Island Strawbale Dream

Our dream was to build an environmentally sustainable home on Kangaroo Island in South Australia. We sold our home and bought land and moved from New South Wales. We were assured that a strawbale house would be encouraged. The process started but there have been many costly delays and problems. We need support to finish our project.

We are both artists (Tessa has an OAM for her work in opera, theatre and education and is intending to write in the future. Ian has a PhD and specialises in teaching music to children, especially those with autism and disabilities). We are both pensioners.

Since we have started our project we have had a car written off by a driver hitting the back of it whilst it was parked in a cul-de-sac. In addition we have financially supported a family member who has a costly marriage breakup.

The house is well under way but we need some funds to replace the amount we have lost because of the time lapse. It would be easy to lay blame for the delays and losses but we are optimistic and just want to complete the building and spend the rest of our days in the very warm community into which we have been welcomed.