Surf up? - Cotton Tree

The wonders of modern technologies: surfing without waves. Well if you've got the spare cash for a Lift efoil that is? You'll need to trade-in your very new small car to afford this one.

Australia Day at Cotton Tree

Yep finished all the fences and headed for the coast. Aussies do it at the beach: celebrate that is. A lovely sea breeze is keeping the temperature to around 30c, nice.

Finishing the job.

Back to finish the last of the farm fences after the Woolooga Fires. BlazeAid is staying on a farm at Sexton, east of Woolooga, and should finish the last fences in the next few days.

It's not a bad gig; we are a small group camped in a really nice location with views, an afternoon breeze and a pool to cool off in. It's informal and enjoyable with good food and good company.

The last jobs are the leftovers, the hard or hilly stuff. But the challenge is rewarding as usual. So winding up and packing up is in progress as we do the odds and sods.

Sunrise with mist in the valley. The view from my window.

A farmer offers to store our trailers. But look what else he has!

Now that's a quick way to roll out a new fence.

Back to Woolooga Fires

The Woolooga camp was going to close on the 25th of November. But then a farmer offered his assistance with a place to relocate to.

After six weeks at the camp, this was a good time for me to take a break. So I'm back to Maroochydore to do all the stuff that backs up whilst being away. A couple of weeks later and I'm at a loose end. So headed back to do some fencing, for just for a few days, before Xmas.

Anyway, a fencing job falls through and we are at a loose end for a day. Offered an unusual job; 'can you get an old Komatsu D85e dozer out of a boggy spot on a farm?'. Nup, no experience with that. But hey that never stopped us before. A new experience... up for that? You bet!

Recent rain and the bottom of a very steep gully were the main issues. Lots of old sleepers were gobbled up under the dozer tracks before things got serious and tree trunks were chained into the tracks of the dozer. The dozer had heaps of power, just needed something to grab on to. Having a tractor and backhoe on hand also helped.

So yep, you got to love BlazeAid. Always a new experience to be had. You just need to stick your hand up.

Backing down to drop off the sleepers.

Yeah right!  

But persistence pays off.

Woolooga Fires - Lower Wonga Camp

After six weeks we are still working to lock up this one large property. It's very big and got hit hard. So hard it's best and quickest to just repair some fences at this stage. The bottom two wires are the worst off along most of the fences. Other fences are so bad there is no alternative but to rip them up. Where trees have fallen on the fence it's a case of doing whatever needs doing. Lots of chainsaw work every day. 'Do what you can where you can, we need to muster the cattle'. But the stockyards need lots of attention as well.

Before the fire and with the drought conditions some were bringing in feed for their cattle. Then the fire burns what little grass there was. Now the lack of fences is preventing the regular farm jobs like drenching. Mustering requires fences and yards.

Anyone with hay to sell can name their price. A lot of hay has been shipped out west by various charities, so just getting some is tricky let alone paying the price.