Tloperi 2024

House Notes – Tloperi

In 2010 we bought a rundown, 80-acre dairy farm with a vision of one day retiring to a house that was Off-Grid and needed no heating and cooling, that was entirely electric and solar powered and where we could grow our own food. After 4 years of careful planning and research and two years in the building stage, this vision became a reality two years ago when we moved here permanently. The house, which is volume built, off plan and heavily modified, consists of our house with an attached fully self-contained cottage for our adult daughter who has Down syndrome and lives with us. Building like this cut the cost of the build by just over half over the cost of engaging our own architect and builder. The 43kW hr lithium battery power system and 13 kW solar system provides power and gives us autonomy, no sun, for up to three days. We have 250,000 litres of rainwater in numerous tanks to maximise water collection which provides all our water needs. 75,000 locally indigenous plants have been planted on the property (and are still being planted!) and we have seen a massive increase in wildlife that we love sharing our lives with plus we are also able to harvest bushfoods. We have put in fruit trees, and numerous wicking garden beds provide all our vegetables. No water is wasted! Chickens provide us with eggs, fertiliser and are weed recyclers. Garden tools such as chainsaw and brushcutter are battery operated, we have carefully chosen products such as induction stoves in both kitchens, Sanden heat pump HWS and the power and rainwater tank systems to have a 20 year life and there are numerous other adaptive technologies installed on the property to conserve and use power and water wisely.