With the beach SO close by...

Its important to take time relax, enjoy, and contemplate…

and when you’re done with that — there is always people watching and pondering that next wave!

Big move done -- now about that U-Haul...

Earlier in the month we moved thousands of Bromeliads and Frangipanis with a U-Haul cage trailer. It was a quite handy to load, close and go — and since we had some square steel and parts from several trailers — Brett decided to make a trailer with the parts. An even better, more versatile version than we had hired — our’s will be a flatbed trailer with removable cage with a fold down ramp to allow transport of bikes, mowers and easier loading (without stepping up each time).

 

So the frame was done (with Jaffa stopping by to check my welds regularly!) Thank goodness for the shelter between the containers — as we’ve had regular showers and some hot sunny days too! (Thanks again Lockie! ;<)

The trailer which was the inspiration is behind the ute and here the new frame has been painted and ready for decking.

Here we are a week later, all finished and regularly used. The top of the cage corners are extended to allow long things to be carried — and it already worked a treat for new stormwater pipe and long timber. Not bad for a few hundred $ in new mesh an a new LED light kit!

Storm season, don't forget!

While Summer is full of sunny warm days and thriving plants — we too have storms.

BIG STORMS — the most severe part (in magenta near Cooroy) is directly above us. I was out dancing in the rain!

We got over 40mm (near 2 inches) of much needed rain overnight. This is the garden area the next day…

The creek in the canyon flows for several days after each down pour and revitalises all.

A new orchard and ole friends

Jaffa and Nick return from Frank’s Lookout after watering new trees.

While the past week had been full of massive projects — we still took time to enjoy lunch with Hoppy and Lyn visiting from Sydney.

We’ve started work on large arc shaped orchard above the Spring.

It took a day to slash and we finally got rid of the Johnson Grass stand above the Spring. We also cleared a new area for a new citrus orchard and road side tree preserve.

It took two days for Nicholas and I to dig the 65 holes for the orchard. When finished, I dug another 10 for new citrus trees and got them in place.

Caroline helped mulch the new citrus and existing trees with the heaps of cut grass.



The next day, after Nicholas and Caroline departed, Philip and I planted near 100 Frangipanis in the new orchard in a single day. WHEW! It was hot, tiring, but fulfilling work.

A different perspective...

Nicholas and Caroline (a couple helping from San Francisco) had a drone and took some great photos.



The grass is green yet you can see the new Frangipani orchard from above as well as our garden and structures.



The picture above is our view to the North East and the one below from nearby Tinbeerwah Lookout looking back South over the Noosa Botanical Garden and adjoining Lake McDonald.



While looking at amazing views and speaking of different perspectives… I’d like to share what Nicholas and Caroline are doing. Just a few months ago they were married in Hawaii and now they are travelling the Asia Pacific region volunteering on projects that help people across the region. They have established a non-profit charity called Elemental Affairs which is dedicated to raising awareness of global issues by fostering the development of self-sustaining communities.

Here is a YouTube video of what they're up to:

I encourage you to support their efforts in fostering a more sustainable world check out their website.

THANKS Elemental Affairs for helping with our projects here at YUNDA and for being an inspiration for our own foundation CentroProEco.Org — we share a vision, have achieved much working together, and now cherish them as friends. Best wishes for great success!

Many hands make light(er) work!

Nicholas and Caroline expected to help with our permaculture operation — while we did do a bit, we still had many things to move (thanks again for great photos Caroline)…

It’s always great to re-use materials and the axle and hitch from an abandoned trailer will become our new fire and watering cart and the barb wire perhaps a new pen for Jackie the ass.

Phillip retained some of his collection for his new place in Pomona — yet we still had many plants remaining.

What a wonderful place to work!

Jaffa and the Monitor Lizard (a.k.a. Goanna) scrap

Since we’ve been here there have been several Monitor Lizards prowling about. Sometimes I catch them eating eggs from the chicken coop, other times they just crawl by.

This is among the larger ones we have at near 2 metres or over 5 feet long. I was working from the Canyon Cabin as it crawled by.

Just days later, Jaffa heard it and chased after it… sadly, Jaffa came out poorly having a bad cut on his front leg and large bite wound on his back leg.

But, as always, Jaffa is undeterred — he still runs about and smiles always. He had to wear the collar for a week and get 8 or so steel sutures removed a week later.

Landscaping project kicks off

Phillip and I are now growing bromeliads and frangipanis. Though his plants have been moved many times before — with Phillip leaving Cooran for Pomona — it was time to settle them into a permanent home… we couldn’t be happier having them here at YUNDA.

This is us bright eyed and full of energy after the first of near 20 loads of bromeliads… we moved thousands in a few days.

Many thanks to Caroline (from San Francisco, who came to help with her husband Nicholas) for such great photos of just a few of our many bromeliads… What a transformation over a week!

Wonderous property above Cooran

We often wondered what the silver building in a clearing above Mount Cooran we always see from Forest Lodge and the FAV…

Lucky for us — we met the owner Phillip some time ago and often visit and enjoy a look back toward our place.

It has the most powerful view from Noosa Beach all the way around past Gympie (likely 300 degrees of the region down below his 300 metre elevation).

View from our place above and back towards us from his below.

Not to miss are the sunrises and sunsets which are stellar!

Finally, and not least, is Jackie the donkey who is very popular with the locals!