Mar 2011- Let the Recovery Begin

So on begins the weekly trek out to the block. With all the cyclone devastation I cannot find anyone who can work on fixing the driveway and clearing some land. So with newly purchased chainsaw and whipper snipper in hand I begin. The block is a mass of fallen trees so one by one I cut them and drag them to the road side. I soon work out that the car winch is a valuable tool and can be used like a chain to drag several trees at once across the yard.

This goes on for 2- 3 weeks slow but steady progress and by now the council contractor has cleared the road so I can get on. I change where the driveway will go as the cleared block gives a new perspective on slope. My plan is to use the soil cut out from the driveway to cover the fallen trees on the edge of the road to build a bank to try to close of the block a little as it is no longer secluded.

I spend the first night camping in the car it has been a while and get invited to a local BBQ by my neighbour Keith.

Feb 2011 - Finding a new home in Cairns

We drive around and rate them all and find the Regency palms has a sign out the front. This is a huge complex with 300 plus apartments it was a resort that went bust in the Pilots strike in the 90’s.
It has a set of separate apartments out the back with just 12 apartments. We look at one on the second floor and phone back to say we will take it the next day. Just my luck I can’t move in though until the day after Tina leaves. So back to the Caravan park which has the dodgiest cabins ever, cockroaches, bugs, no water for 1 ½ days and the power went off as well.
So its Tuesday and Tina is back to Darwin this will be the longest Tina and I have been apart since we have been together and will be difficult but we are both busy so this may help.
Wednesday comes and I lug everything up to the second floor that was in the Tojo. All is good but I’m tired.
There are lots of things to get done, we get our own PO box in Tully and I get a QLD license. Some car repairs are organised a new exhaust finally with extractors and they certainly make a bit of a difference. Some new tyres for the front and I replace that driver’s seat belt as well.
Before Tina left we arrange some insurance and new bank accounts with Suncorp because we are going to get rid of the NAB. So much to do so little time.
Next job a road Worthy for the Tojo so I can transfer the rego. Well all is good expect for the engine number saga. When we bought it we couldn’t find it and had it restamped, well we cannot find either and I cannot remember where they are. It is so wet in Cairns I cant get under to have another look and have been scratching my brain for a while now. Next option restamp again but need to check the RWC guy will accept this. I finally find the re-stamped one and take it back he is not happy with the standard of it but lets it go through.

Feb 2011 - cyclone Yasi destroys are paradise

Cyclone Yasi destroys our little piece of paradise. After floods in QLD cyclone Yasi hits Mission Beach & Tully and completely destroys our rain forest paradise. But lucky we only have land because that will regrow but the damage to houses and infrastructure is beyond belief. As soon as things settle down a little I will head over for a look.

We get to Tully and can see the devastation and lack of trees left on the mountains. We become very worried about our block but no matter how bad we thought it could be it was worse, much worse. There is not a rain forest tree left every tree is destroyed and the road side foliage is wiped out. We cannot get onto the block as all the fallen trees were cut and pushed into our so called driveway. We wonder around in a daze and are very sad. But at least all we lost was trees.

Jan 2011- Land Purchased

Well step two is completed with the purchase of own little piece of Paradise in Nth Queensland.

2 acres of tropical rain forest 1/2 cleared on the side of a hill overlooking the Tully Valley. A perfect little site to build our dream home, well 4 shipping containers welded together may not quite be our dream home but that's what we are going to build anyway.

Updates coming soon

Sorry for the delay but updates from the container house project are coming soon