From Sea Change to Tree Change

A quintessential Australian scene at Hungry Head Beach

We are slowly getting reacquainted with life back in the bush.  Just as living aboard a sail boat requires a degree of self-sufficiency, so does life on Shamballa.  Both require respect for and living with the capriciousness of Mother Nature.  This is fine but I fear nearly 20 years in the suburbs of Canberra and brutal downsizing four years ago has left us a bit unprepared for land self-sufficiency.

First we had torrential rain with nearly 9 inches within 24 hours.  The creek and river flooded.  We had a mini mudslide behind the workshop which caused water to run into the workshop and over the floor where our unpacked boxes were stored.  

Boggy Creek after the flood

Then a few days later, just 5 days before Christmas, we were hit with a spectacular electrical storm with very strong wind gusts.  The lightning was just amazing.  The whole sky was a massive strobe light with continuous lightning.  Then lights went out and the power remained out for 4 nights and three and one-half days, finally returning about midday on Christmas Eve.  

The strong wind gust knocked down hundreds of huge trees throughout the shire.  Three trees grazed the front of the tractor shed and others blocked some of the internal roads on the property.  Several more narrowly missed some of the houses.  The main Boggy Creek Road had three huge trees lying across the road.  Council was terrific and had these behemoths cleared before 8am.  The main street of Bellingen had a tree across the road and the golf course looked like a hurricane had hit it.  

Bob and Lynne clearing the road

Damage to the tractor shed

Trees down along Boggy Creek Road

   

Trees being cleared from the main street of Bellingen

Along the golf course

The day of the storm we had just done a big grocery shop for Christmas food so the refrigerator and freezer were well stocked when the storm hit in the evening.  Of course we assumed the electricity would return with minimal delay.  After 24 hours I figured I better cook up the thawed meat from the freezer into curries, hoping the spices would help in preservation.  After 48 hours power in the town of Bellingen returned so we could get bags of ice to keep most of our food from spoiling.

We no longer had our camping gear or other alternatives to mains power.  We were still unpacking and the few useful things we might have were buried somewhere in poorly marked boxes.  Or maybe we got rid of them.  We still are trying to figure out what happened to some of our previous possessions.  I fear we may have been a bit too ruthless in our downsizing.  

Bob found an inverter to hook up to the car battery so we could charge our phones, battery packs and Kindles

Meanwhile our son, Pat, had arrived for a 10 day Christmas break the day after the flood.  He had brought along his new fancy computer hoping for a nice relaxing veg out at his parents.  Not only could he get no internet connection with his mobile phone server but then we had no electricity for four days.  His holiday consisted of hauling fallen trees off roads, hacking away the jungle bush, levelling the shipping container and enduring the heat with no fans.  Still we did manage a few nice outings.

Pat with his computer before the electricity went out

Getting internet on Mutton Bird Island

Enjoying the beach, while getting internet, of course

Using the principles of high school physics to level the shipping container

And of course there was the Shamballa Christmas party and annual boules championship.  It was great catching up with old and new members and neighbours.  The company was great, the food delicious and playing boules a lot of fun.

Chowing down at the Christmas party

The boules championship

Meanwhile we have been making acquaintances with some of our non-human neighbours.  On moonlit nights we can see the shadows of wallabies in the yard.  The frogs in the dam set up a deafening croaking every evening and various reptiles come to visit.  Kookaburras, king parrots, azure kingfishers, bower birds, honeyeaters and whip birds twitter, tweet and flit through the trees.

A tree snake on the verandah waiting until dark to catch the frog under the flowerpot

This little fellow has taken up residence in the car port but got himself stuck in a bucket

Such is our life now amongst the green, green bush.