They call it bucolic bliss, which is why more people want to head bush. Just watch out for the bull. Photo: Sally Hopman.
When you live in the city, it’s hard not to have a romanticised view of what it would be like to live in the country.
The cute cottage with roses or ivy or something green trailing its way up the walls. The vegie garden with, again, green things sprouting up from dirt. The crystal clear water overflowing from the rainwater tank. Just as one proud property owner said: “How’s the serenity?”.
So it didn’t come as a huge shock to read about new research commissioned by the Regional Australia Institute this week showing the number of city-dwellers looking to relocate to the regions had doubled over the past 18 months. But wait, there’s more. The results of its nationwide survey showed 40 per cent of capital city residents were considering a move to regional Australia – up from 20 per cent in May 2023.
This is all well and good, but there are a couple of things you should know, from someone who knows. A friend.
The “something green trailing up the walls”? Well, that’s probably ivy and, if you start ripping it down, stop. Chances are, if it’s of a certain vintage, it is what is holding up your cute country cottage, the supporting walls and other helpful bits long gone. (Does Araldite come in 44 gallon drums? Often?)
The vegie garden. Seriously? You really want to grow something out of dirt? Something so misshapen you can barely determine if it’s a carrot or a watermelon? The good thing about the Canberra region is that it has seasons, and stuff grows according to seasons, except when it doesn’t. (If in doubt, check what other people are growing. Chances are, as long as their produce is not made of plastic, it will grow on you, too.)
Also, notes on seed packets lie. Grows all year round, it says, sure in a greenhouse. Can withstand Canberra’s winters and summers? Sure, if you pretend you grew them after buying them at the supermarket and destroying all evidence of plastic wrapping. (Again, according to a friend, it’s helpful to smudge a bit of dirt on said vegies for that just-ripped-out-of-the-garden-look – if you want to get real.)
And then there’s the water issue. Sadly, when you move from the city out to the bush, you can’t take your taps with you. Well, you could but it would be a drain on everyone’s resources.
Out of town, you’ll probably have to rely on natural stuff like rain for your water. You can of course buy it. Water carters will bring a truckload right to your tank. They get it from town so it won’t have the lovely rainwater aroma, but it will stop that other aroma, the one when you don’t have a shower for a week or so, and have asphyxiated everyone within a 10-kilometre radius.
But there’s something about buying water that, speaking on behalf of that friend, again, feels quite defeatist. You (the friend) feels they’ve failed when they can’t manage to survive on just what’s in their tank till the next rain.
Yes, moving to the country can be a joy. Everyone else will know what you get up to before you have a chance to. They’ll know what car you drive almost before you buy it. They’ll know how good you are with stock – if they’re out on the road they’re also know you’re a lousy fencer.
But if you’re in trouble, your country neighbours will be the first through the gate offering help. After the trouble’s over, they’ll tease the hair right off your head, but they’ll be there, as you shout the bar again. With boots on.
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