Air condition is called aircon, the combo air conditioner & heaters that you hang high on a wall are called swingers. Countertops are called benches, yards are called a gardens, closets-wardrobe, bonus room-rumpus room, hardwood floors or any wood is called timber. Living in the country is living in the Bush. Carpenters are called a Chippy, electrician -Sparky, brick layer-bricky, plumber-dunny driver. Downtown is called CBD. Neighbor is spelled neighbour. If a room is painted and decorated in updated colors & pattens they are called “Fresh”. If a house is updated in higher end-sophisticated materials it’s called “smart”. Fittings-are basically light fixtures, plumbing fixtures, appliances. Color is spelled colour. Picture rails are still pretty common. Queenslander-is a traditional style of home in Queensland that has a bungalow/Victorian/country/cottage feel. “security screens” are popular on windows & doors-which is a metal lattice. Full fences around your property are also popular.

Whatever you do never plant a gum! They have no place in suburban areas! The sooner the council realises that these trees kill people the better! We have had two gum trees fall on the back of our house now, one in 2012 and one in 2014. We are so lucky that myself, my husband, three children, three dogs, five Guinea pigs, two parrots and one bearded dragon were not injured. It's just a miracle not once but twice! I still don't know how we escaped unharmed. The gums do not have a stable root system and they grow very shallow, they get to the point where they just fall over. And the scary thing is they fall silently. They are not called 'Widow Makers' in the bush for no reason. I like the Tuckeroo tree, not sure of scientific name. They grow with a straight trunk and keep their foliage in a straight and symmetrical line along the bottom and grow hiding their branches. Essentially they look like a large mushroom. They are green all year too. I think they get to about 6 metre or ten if they have to reach for the sun.

I often think it would be better for comments to be ordered newest to oldest, rather than having to go the end to see newest comment. I always read from the bottom (beats eyes in the back of your head!) up until I get to the last comment from yesterday. By the way @Luke Buckle still waiting to know where that pool is????

having done the same thing many years ago i can make the following suggestions: ...have a good all weather drive and parking area for a crowd of house builders and visitors before the house is built, plan for a fenced off dam to attract wildlife that can be viewed from the house, if you have any slopes reseach "haha" for dividing areas, your local council or Agricultural dept should be able to advise plants native to the area, concentrate on trees and big shrubs (planted in groups and heavily mulched) before you worry about garden beds, invest in perfect planting holes with plastic tree guards and an irrigation system (even a plastic bottle of water upside down next to the new planting will help) invest in some basic fencing tools and start dividing the property into separate areas for specific purpose, starting with a house paddock small enough to mow with a domestic mower, keep the majority of trees and big shrubs outside the house paddock a good fire break away from the house (check out fire prevention for your area) don't build a house meant for the suburbs on your property, create shade near the house with extensive verandahs and pergolas to create shelter from sun and wind from every direction, build your garage or big shed away from the house with a covered walkway creating sheltered courtyards (like an English walled vege garden) plan for water tanks to save water off every roof (including the chook house)...our best idea was a big covered alfresco area carefully screened with shade cloth and a locking door...kept out flies and snakes, great safe space for little kids and dogs as well as room for a table seating 20 for Christmas. Illness forced our retirement from the property just as trees were reaching maturity so make sure your trees are planted first to give you the opportunity to enjoy them sooner and very best of of luck with your new life