Lucas Mill

We took a trip down to Victoria (one of the scariest trips back, but that's a whole other story)

to pick up a Lucas Mill .

Left at 6 am and finally got back home at 1.20 am the next day. It was a very long trip wish we had stayed over and did the trip over two days.

Before we went Andrew had Mal down at the metal works make up a T frame to hold the side rails of the mill on the roof. It just bolts to the tow bar and can be taken on or off in a few minutes.

Andrew has wanted a Lucas Mill for quite a while, so to say he is happy with his new toy is an understatement.

Dudley from Lucas Mill put the mill together for us and showed Andrew how to use it before it was packed into the trailer for our trip home.

Took Andrew about 30 mins or so to put up the first time.

A week or so later Andrew picked a tree.

Got out the chainsaw and docked both ends.

Moved the tree with a log dog.

This time setting up was a bit longer as the tree and the mill had to be set up together.

The first cut......
Cuts like a dream.

Making sure the water is full is a priority as it keeps the blade from gumming up. 

A few lengths cuts.

The piece can now be chocked up higher so the blade can turn or it can be turned over and cut from the other side.

The last option is to leave it as it is and use it as seating.

Happy Adventures Nicole, Andrew & Sally Girl

Shipping Containers

We purchased 2 shipping containers from Pambula, they were the only ones who would deliver for a reasonable price. 

$7300 for two 20 foot containers delivered. 

The reason for the containers is we need somewhere to store all our stuff when we get it delivered.

Going form a 4 bed house on 1/2 an acre, to a 1 room cabin on 160 acres. 

Plenty of acres not enough house for all the stuff you accumulate over the years, even though we sold off heaps of stuff before the moving truck arrived.

When the guy got here he said he doesn't complain about stuff but all he did was complain about how far it was from town and how long it took to get here and how bad the road was.

Andrew did tell him but it seems people only hear what they want to hear.

The first shipping container arrived and was placed in just the right spot.

For some reason the guy painted them red.
In our other life red would have been perfect but here in the country a more subdued colour like green or grey would have fit in better.

Instead of driving off the side of the pad the way he came in he attempted to drive up the top.

He got bogged pretty much straight away. Andrew towed him out with Betty, just so he could get stuck in the same spot a second time.

Andrew then towed him back onto the pad so he could go back the way he came in.

Came up to the cabin for a cuppa and morning tea before he left and the complaining continued.

We ended up telling him he didn't have to deliver the second container but he said no, its all work and no use in complaining.

A couple of weeks later he came back with the second container, we tried to put it off as we had had a bit of rain and the paddock was pretty wet.
But he came and guess what got bogged as he drove up top when Andrew told him to drive down low. So Betty pulled him out again.

Unfortunately it was so wet he couldn't get in close enough and it was set down half on and half off the pad.

The reason we wanted them put in a certain place is because we want to put a roof over them so we had a sheltered area in between.

Still more complaints and Betty towed him to firmer ground so he could turn around. Took the rest of the cash and left.

We can get it moved but that is more money that we just don't have to spare.

So we have our containers but we can't have any of our stuff delivered as the ground is just too wet, already had to cancel one delivery date.

Storage is about $300 a month, money we could use else where but we have no choice, we would never be able to tow out a removal truck if it got bogged.

Happy Adventures Nicole, Andrew & Sally Girl

Farm Tour

Using my new video camera, i took a short walk around part of our property.

This whole You Tube business is hard to work out lucky Andrew and Joshua are good at these things.

Early Bird Farm Tour

Happy Adventures Nicole, Andrew & Sally Girl

Levelling the Ground

We have met some really nice people since moving down here and one of them is Jamie, who i call Bobcat Jamie.

We had Jamie come over to make us a flat area for our containers.

Because the ground isn't as hard packed as it could be, we had Jamie park the truck up the road and drive the bob cat on in.

Had the pad dug about 100 metres or so from the house. The ground was a bit soft but he managed to get it done.

