Trouble with Neighbours

This morning we were paid a visit by the Newcastle Local Council - Ray Brylynsky -and one of the members of his team.  Apparently my neighbour has called the General Manager of the Newcastle Council about a little wood platform I have at the rear of my backyard for my daughters.  After seven years all of a sudden it now has to go.  And this was a response within hours of the vexatious complaint being raised in the first place.

That's funny - things like this usually take weeks if not months to process - I wonder why this little matter was suddenly so important to be dealt with in hours and then by the two head honchos?

For sure we have built a little 8 x 4 foot platform in the reserve - it is a delightful little stage for the children to dance upon - but for Newcastle Council to send out two big head honchos within hours of receiving a complaint is quite unnerving.  I wonder who knows who - or who has a connection somewhere along the line.

It will be interesting to see how this progresses.  I have planted dozens of native plants and grasses throughout the reserve as a firebreak and animal shelters too.  I wonder if they have to go?

Garden Ideas Australia

I apologise for the break in transmission, but as they say in the classics, life had other plans.
Here are some images I took today of the garden and the chickens - early summer, everything in full growth mode, it is a pleasure to out amongst it.  Interestingly, I took down the leaf blower I was given as a Christmas present in 2011.  Today was only the second time I have used it (I hate the bloody noise and sweeping is far more meditative) and it blew all the leaf litter off the gravel paths so it looks amazingly neat.

Our friendly mini-dinosaurs

 The chickens are maintaining the firebreak from the bush reserve diligently, and supplying us with an abundance of eggs.  Just have to find the new hidey hole they pick every now and then before the eggs go funny - and in this heat it isn't long.

Australian Red Cedar

 I have planted nineteen or so Australian Red Cedar, and they are emerging as leggy elegant canopy builders that will offer that rainforest sun blockout over the coming years. 
They have such delicate leaf arrays and it is simply peaceful to watch them bending and bowing with the breeze.

The Backyard Platform

 The backyard platform was a new addition over the last year or so and is made from wood recycled from the front fence, so the floor has a 25 year old patina that is lovely for soft children's feet to walk on. 

More importantly, the raised element of the design spontaneously inspires children to perform "shows" - and I have spent many a weekday afternoon idly watching one of my daughters singing at the top of her voice and twirling on her toes.

Succulent Groundcover

I sourced this groundcover from the beach regeneration sites along the Merewether to Bar Beach stretch.  It is apparently a native (more on this later) and is planted along steeper erosion prone sections of the garden.  It has a spiky purple/pink flower in the sun, but just the deep green of the leaves is a welcome change to leaf litter and bare earth.

Crucially, the succulent is not palatable for the mini-dinosaurs, so they leave it alone and let it performs it's role stabilising the verges and exposed earth.

The dinosaurs at work

Thanks for staying with me, we have been busy doing other things unfortunately, but I have everything back in order and we are ready to share with you the progress in the garden.  Here's to more sharing our adventure...