The Shack

When Graeme returned from a trip to Tassie in May 2011 excited that we wouldn’t have to rent in town, or fit out the shed with living quarters, but instead live in the shack on site…I have to say I wasn’t quite so enthusiastic.  The shack, or humpy as I called it in those early days, was set up by the previous owners when they holidayed each year for the school holidays.  Great for temporary holiday accommodation, but I couldn’t see myself living in it for 6 months or more.

As it has turned out, it has proved to be very comfortable and it is great to be on site with the build in progress.  The previous owner, Phil Warner, actually put a lot of thought and effort into this shack, lining one of the 20ft shipping containers with 1.5” thick foam on all the walls and ceiling and carpeted the floor.  This container has become the bedroom quarters for us all as the insulation seems perfect for the autumn and winter ahead of us.  The wood stove also backs onto this container, keeping the boys in their bunks lovely and toasty. Graeme also cut a small window hole in the wall to allow light into this area…a revolting job, using an angle grinder to cut through the metal and foam, but a great result.

The central living area originally had carpet laid on gravel, but due to the wetter than wet winter, by the time we came down in September to sort things out the carpet was so mouldy…never knew mould came in so many colours.  We ripped that out quick smart and let the gravel dry out until our move in November.  Graeme then laid plywood on the gravel and we managed to pick up some brand new thick carpet up from the Glenorchy tip shop. A huge improvement and instant cosy feel to the shack.

The long kitchen bench that Phil had fitted, now boasts a shelf underneath it and little curtains that I made to make it look neat.  That area now acts as a storage area for pots and pans, cleaning gear and as a pantry.  Our sunken bath also attracts a lot of attention from visitors and lizards!  Whilst we still have to boil up the water in situ, the drainage is plumbed out into the bushes.  Thanks Phil!

The back wall used to be a plastic café blind with a huge drop of thick carpet, but Graeme has replaced this with a window we also picked up from the tip shop.  This will give us better protection from the weather, provide additional warmth in winter when the sun shines, allow us to see the house site and has instantly given us much more light in both the living area and bedroom.

The second 20ft container is divided in two – one side housing the shed stuff, ie: generator, tools, etc and the other side is an office and storage area.  Once the container arrived from the docks, I intend to put a single bed in there for any keen visitors! I also could no longer stand the look of the shipping containers from the outside...burnt orange, touched up with green paint and peppered with rust...so now the containers are one colour! 

The recent improvement to the shack is an outdoor awning that Graeme has built at the front, roofed in laserlite.  This has extended our living area by an extra 30 sq mtrs!  We can leave the Weber BBQ out and not get so wet when coming home in the rain – also the washing machine is now under cover.