This spot was once a boggy, useless area which bred large quantities of mosquitoes. There was a thicket of unruly privet  bushes and blackberries near the fence. You could only walk around if wearing gumboots. Much of the village's drainage ends up here due to both natural runoff from up hill, artificially created half-done attempts at drainage and leaking septic systems (they don't work properly in heavy clay areas like this). What flows down the drain is often disgusting. There just never seems to be enough funds to sewer little country areas. The authorities talk about it but that's all they do. So... something had to be done about this spot! After some research into plants, (Australian native if possible), that could survive or even appreciate these conditions, a decision was made to try and turn it into something useful and even beautiful if possible.  After a very dry summer spell in 95/96, it was just possible to get a backhoe in to remove the privet - roots and all. Afterwards, a lot of digging was done to create a number of interconnecting ponds (which are full for most of the year) with overflow channels that all drain into the artificial concrete drain which runs across the block and then into the local creek.

The top surface of the soil was covered with a heavy, sticky clay "icing" which wouldn't let anything drain through. When this layer was broken through and drainage trenches dug, it was possible to enable much of the surface water to drain away.  However, the water table was still a couple of inches from the surface. If a hole was dug in the soil beneath the clay "icing", it was no time until it was full of water.  Lots of frogs started breeding after the ponds were formed and the mosquito population declined considerably. < '99. The Ducks foraging in the shade of a large Flax clump and a rapidly growing Paulownia tree. The drake or "Bloke Duck" as he is called is always easy to spot because of his elegant white neck feathers.

In Memorium:  Bloke Duck was killed about mid 2000 when a large dog broke into the duck house. He died defending his ladies who, all but one, survived the horrific attack.   Sadly missed.
Mounds were formed here and there with the material dug from the pond areas so an uneven surface could be created to aid the drainage trench system. Various eucalyptus tube trees: E. Kitsoniana, E.Ovata, E.Cinerea, etc were planted in (hopefully) suitable positions and a number of other plants such as Leptospermum petersonii, Melaleucas: M.alternifolia, M.decussata, M.bracteata, M.hypericifolia, M.styphelioidies, M.linarifolia, and M.Armillaris (also rows planted on the septic evaporation trench area), Callistemons of various types and colours, some Water ferns: Blechnum nudum, Flax, Gunera manicata, Autumn crocus, Brush Cherry- Syzygium australe, Cordyline australis green and purple, Acanthus mollis, Flowering Ash- Fraxinus Griffithii, Causarina Glauca, Paulownia, Canna Lilies, Agapanthus, Willow - Tortuosa (it'll be kept strictly trimmed). Almost all plants survived and are now thriving. The Cannas are going mad and are up to 10' high. The gums are really powering along and the ducks think the whole area is paradise.
When the water table had receeded a bit other plants such as Banksia serrata, Cocos Palm, Washingtonia robusta, Hakea salicifolia were added and are going well. Now it's time to start adding some under-canopy plants. Ideas welcome.
These days the whole area regularly resembles a little amazon jungle, so Graham has to go into battle with a whipper snipper / weed wacker in hand. All the trees and shrubs had to have guards around them so as not to fall victim to the device.
We put down mulch (oak leaves, grass) every autumn and it helps to suppress the weeds that try to grow again in spring.
Now in 2001, it's a lovely place to wander around, sit, meditate - you can't see the outside world from some spots. Birds are now visiting regularly and all sorts of tiny critters are moving in. All in all - it's been a win win situation. We would like to see the rest of the boggy spots in town being turned into places like this - maybe someday others will share our vision.
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