Goodbye QLD

20 years ago

Well,i have had my last hot humid summer in QLD,My family and i are moving to Tassie in July.I will have to say goodbye to my bamboos and other tropicals ,might even have to change my Gweb nickname from RichardQLD to something more relevant!

I am looking forward to growing Magnolias amongst other things and might even start growing a few veggies,so i will be still hanging around on the forums.

I look forward to sharing pictures with all Gwebbers and info on gardening for many years to come!

Cheers.

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Comments (16)

alisonoz_gw
20 years ago
Best wishes for the move, Richard. I hope you will keep us posted with progress. One of my dearest friends moved to Tassie and is having a wonderful time, enjoying REAL seasons, fresh air, peace and quiet and fantastic views.
Mind you, she has had to resort to about every cure known to man for chillblains, but I guess you pick up some nice warm socks on the way!
And if you can manage it, grow some decent eating potatoes the first thing you can, and make all us Queenslanders jealous.
User
20 years ago
Now Richard who is going to help me with my Bamboo problems on the Tropical Forum .
Will you still grow bamboos down there or not bother with all those other georgous plants.
You will feel the full brunt of winter moving there in July but I guess you will go prepared
With plenty of wooly warm things to wear, And also feel the changing of the Seasons Brrrr
And you will be able to grow the salads in Summer, instead of Winter like we are doing here now.
Richard I would like to wish you and your Family the best of luck on your move to a new Paradise..
Cheers...MM.
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ashmeri
20 years ago
I hope you have a warm house and your first winter in Tassie will be kind to you.
Enjoy the different gardening and all the beautiful vegetables
and flowers you will be able to grow there.
Queensland will miss you but we will hear from you again when you are settled in and with many pictures of your new garden.

All the best, Marion
robyn5760
20 years ago
Yes, I remember Queensland - hot and humid one day, oppressive the next. My trees are in their beautiful autum colours and we just went for a walk and picked a lunch-full of wild mushrooms. Our tomatoes are still producing, and tonight we are having our favourite raspberry tart for dessert from our own raspberries. Working outside is great - you just don't get that hot exhausted feeling when you are being really physical. Welcome to the best end of the country!
User
20 years ago
Sounds like a good move to me Richard! No offence meant to Queenslanders...I am just not a person who likes hot and humid.

Hope the move goes smoothly and that we will see you reporting on your garden change soon.

Cheers,
Dee.
paradisi
20 years ago
don't forget your doona (or buy a couple of proper doonas for Tassie)

have fun with the apple varieties available there - look up some of the old varieties available - I'm sure they'll make up for the loss of mangoes.

cheers
User
20 years ago
Sorry but NO WAY can a apple make up for a Mango...
richardqld
Original Author
20 years ago
Thanks to all for the good wishes.MM i probably wont grow many bamboos,pehaps some small groundcover types,but will trying some of those Japanese Maples i posted in the gallery.It is the local cherries that we are looking forward to-theres an orchard just outside town.
Cheers
marnie4604
20 years ago
I guess home is where the heart is no mater what the climate. I was actually married in St helens, absconded to do our own thing and we love the place. In fact a few years ago I met a Brisbane couple who winter in Qld and summer in Tas, best of both worlds. We loved the history of the convicts and the plants, the snow the lobsters, the plants, tulips dafodils magnolias, the scenery, the plants.(If you get my drift) MOTH would have moved there in a flash but all the rellies are here, hope to get back there one of these days, the only negative was the smoke from all the fires (oh, and the road out of Queenstown!!!) Best of luck, I'm sure you will meet lots of ex-Qlders!! Marnie
artiew
20 years ago
Aaah, the eternal migration continues - those from cold climes seeking warmer, and those from hot climes seeking cooler :)

I cant argue with any of the pro-cool climate thoughts put forward thus far, but I *would* argue with Richard's timing. If I could escape Rocky, it would be in October - right now, its as good as it gets in CQ. 25-28 deg C by day, somewhere in the mid-teens by night - sheer bliss !

No argument re the beauty of seasonal colour, either, but the bare branches and grey days which follow Autumn down south really get me down. Having lived in Adelaide and various parts of Victoria, even Toowoomba's wintry chill was a relief (the sun came out, and Spring arrived on time every September). Winter can actually be an enervating time of year, but not in a climate where the majority of rain comes down *horizontally*, straight out of the Great Southern Ocean and driven by gale force winds. I dont have direct experience of Tassie in Winter, but if its anything like NZ, I'm afraid I'll stay right here.

Good luck, and keep the faith - I have no doubt that Spring will be absolutely magic :)

Cheers,

Artie
Still wearing a t-shirt and shorts
Tropic of Capricorn
cosmicgardener
20 years ago
Welcome to Tassie Richard. If you email me offlist and give me some idea of where you will settle, I'll help you with info you might need. July is generally cold, August windy but not unpleasant if you have a good coat. At least by arriving in winter you will get a start with spring and all its benefits. If you are making a move there's no ideal time except the one you choose; you will find Tas a friendly place and local people happy to help.

All the best
Linda
lorraine_b
20 years ago
Hi Richard I live in vic but went to tassie a few years ago and I agree with linda the people are so friendly,if there was a big bridge from here to there we would shift tomorrow ,as I would want to see my grandkids and family pretty often, yeah it gets cold,just rug up, but you cant get bored with the weather as its probably like here. all seasons in one day, and the colours of the flowers etc are unbelievable just think of the maples the rhododendrons azaleas etc you can have in the garden, we will be over there in august for 2 weeks winter or not and cant wait, good luck,
lorraine
lomatia
20 years ago
Richard, just think of all those perennials and shrubs etc that you will be able to grow now!!!!
artiew
20 years ago
And all of the tropical delights that you *won't* be able to grow :)

I thought about this as I watered my gingers this morning (Alpinias, shell ginger, Curcuma, Heliconias - just the usual boring stuff), and wondered whether I could find the same joy south of Byron.

OK - I admit that part of it is jealousy - the lush rolling hills and abundant rainfall are the stuff of dreams for many of us, Queenslanders or no - it will be interesting to see what kind of garden you do establish down there.

Cheers,

Artie
macbirch
20 years ago
Best wishes. Looking forward to more pictures. How much land will you have?
richardqld
Original Author
20 years ago
True Artie,i wont be able to grow Heliconias and their like,but i did in my last garden,they were nice but very thirsty plants.I grew up in Scotland and i really miss a lot of the plants that prefer a cooler climate and seasonal change.I look forward to seeing the blossoms in spring after our first Tassie winter.
Thanks for all the good wishes it is most appreciated.
Macbirch,we have bought a little house on just under 1/4 acre in a country town,plenty of room for the kids/ornamentals/chooks and veggies.
Cheers :)

Goodbye QLD

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