The Last Cut is the Deepest

Before - trees taking over driveway

Bella inspect the work

We have been scrambling to get a few projects finished before summer. Once summer hits it will be 40 degree days, rain, and leeches. We want to be in a position where a quick mow of the lawns and some feeding of the animals are all that needs to be accomplished - the rest will be eating, and drinking beer from the tap.

Let there be light

From the beginning we knew the driveway needed some attention. The driveway has been cut into a hill with nothing but Mother Nature to retain the exposed bank. Along one side of the driveway Jacaranda trees and Hibisticius bushes have been planted - when they flower it is fantastic. However native trees have been allowed to grow too close to the exposed bank blocking the light and forcing the bushes/trees to grow in weird shapes, while creating mould on the plants. While one would think the trees growing along the bank would retain the bank, you would be wrong. The trees fall into the driveway once they get too big and cause even more erosion. So we basically knew that at some stage the native trees along the bank needed to be cut down leaving about 1 metre clear along the bank.

The trees start growing

Myles and I started on a weekend and made some fantastic progress. The driveway is about 500 metres long and we cut 100 of them. Using a chainsaw and handcutters we freed the good trees and removed the lantana strangling the area. The naive ferns will be allowed to grow along the bank greening everything up. I was still pumped the next day so got some help to continue down the driveway. Myles was working in the office so hired externally. We both ripped the guts out of the driveway and finished another 300 metres. To say we were both stuffed was an understatement - I slept well that night. There is only another 100 metres to go but I think we will wait for the RFS to complete a burn off in the area.

But the good trees and the sheep are enjoying a bit more sunlight.