Our Story

Justin, Kylie and family

In April 2006, a week before the birth of our second child, we made a “seachange” of sorts by moving from our home city of Toowoomba to an old farm cottage set amidst the forests and farms of Hampton, 30kms to the north. Our reasoning behind the move was, and remains, pretty straightforward: we’re seeking to live sustainably. For us that means living simply but richly, in tune with the natural world, and in the company of a vibrant local community.

Location:

Nestled amongst avocado orchards, market gardens and remnant eucalypt forest, Thistlebrook is two acres of former dairy farm set high on the Great Dividing Range north of Toowoomba. Our area, just down the road from the village of Hampton, is an anomaly in Queensland in that it’s one of the few areas in the Sunshine State that can be fairly described as cool temperate. Winters are frosty, summers bearable and rainfall plentiful in an average year.

Unfortunately, average years have been hard to come by recently, and we’re gradually getting used to working with the boom and bust cycles of the local weather. In all though, we can’t complain. Ours is an excellent gardening climate, and we feel very thankful to inhabit such a beautiful, bountiful place.

Justin’s Quick “Official” Bio:

Justin Russell is a writer, photographer and speaker who has a dedicated passion for gardening and the environment.

A former garden designer, Justin’s weekly “Secret Garden” column in the Toowoomba Chronicle has become a popular weekend read and his quarterly articles in Highlife Downs Living Magazine showcase the best, and most interesting gardens from across the Darling Downs. He has written for a range of national publications including Organic Gardener, Country Style, G Magazine and Burke’s Backyard.

Justin speaks regularly at local garden clubs and other events on a range of topics including organics, GIY (Grow It Yourself), and garden design. He has qualifications in science, journalism and landscape design, and is a member of the Horticultural Media Association Qld (HMAQ). Justin is married to Kylie, and has three young children.