We made our own little tree change last September! We haven’t moved too far but the benefits are numerous. We previously lived on a residential block in Bli Bli on the Sunshine Coast and have our own business. As we rapidly outgrew our house and block we decided to move to acreage. Hubby always wanted at least 5 acres but a reality check with a small family and business to run saw us purchasing a 2 acre block with a 6 year old house with 5 bedrooms which needed some titivation and TLC !, just on the outskirts to the Sunshine Coast main hub and about 15 mins in to the best beaches in Queensland.
By contrast to the busy coast, Glenview is a very leafy and quiet little spot just off the highway heading into the Sunshine Coast. We have inherited 4 chickens who came along with the house, TAJ Mahal chook house , plenty of trees to climb and room for two girls to run and ride their bikes, a fort and cubby house as well. We are 20 minutes drive to school which some consider long but compared to the big smoke and living in Brisbane its been worth it. We made a purchase of a little kubota tractor vs a ride on mower as we have plenty of landscaping projects to do and it mows the acreage in less time. We built a 5 bay shed in December and work is starting on painting inside soon. The neighbourhood is filled with kids on similar acreage blocks and a friendly horse called Chadwick pops his head over the fence for a pat often and a nibble of licorice. Birds and ducks visit and plenty of green tree frog croak along at night.
We have lots to do here but love it already, walls to paint and gardens to make , I would never go back to the ‘burbs’ my friends joke that my hubby and I are like the couple out of the english show The Good Life – Tom and Barbara!!. The kids have never been dirtier and happier and as your previous reader said plenty of home grown produce available locally. Anyway will pop in a few pics of our recent purchase. Its a work in progress !
Cecily !
This sounds like a fantastic way to raise your kids. I said something similar when Corrie first mentioned that she was trying for a tree change but growing up on a farm I would never change it for anything. You don’t get the same freedom in the city or the ‘burbs as you do in the country (or acreage in this case).
Sophie xxx
yes as soon as my kids get onto acreage they are running away from us!!!!!!!
hi Cec, as soon as I saw the title I knew it would be you
sounds like you guys are loving it, heaps of room for the girls to roam free.
Michelle
(Zoe’s mum)
hahaha love that:)
hee hee you love retromummy too Michelle !
Oh I love this! It sounds like heaven to me. Away from the built up city but not too far away, space to call your own and for your kids to roam free. Plus chickens! You cannot beat fresh eggs!!! Wonderful to hear these stories of people making the move. It only makes me want to do it more!!!! Thanks for sharing.
so glad you’re enjoying them! I can’t wait to have chickens and I think the kids will love them:)
Loving these stories, we are about to move 25 minutes away to 1.2 acres, and are looking forward to having more space , a few chooks and space to grow some vegies, and a large craft room to work in. Very inspiring to read what motivates other people to make the change. We are just looking forward to having grandchildren come and spend time on our semi rural block.
how wonderful Susan! I bet they will love it, our kids are so funny and whenever we go to look at a house on acreage or a big backyard our kids are showing the other prospective buyers how great the yard is. At one place the yard was on a slope and our guys were rolling down the hill…..it was so funny:)
Ah yes the beautiful Sunshine Coast. Close to so much. It’s our playground. Local produce especially Cooloola and Maleny Milk, the beach, good shopping, great restaurants and wonderful fresh sea breezes and still close enough to Brisbane if needed.
A word on chooks….I was extremely envious when our neighbours got their first chickens until they allowed them free range and they destroyed their suburban block! They used to inherit them annually from the local school after Easter but fortunately they also have a farm.
Ah yes the beautiful Sunshine Coast. Close to so much. It’s our playground. Local produce especially Cooloola and Maleny Milk, the beach, good shopping, great restaurants and wonderful fresh sea breezes and still close enough to Brisbane if needed.
Thanks for sharing Cecily.
A word on chooks Corrie……I was extremely envious when our neighbours got their first chickens until they allowed them free range and they destroyed their suburban block! They used to inherit them annually from the local school after Easter but fortunately they also have a farm.