Tribble - I think we're seeing this from two different perspectives. I want a house that isn't going to go up in flames while I'm inside it. I'm prepared to accept that the house might go up in flames, but if it gives me good time to get away, that's okay with me. Random embers are not going to set a fire-resistant wood deck on fire; it will take a lot more than that. And by the time the fire is that powerful, I would be long out of there. It was the "stay and fight" mantra, not fire resistant decks, that killed people in those bush fires back in 2009. By the way, the fire requirements where we were (NSW) required roof sprinklers. Turn on the sprinklers, and the deck and everything around it, the sides of the house, etc, were all going to be hosed down, and nobody had to be there to do it. Just turn on the pump and get the heck out of there. You might want to look into those, because for me, the knowledge that we had those sprinklers was a big security feature. We also had fire resistant screens all along the side of the house exposed to potential fire, so, again, it would have been difficult for embers to get in or under the house. And yes, we had requirements that the subfloor be protected by non-combustible walls. They required concrete blocks to protect the subfloor area. A massive bushfire would have taken out the house, maybe, but there was enough there to protect us long enough for us to get out. And that's what matters in the end. I don't believe you can totally fire-proof anything except a totally concrete and steel structure, with nothing but concrete and steel inside it. 9/11 showed that a concrete and steel building will still burn because of the combustibles inside it. So, it's a matter of risk assessment based on the best advice you can get, and that often comes from the guys in the RFA. The OP should find out what the actual regulations are, and then talk to the guys that actually deal with the fires, and base here decisions on that.

picture frame all around? Fashion is only dated if you can remember when it was new so, for me diagonal looks very 70's but, enough time passes and a look becomes vintage or classic so it's really a matter of personal taste. The difference will be that the new decking products look so much better, laste longer and are easier to maintain. From the little i can see of your house a more formal style would be my choice and decking laid at right angles to the house allows for the easier extending with more decking? if/when you replace the old bricks on this side of the pillar

If you can put doors on the whole back area and deck or pave out to a functional size for entertaining - be sure to have as close to same height as inside and the whole width of the house if possible. You could do the pergola which looks gorgeous and makes a cozy feel. On top of the pergola you may be able to do a weatherproof retractable awning if you do not want a permanent covered area. That would make a whole area for indoor outdoor entertaining in all types of weather. You can still have a step down area to grass and plants at the rear. Travetine is great and easy to hose down. You do not have to concrete them down use pavers on a good road base. You would have to speak to the experts about how to get the right height - also be sure to have a slight fall away from the house.

Composite decking is starting to get a bad wrap for the big reason it gets really hot under foot in the warmer states during the summer to the point it’s hard to stand on bare footed. I first noticed the trend against it while living in the US (California) where there was for a while a big push to composite products but even in states that get snowed in during the winter are now opting for timber as once the snow melts and the sun comes out it gets really hot in the summer. My worst experience was at a resort in Palm Springs, CA where they used composite decking for low maintenance reasons to only have guests burning themselves in the extreme desert heat. Now back in Sydney, I am hearing that builders/contractors advising against using it for the same reasons as above