are also looking to add are several large additional (bought) boulders which will aid in the slowing down of water in the future.

It’s a big project and one which will have the biggest impact on the property to date.

Do you have any large projects you are currently working on or planning for in the future?

In between...Venice

In May this year I was fortunate enough to travel overseas with my teenage daughter. It was an opportunity of a life time for us both.

Our first stop and by far our favourite was Venice. We spent hours getting lost in the laneways, over bridges, along canals and through tree lined parks.

One of our most enjoyable experiences was a Ghost Tour through the streets of Venice at night. It commenced at 8pm, but doesn’t get dark until almost 9pm. However the dimming light paved the way for a gradual and increasingly eerie experience. Our tour guide, Christina, had a Masters in architecture and history and until she married a few years earlier had lived on the island. Her knowledge of the area was extraordinary and her ability to tell a tale, engaging.

We were captivated from the start. The architecture, the history and embellished tales passed along to children as a means of keeping them safe and from travelling alone through the darkened streets were fascinating. 

Once our new home is complete one of my future projects is to convert some of the images taken on my Samsung mobile into sketches and have them framed. I have fallen in love with this function. They make great personalised gifts for family and friends.
Nicole

It was an amazing trip, one I would happily do over.