MAJORCA, AUSTRALIA – Barking Owl Creek Farm in the central Victorian goldfields is powered by a solar unit and there is bottled gas for cooking and heating.
There is a Coonara wood heater and ducted gas heating as well as evaporative cooling.
There should be a new term called “extreme gardening” to describe the way the current owners had to confront every challenge nature could throw at them, beginning with the drought, bone dry soil and blazing heat, before having to cope with hail storms, tornadoes, flooding, rabbits and kangaroos.
Seven years later the gardens are flourishing, the once bare ground around their house transformed into a beautiful colourful cottage-style garden, a riot of colours, textures and shapes.
Barking Owl Creek farm ia a 53ha, A$395,000 property that backs on to state forest at Majorca. Its for someone who wants a sustainable, low-impact lifestyle using organic principles for the garden and pastures, renewable energy and an independent water supply. The owners have been growing their own vegies and herbs, have an orchard and keep chooks, and Dorper sheep .
But with the couple moving to Colac for family reasons their little piece of paradise is up for sale.
There are six dams — including one very large one they call the lake — which fill from a creek that runs during wet periods and provides the water for the gardens and stock. Most of the property is cleared and about a quarter is still in bush.
The house is a two-bedroom weatherboard, all recently renovated with country kitchen, living room, polished floorboards, bathroom and mud-room with shower.
There are fenced yards for the sheep, alpacas, ducks and hens, three 23,000-litre tanks plus further tanks for house and garden.
There is a variety of sheds for farm machinery and cars.
The farm is 7km from Talbot and 14km from the centre of Maryborough.