A template for living smartly and sustainably...stunning outdoor and indoor living spaces taking into consideration our precious resources - a wonderful concept of urban community living at its best. The Edna Walling Bickleigh Vale of today.

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This is an inspiring story of one woman’s enterprise and passion to build a housing development with energy wise buildings in a native bushland setting.

Sue Turner, supported by her partner Don Wild, embarked on this project in 2001 on a cleared site just north of Castlemaine. They encountered many difficulties ranging from finance, problems with builders and bureaucratic regulations.

That they succeeded within ten years of establishing 8 homes melding seamlessly into a leafy native garden setting, is a tribute to their courage, determination, and patience. A local design practice, Lifehouse Design was instrumental in coming up with plans to ensure that Sue’s environmental wishes were fulfilled.

The help and inspiration she received from members of the Turner family is very much part of this story. Sue is the daughter of the late Prof. John Turner, Professor of Botany at Melbourne University who was a great warrior for the Victorian environment, both urban and rural and her late mother Kaye, loaned money for the project at its inception. Her brother Peter purchased one of the houses. Sue’s son Sam Cox, a qualified landscape designer, was responsible for the great success of native planting which survived a long drought. John Turner would be immensely proud of their achievements.
  -- John Landy AC, CVO, MBE Former Governor of Victoria.

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The Munro Court Story is a well documented exciting account of the development of a house and garden project in Castlemaine. Starting on a bare piece of land, a creek filled with rubbish and infested with willows and blacberries it has been transformed into a very special place due to the vision of Sue Turner. This account is a great guide for anyone to follow down this track as it shows mistakes, successes, time lines for the development and of course an excellent landscape planting list. Anyone who has a new housing development should be aiming at elements such as sustainability, energy efficiency and low maintenance waterwise gardens. This story highlights the great success of a new healthy environment.
  -- Jane Edmanson, Gardening Media Presenter: ABC Gardening Australia

Click here to see the Munro Court Pictures Gallery

The Munro Court Story book can be purchased direct from me for $25 plus $5 postage and packaging: total $30

To purchase simply email me your requirements and an invoice will be sent to you with payment methods outlined

If purchasers live in the local Central Victorian area, books or cards may be collected from me or Sally in Castlemaine
Please arrange via email