Highway Dwellers

Our 180 acre farm is almost half river flats with the rest sitting on much higher and exposed ground. We have an interesting means of dividing these two very different landscapes, The Hume Highway. It is one of Australia’s major inter-city highways, running for 807 kilometres between Sydney and Melbourne and is a vital link for road freight to transport goods. 

A highway has never been on the top of my lists for must haves in a block of land and yet interestingly enough our first family home in Seymour also looked out on the major railway line through Seymour and here we used to listen to the sounds of the freight trains passing by whilst the foundations of the old house shook gently beneath us. We have a distant outlook of the freeway from our house and the sound of the freeway comes and goes, on days when the wind blows towards you and the trucks are leaving Melbourne, there is a definite sound bellowing out from the rows of trucks. Such days are a good practice in meditation when we  can acknowledge and observe distractions and disengage from them at the same time.

The biggest gift (yes gift) from the Highway to me is that it is such a great motivator for me in encouraging me to buy more local goods as well as implementing re use and recycle strategies. The last time I travelled any long distance on the Hume Hwy I observed many of the passing trucks and it truly amazed me just how many of these were carrying fresh produce and food. This observation reinforces to me the importance of growing your own food where possible buying local. I don’t have a zero tolerance for buying food produced in outside regions, I buy imported products and love tropical fruits when in season etc etc but there can definately be a better balance I am sure. Also, the Highway provides for fantastic shelter for the livestock, they love sitting under thier.