It’s been quite some time since our last post. We moved into our mud brick house at Araluen NSW in February 2019 but since then a few small matters such as bushfires, Covid, floods, gardens, orchards, and life in general have kept us occupied.
For those who have been following since the early days; welcome back! You won’t be surprised to know that the house is not quite finished… We’re still painting around doors and windows, blocking a few gaps, and trying to get around to the seemingly endless number of small jobs that await.
If you’re new to our blog ‘Muddie in the Valley’, then you may wish scroll to bottom to retrace the journey through the building process. This will take you on a more-or-less chronological path (there’s a few aberrations) from vacant block to livable house.
However, it’s finally time to move on to the next major phase of the build – The Studio.
We had made a previous attempt to get started on The Studio, but this was interrupted by An Unexpected Circumstance on the morning the earth-mover arrived to commence work. However, now that the dust has settled or (more appropriately) now that the mud has hardened) it’s time to recommence.

The Studio will be located in the foreground on the photo above and, to maintain continuity, will be constructed of the same materials as the house i.e. mud bricks, corrugated iron, concrete slab, double-glazed windows, and timber posts.
The Studio will have the same orientation as the house, and thus maximise winter sun as well as provide views around the valley (see photo below).

Chris the Builder has been re-engaged, Project Manager / Registered Owner Builder Margaret has been planning, and together they have been sourcing materials and preparing to get started.
In the days ahead we will commence regular posts that will trace the building process from start to finish, which hopefully will not take too long!
Stay tuned!