Melbourne, I'm Leaving You!

From city life to a block of land in Creswick — the beginning of our Renestory.

And then we bought the land...

This is where things got real.

We didn't buy a finished house.

We bought a block of land.

Which means we're starting with a blank piece of ground and a rather large list of things we need to work out. 😂

The plan is to build our own home and, as much as possible, make thoughtful choices about what goes into it.

That doesn't mean everything will be perfect or that every decision will be the most sustainable option available. Sometimes budget, practicality and what actually works have to come into the equation.

But we're interested in finding better ways where we can.

Using recycled or second-hand things where it makes sense. Looking at materials carefully. Finding products that suit the house rather than simply buying whatever happens to be fashionable. Reusing things rather than automatically replacing them.

And learning as we go.

Well, Melbourne, it's finally happening.

We're leaving.

This isn't something we decided overnight. Melbourne has been home for a long time, and there are plenty of things we'll miss. Most importantly, there are people here we love. Good friends, familiar places, favourite shops and all those little routines that somehow become part of your life without you really noticing.

But somewhere along the way, we started wanting something different.

Why Creswick?

I think we're ready for a slower pace and a little more space.

City life has its advantages, but it also comes with traffic, noise, crowds and the general busyness that can sometimes feel like it's following you everywhere. And, like many people, we've also noticed changes in Melbourne over the years, including concerns about crime and safety that have made us think more seriously about where we want to live.

We're not expecting country life to be perfect. Everywhere has its problems.

But the idea of waking up somewhere quieter, having some space around us and being able to step outside without feeling like we're surrounded by the city is pretty appealing.

And then there is Creswick.

It's close enough to Melbourne that we're not disappearing completely, but far enough away that it feels like a new chapter.

Leaving Melbourne doesn't mean leaving everyone behind

This is probably the hardest part.

There are people in Melbourne who we absolutely don't want to leave behind.

Our friends are a huge part of our lives, and I'm sure there will be moments when I miss being able to pop across town or meet someone for coffee without thinking about the drive.

But Creswick isn't the other side of the world.

It's close enough that a visit to Melbourne is still very possible, and our friends are only a short drive away.

So perhaps we're not really leaving Melbourne behind.

We're just changing how close we live to it.

The adventure starts here

Right now, we have a block of land, a lot of ideas and an enormous amount still to figure out.

There will be plans to draw, decisions to make, things that don't go according to plan and, I'm sure, plenty of moments where we'll wonder what on earth we've got ourselves into.

But that's the exciting part.

We're not buying someone else's finished story.

We're starting our own.

And this little block of land in Creswick is where Renestory begins.

Our home. Our finds. Our story.