Spring has arrived and the fruit trees look great.

We have long wanted to put an access track across the eastern side of the farm so now is the time to get it done.

It's mid July 2019 and we take the car on the ferry across Bass Strait for a ten day vacation to the mainland visiting family and friends.

We follow the coast along the Great Ocean Road, staying at Warnambool and Robe.

 

At Mannum we watched an old paddle steamer come into dock.

 Crossing the River Murray at Swan Reach on the punt to have lunch at the hotel on the cliff.

Now, watch out these guys are tough, check this out, daughter Kelly and grand daughters Molly and Frankie ready for anything.

 Grand daughter Molly just got a new pony, "Bubbles", and is keen to take her for a spin.

Frankie age 11 (on the left ) delivering a massive left hook to an opponent that is ten years older, cop this...."bring it on". 💪

 A common event on our travels is the sight of Kangaroos and Emus, but sometimes difficult to get close enough for a good photo.

( You might need to look closely.) 

 But our friend Peter has pet Kangaroos, even in the house, and then after pushing the cat off, this one got on the lounge. haha 

On the return journey we saw these amazing paintings of a possum and and King Fisher at Rochester in Victoria.

 And this wonderful cod.

June 2019 and we host "Define" ( Jiahao ), a 25 year old and recent graduate in Global Trade from Xi'an in northern China.

He had 2 weeks with us just before returning home to his girlfriend and to begin a working life.

We begin with removing some problem trees in a windbreak line.

Define mixes concrete for fixing posts in a new fence.

 Like most of our backpackers Define, came with us to the cattle sales.

On a day trip we stop to see the water mill at Deloraine.

Define  moves steers quietly down to another paddock.

It's Saturday and we are on our way to have coffee but we stop to see the river on a  beautiful morning at Launceston Seaport during a heavy frost.

It's April and Nick a young Canadian Brick layer and Stone Mason from Montreal has arrived to help us for the next 2 weeks before rejoining his girlfriend to travel around Australia.

One of the first jobs is to help pick up some cattle from a friend who no longer is able to manage them, but this goat wants to come along too...haha

Winter is on the way and it's time again to stack the wood shed

The wood is all in now so we begin to install a new gate in a paddock, don't stop Nick, there is only another 40 holes to dig, did I say 40, I meant 4.

This afternoon we took "Rover" to the beach for a run.

On a day trip to the east coast they are pulling in salmon and perch at Bicheno.

It's been a very dry season so Nick helps me to carry the pump back down to the dam so we can refill the stock tanks. And 'Rover" watches the Platypus.

Its mid February 2019 and as the logging company is working in the area it's an ideal time to push over some problem trees up here.

And this big River Gum contracted a fungus that killed it very quickly about 2 years ago and became a danger to the cattle.

"Thar she goes"

In September 2018, Sam (19) from Colorado USA arrived for a two week stay with us. He is part way through an overseas adventure before returning home possibly to continue some study.

On the first day here we picked up a ton of fertiliser and then Sam loads it into the spreader.



 

   Today after a check of the boundary we find a tree has fallen across the fence so we get in and cut it away, clear the branches and repair the fence.

It's Saturday night and Sam demonstrates his pizza base making technique, and he has got it pretty right too.

Back to work reloading the bale feeder. 

Oh, Nike work boots, sorry Sam I should have warned you :)

Sam begins digging post holes for a new paddock fence.

Oh! another guinea pig, , sorry, I mean satisfied customer. :)

Bringing in some steers for periodic back lining.

An old Blackwood tree is broken up for fire wood.

These mixed breed heifers get some dry feed.