Well - what did this block look like?

So glad you asked. It has a 10+ degrees slope, it was cleared to some extent at the top and thick with trees surrounded by a deep layer of Karri leaf and bark litter at the bottom.

What we did not know at the time of purchase was the extent and length of time it would take to clean the block up and make it as fire safe as possible.

For a few months though, it was left to it's own devices until my Mother passed away in March 2008.

The beginning!

Sometime in 2007, Michelle I and were on the way into Denmark after a surf at Ocean Beach, 60kms to the west of Albany in Western Australia where we live.

One the way there, I had been discussing with her the housing issues a friend of ours was currently having. A solution I had suggested, involved the purchase of a block of land anywhere really, mainly as a fall back living situation for the future, so he at least had somewhere to park a caravan or erect a shed to live in.

Spontaneously, we decided to look at what might be available in Denmark and our enquiries led to a very reasonably priced 1300+sqm north facing sloping block on a well but not overly established Weedon Hill (locally known as "Fire Hill" and there will be more words on that topic later!).

At the time Michelle, owned a house in Mount Lockyer in Albany but was considering getting rid of it as she was not keen on the idea of ever living there. As is her way, an on the spot decision was made to purchase the Denmark block and that was the catalyst for the eventual creation and completion of "The Surf Shack" in 2009.

This blog constitutes the story of that successful journey and it's associated trials and tribulations.