Walking through the show homes with some dear friends back in February 2002, we could hardly believe how beautiful houses were in Australia. We were nave tourists, holidaying here in Adelaide for the second time and were being taken on a scenic journey through the sights of Blackwood, Mount Lofty and Belair National Park. We walked around one particular home and thought to ourselves that the family who lived here would be very lucky to live in this wonderful area: parks, quiet roads, beautiful birds and wildlife, and the trees: we thought the trees were simply amazing. It was extraordinary how the houses belonged amongst the trees.
We left Australia and travelled back to horizontal rain and a bitter winter in the UK. We were, quite literally, stunned to be offered a chance to return to Australia. A job offer suddenly propelled us to a future time and place that we had only day dreamed about in awe just a few weeks before. We thought again about those gum trees and the homes we had seen.
It was a long journey to finally living in our house in Blackwood Park, Craigburn Farm. Leaving both our friends and family in the UK just before Christmas of 2002 we started out living in Melbourne. We tried to make a new life in this sunny and welcoming country. But visiting friends in a suburb just north of Melbourne we noticed that the houses had been built with the absence of any trees and we were reminded once again of our glorious visit to Adelaide back in February, and those gum trees.
We finished building our home in Blackwood Park in April 2004. We were so excited. Finally we had reached our destination. We had heating and cooling to assist our tender English perception of Adelaide temperatures. We had glorious space including four bedrooms and two bathrooms and an outside space that measured more than 1000m2. We also had such a beautiful view across the valley from our back garden that included all those gum trees. At that point we had no concept of the endless hours that were still required of us to turn our new house into a home. But hours we did find. We added colour, plants, irrigation, a native garden and of course trees. We even added an additional child! We added much love.
Our children still attend the fantastic local primary school, I work in this local community and I shop in Blackwood village. I talk to assistants who I know by name and who also know the name of my children. My husband walks to the train station to travel to work in the city. It takes him 20 minutes on the train.
We won’t be moving very far because this is now our home. We hope that the new owners of our Blackwood Park home enjoy the happiness we have experienced over these last seven years.

Andy and Nicki Ferencz, September 2011

Need we say more!

General Information:
C/T = 5901/621
Council = Mitcham
Zoning = R(CRG)1 Residential (Craigburn) Policy Area 1
Council Rates = $ pa
Land size = 1038m2 approx
House built = 2004