Rebuilding at Wheoh in the Warrumbungles after bushfire

Most recent video: shedding(3:25 mins) February 2023

On Sunday, 12th January 2013, a bushfire (named Wambelong) escaped from the Warrumbungle National Park. It swept through Wheoh, burning plants, wildlife and the 36 year old hand-made house built on a small sandstone rise among scribbly gums (E. rossii). The impact on our family and Wheoh is most eloquently expressed by my daughter, Bonnie, in two of her own blog posts: In Memoriam (15th January 2013) and The Lonely Bones (19th January 2013).

Our family, as well as visitors, were accustomed to recording thoughts in hand-written journals (dating back to 1975). Sadly, the volume covering the years 2011-2013 was lost in the fire as well as a memory painting (above). Earlier volumes, removed in anticipation of the fire, have now been returned. In July 2013, I began the process of rebuilding and more volumes are being shelved. This, more fire proof and publicly accessible record, consists of 3 minute videos with occasional written posts. It's an attempt to capture the resilience of a fire ecology for family, friends, and anyone attracted to the serenity of reclusion, self-sufficiency and the process of making things out of what comes to hand. If I have a guiding principle it's a sense of gratitude that nothing lasts, is finished, or is perfect.

Thoughts on my own sense of belonging In Place and in The Story of the Stone. In 2019, drought records were broken with a mere 167.6 mm annual rainfall (average 600 mm). See 100 years of data 1886-2020.

Links to short videos

  1. shedding(3:25 mins) February 2023
  2. A shed of one's own #4 (3:25 mins) December 2022
  3. A shed of one's own #3 (3:25 mins) October 2022
  4. A shed of one's own #2 (3:25 mins) September 2022
  5. A shed of one's own (3:25 mins) July 2022
  6. Steps (3:25 mins) April 2022
  7. Visits (3:25 mins) November - December 2021
  8. Space in place (3:25 mins) August 2021
  9. Ideas (3:25 mins) July 2021
  10. Rain and rats (3:25 mins) March 2021
  11. Vale Peter Thompson (3:25 mins) December 2020
  12. Metal work (3:25 mins) June 2020
  13. Self-isolating (3:25 mins) March 2020
  14. Jack's ironbark bed (3:25 mins) December 2019
  15. Framing up a making place (3:25 mins) September 2019
  16. Sights and sounds (3:25 mins) July 2019
  17. Pouring a slab (3:25 mins) May 2019
  18. Stainless tank with Jim and Tao (3:25 mins) March 2019
  19. Falling aquifers and tanks (3:25 mins) December 2018
  20. Drought - water for wildlife (3:25 mins) September 2018
  21. Bed with kurrajong coffee (3:25 mins) May 2018
  22. Hopes & dreams (3:25 mins) January 2018
  23. Walls and fences (3:25 mins) November 2017
  24. Track making (3:25 mins) August 2017
  25. Walling and painting (3:25 mins) May 2017
  26. Termites and bookshelves (3:25 mins) April 2017
  27. Doors and drawers (3:25 mins) March 2017
  28. Rain, mist and a day bed (3:25 mins) September 2016
  29. Composting toilet (3:25 mins) April 2016
  30. Bookshelves and columns (3:25 mins) February 2016
  31. Spring tank and steps (3:25 mins) August 2015
  32. House Warming (3:25 mins) May 2015
  33. Family Easter (3:25 mins) April 2015
  34. Mixing bowl basin (3:25 mins) March 2015
  35. Water tank (3:23 mins) 4th February 2015
  36. Ends and edges (3:25 mins) 27th December 2014
  37. Verandah (3:23 mins) 30th September 2014
  38. Timor Valley community declares itself Gasfield Free (3:36 mins) 17th September 2014
  39. How to make a wood-fired oven with a hot water system (collated guide) (3:25 mins) 5th August 2014
  40. Shelter before snow (3:24 mins) 29th July 2014
  41. Wallaroos released into the Warrumbungle wilds (3:26 mins) 18th June 2014
  42. Windows and doors (3:25 mins) 30th May 2014
  43. Father and son (3:26 mins) 30th April 2014
  44. Workshop-studio (3:25 mins) 30th March 2014
  45. Confederacy of birds (3:25 mins) 13th February 2014
  46. Drought and heat (3:25 mins) 30th January 2014
  47. Oven warming (3:25 mins) 15th December 2013
  48. Oven dome (3:27 mins) 18th November 2013
  49. Oven base (3:25 mins) November 2013
  50. Stone wall (3:25 mins) October 2013
  51. Spring resilience (3:20 mins) September 2013
  52. Settling in (3:25 mins) August 2013
  53. Arriving (3:21 mins) August 2013
  54. Never take a tap for granted (3:16 mins) April 2013
  55. Burnt out by bush fire (3:25 mins) January 2013
  56. Wheoh dawn before the fire (3:24 mins) November 2012
  57. Replacing the top casement window (3:51 mins) April 2012

Links to written pieces

  1. Bushfire-ravaged communities take future into own hands - 28th January 2020 [published in Independent Australia (IA)]
  2. In Place 21st September 2018 [published in Dark Sky Dreamings ed. Merrill Findlay 2019]
  3. How Barnaby Joyce contaminates my drinking water - 12th February 2018 [published in Independent Australia (IA)]
  4. Anniversary 12 months - 12th January 2014
  5. oven base (26th September - 8th November 2013)
  6. workshop (6th - 26th September 2013)
  7. level (27th August 2013 - 6th September 2013)
  8. mail box (22th - 27th August 2013)
  9. shelter and stillness (12th - 22nd August 2013)
  10. arriving (5th - 12th August 2013)