Smallholding down under - bushfires, brown snakes but satisfying

Janice Houghton-Wallace looks at living off the land in Australia

- Janice Houghton-Wallace

Since moving from the UK six months ago I have been fortunate to meet up with people who enjoy living the country life in Australia. Yes, there are big cities on the coasts and wild desolate areas in the middle of this vast country, along with big cattle and sheep stations but there are also many areas of land where people live and work on a smaller scale, rearing their animals and growing their own food.

One such lady is Meaghan Williams, who lives in Koetong, the ‘high country’ of northern Victoria, close to the border with New South Wales. Australia is such a large country that there are different climates ranging from similar to the UK to tropical, as well as different time zones. The Murray River Valley area where Koetong sits is 600 metres above sea level and the weather is hot and dry with vegetation burning off for only one month of the year, as opposed to other areas. The environment is therefore quite green and not dissimilar to mountainous areas of the UK. There is a two-and-a-half-month growing season for fruit and vegetables, including apples, chestnuts and olives.

OFF-GRID LIVING IN A HAND-BUILT RECYCLED HOUSE

Ten years ago Meaghan and her partner Bren bought the property which had been handbuilt from recycled materials by the previous owner. It is off grid with solar panels producing electricity for heat and hot water and only bottled gas needing to be bought for cooking purposes. The land extends to 160 acres but much of this is bushland. With some open pasture land Meaghan introduced sheep for her wool production business. She had Merino, Border Leicester X Merino and Corriedale (Lincoln longwool X Merino).