Yes the eastern states have been copping it. Snow etc, I am not a fan of cold. In the west has not been as bad, just a bit of a whinger when I think how cold you guys have had it, even Brisbane. I am waiting for those new solar panels with battery storage capacity (tesla) to come down in price in the next few years, before we retire I would like to have them in and paid for.

It will probably cost a couple of grand to get a good arborist in to remove the tree, the big cost is labour as they will climb the tree and if the only access is though the house it will have to be cut into small enough chunks to manhandle. Depending on your local council, if there is a tree preservation ordinance you may need a permit to remove a mature tree. This may include an arborist's report stating the tree is dangerous. However a good arborist may be able to give it a haircut and save it.

Hello Jane! I work for an architectural firm (I am a postgraduate architecture student) in Canberra that specialises in small, smart and sustainable homes. Our homes similarly achieve around the 8 star mark - your 8.2 is going to be so comfortable! Fireplaces are a tough one, and I am still torn! If your architect is legitimately across the energy performance spectrum, they will/should have had this discussion with you: in Canberra the heating load required for homes greatly outweighs the cooling load. While they are beautiful and satisfy our comfort and sentimental values, often fireplaces in homes of this performance (7+ stars) are overkill (heating-wise). This being said, I grew up with a wood fire, and love the atmosphere they bring, so it's a tough one! The 'overheating' can be managed through careful zoning and ventilation through your beautiful double glazed windows in 'tilt' mode. Unfortunately furniture layout is the least of your concerns in this situation! In homes of this performance, the building envelope is very well sealed (ie minimal to no gaps connecting inside to outside). As you know, fire requires oxygen intake to fuel the flames. With a fireplace like this, in the centre of the room and (presumably) open, the interior oxygen will be the first to burn. Essentially, a fireplace in a home like this will need an external source of oxygen, or it will go out and leave you all a little lightheaded. This, or extensively open up your home when the fire is burning (which seems a little counter-intuitive). My professional advice is to mirror the lounge room: move the fireplace to area A, with an external oxygen source. Room 'zoning' through clever placement of rugs, dining tables, lounges and half-height joinery can give structure to open plan situations and soften the tendency of these spaces to feel cavernous. Please don't hesitate to ask any further advice - always happy to help!

I would not render - it is a huge undertaking with that height and slope, and won't improve the proportions. The problem is not the choice of brickwork, it is the design, the flatness and the height of the front elevation. From the street it doesn't look like you can actually see the roof, due to the height, which is not even the original colour, so there isn't much of a reason to match with something that you can't easily see. I would look at extending the roof to make an eave, and consider a porch or verandah to the front door to break up the blockiness of the gable end, and also provide some weather protection to the front entry. This will give your house a more human scale, and a better sense of entry. It will be cheaper than scaffolding and render, and will improve the functionality and appearence of your home from your street. Rendering a house of this style shows a lack of imagination and it will always look like an apology for a 1970's home. Work with what you have, rather than trying to make it something else it will never be. Best of luck, Dr Retro of Dr Retro House Calls