Also had Jamie dig us a flat area for the fire pit.

This we will build a stone wall around at sitting hight. Big cooking fire pit in the middle and eventually a pizza oven in one corner.
I think it will make a great gathering area to spend time with friends and family.
Oh and cook some delicious meals.

Now we are accumulating a pile of stones and boulders, cant wait to get started on the wall.

Happy Adventures Nicole, Andrew & Sally Girl

Betty Got Bogged

We have not had too much rain but our place is soo wet, actually its more than wet the ground is very squishy. 

We were told by an old timer that all the water is caused by the frost, it draws up the water from the ground and freezes it, then it melts during the day and just sits there, the whole thing happens again the next night.

We have had frost pretty much every night, it is so thick its like snow on the ground.

Our drive and around the house is so wet that Betty got Bogged.

We tried to pull her out with the buggy and nearly succeed.

Andrew and Joshua got to digging and tried putting pieces of timber under to give her some traction,

All that did was sink her in deeper.

Two of our neighbours dropped in to try to pull her out with their utes. Still stuck and it was getting late and starting to get very cold.

Tomorrow will be another day,

Big frost again, all the ground is frozen and the holes are filled with frozen water.
Dug trenches to get the water to drain.

One of our neighbours Rod came up with a high lift jack and a load of bricks.
Jacked her up at the back and put down bricks, then jacked up the front,
Once all the bricks were down they put on a snatch strap to Rods ute and Betty was freed from the mud.

Now Betty has to be parked up on the hill about 100 metres from the house on hardish ground.

Happy Adventures Nicole, Andrew & Sally Girl

1st day of Winter

First day of winter and we woke up to snow falling at 6 am.

By 11 am it was all melted and sunny.

Happy Adventures Nicole, Andrew & Sally Girl

Country Comfort Hot Showers

We have had a few people ask us about our shower so here is a quick look.

This is a Country Comfort gas hot water system.

These are Australian made and come from Australian Direct and at $299.00 they are not cheap but i can tell you it was well worth the price.

We have one of those fold up shower tents they are great until you have to fold them up that is. 

They are a nightmare, you end up folding/ bending it as much as possible and then shoving it into the bag as quick as possible before it unfolds it self. I suggest you get someone to help you so your not the only one swearing at it.

Other than that they are pretty good as a shower tent, the water drains easy and it has 2 mesh pockets for your soap and shampoo.

I do suggest that you get a couple of those rubber/ foam mats for under it, it will make it a lot softer on your feet especially when you don't notice the rocks and sticks when putting it up.

These tents also double as a loo tent. At $59.00 they aren't cheep but if you need it for more than a few days it is well worth it.

We have used it on a couple of short camp trips and the 42 nights we spent camping at Quidong before we moved to Early Bird Farm, where it is up again and we will use it till we build our wash house.

The Gas shower comes with a shower head that fits through the back window of the shower tent and can hang from the roof with velcro tabs or the hook.

This is a collapsible 100L water tank, we picked these up at anaconda for $40 each 

The top zipps on with a vent at the top.
If we shower together we use about 30L and if we shower separate about 20L each.
Save water and shower with a friend......

The shower also comes with the coil hose and a pump.

We purchased a small battery for $30 to run the water pump.

A 8.5kg gas bottle hooked to the instant hot water system. For the 42 days we camped we used less than a 1/4 of the tank, so its pretty cheap to run.

Now we have a 45kg gas bottle hooked to the hot water system.

With all the frost we have been getting the water freezes in the hose and the knobs on the system freeze up as well, so we cant get our shower until later in the afternoon or at night before it gets too cold.

Today we decided to bring the pump and hoses into the cabin and to cover the water tanks, gas bottle and hot water system, in hopes that we can get a shower in the morning.

But alas a hot shower was not to be.

Cant wait till we build the wash house.

Happy Adventures Nicole, Andrew & Sally Girl