16/01/2026
Work begins in earnest after a severe storm in September, wreaked havoc on our peaceful haven.
Sadly, a lot of vegetation and natives had to be removed so the fallen poplar could be pulled out of the duckpond. It had crashed through the deck, completely destroying it. 😢
Next up was replacing the overflow drain to the pond, which another tree had ruptured, and then a new swale dug at the edge of the cottage garden to divert excess water running off the paddocks away from the cottage.
The new over-water deck and cabin repairs should be completed by the end of Feb, then it’s lots of re-planting and patience whilst the whenua breathes a sigh of relief and comes back to life. 😍