Time to downsize
It’s just the the three of us now — two humans and one dog — in a home designed for a family. While the home is low maintenance and designed so that we could age-in-place for many years to come, it still feels like more than we need.
We also realise how lucky we have been to live here and how few people get to experience living in a comfortable, healthy, easy home. We know all too well what most Canberra homes are like — we have lived in 15 different ones between us over the years! Jenny has also visited and tested many hundreds more. Sadly, nothing shocks her these days but she is constantly reminded of how much improvement is needed in the housing sector.
This was our first ever, new home and the only house we’ve lived in that had been designed for Canberra’s climate. It’s time for another group of people to experience living in a well-designed, climate-resilient, energy-efficient and comfortable home. It’s also time for others to enjoy the fabulous surrounds — Mt Stromlo and the Molonglo River corridor are delightful areas to explore.
We are a little sad but mainly very proud of the sustainable sanctuary we have created on this little patch of bare ground. We have shared it with with approximately 1,300 people in-person, and many hundreds more virtually, over the last six years. We know it has inspired many people (they’ve been kind enough to tell us) and we hope it will continue to do so. The articles, webinars, videos, photos, info on our website will all remain.
What next for us?
We are downsizing to a 1 bedroom + multipurpose room apartment in the city where we will only need one car (occasionally) and mainly get around on foot or by e-bike. We’re walking-our-talk and opting for an even lower carbon lifestyle.
Jenny is also becoming more and more passionate about the need for high quality medium density housing to help solve the major crises of availability and affordability. While our next home is an example of high, rather than medium, density it still gives us the chance to better practice what we are preaching (and for Jenny to be closer to the local and federal governments who she will continue to lobby on a variety of housing topics).
Watch out for Jenny zipping around the lake on her e-bike wearing her Light House t-shirt or hoodie. She may be off to the Light House office in Fyshwick, meetings with government reps, the Institute of Architects, Masters Builders Association or Housing Industry Association (Light House is a member of all three industry organisations) or board meetings of the two fabulous not-for-profit organisations she is involved with — CraftACT and the Conservation Council ACT Region. From a central city location Jenny hopes she’ll have a little more time for relaxing ( ie. visiting the CraftACT shop and gallery!)… so that she has more energy for “pushing” for better housing for everyone.
Zac is looking forward to walks by the lake and around his mum’s favourite building, the Shine Dome, and getting to know every student at ANU as we walk across campus to the National Botanic Gardens. Black Mountain will be our new mountain.
