A STUDY of rainfall, topography and geography led Charlie Robinson to the pursuit of self-sufficiency in the foothills of the Victorian Alps.

A self-confessed climate change refugee, Charlie left the drought-ridden countryside of Bungendore, in NSW, for a more sustainable life.

    AT A GLANCE
  • Who: Charlie Robinson
  • What: sustainable living
  • Why: model of best practice
  • Where: Beechworth
  • Report: KIM WOODS

He and wife Fay have found that lifestyle at Beechworth in North East Victoria.

The couple have turned their 2ha property into a model of best practice for climate change adaptation.

They have concentrated on establishing food production areas and storage facilities for a year-round food supply.

Never one to sit still, Charlie is a human resources manager, motorcycle road tester, ballroom dancer and boxer.

He is also a passionate builder, brick layer and gardener, and is constantly planning and designing new sustainable projects for his property.

"I only sleep five hours a day and have lots of energy, so I capitalise on that," Charlie said.

Charlie and Fay recently opened their property to the public under the Beechworth Sustainable House Tour.

The tour invited people to explore the use of materials and construction techniques including earth, recycled materials and masonry.

Charlie and Fay left well-paid jobs in Canberra for seasonal fruit picking and part-time work in an employment agency at Beechworth.

"When rainfall at Bungendore dropped to 320mm, we knew the writing was on the wall and we had to leave," Charlie said.

"I researched rainfall, topography and geography, and found the foothills of the Victorian Alps to be ideal."

With a horticultural background, Charlie has always been interested in self-sufficiency.

"This is our family's response to the impending challenges of peak oil use and climate change," he said.

"Our overall philosophy is to develop an ornamental garden that is also edible."

The couple's sustainability project kicked off in March 2007 with the installation of raised-brick vegetable beds and 150 fruit trees planted.

The 12-metre long beds use cow manure and green-manure crops as fertiliser.

"I let some of the plants go to seed so we can collect it for next year's crop," Charlie said.

"We are members of the Seed Savers group in Beechworth and each November swap seed.

"I can feed myself for free and also want to feed Beechworth."

A circular "pizza" garden, with an 80m circumference, is divided into eight segments filled with strawberries, potatoes, corn, rockmelons, watermelons and pumpkins.

Charlie has planted 80 orange trees which will be hedged at 3m high.

A 95-metre walkway is under construction and will eventually be covered by kiwifruit and table grapes.

The garden contains 40 irrigated quince trees, the largest quince orchard in the North East, with the fruit sold commercially.

There are also plantings of peaches, nectarines, apples, pears, apricots, plums and cherries.

A cypress pine boundary has been planted around the property and will be hedged to 3.6m as a wind and fire break.

"Cypress are ideal for Australian conditions as they are quick growing and drought tolerant," Charlie said.

"Our exposed edge for fires is to the north so we have planted exotic deciduous trees which were recommended by the Ash Wednesday Royal Commission.

"I have taken temperature readings under deciduous exotic and eucalyptus trees during heat waves, and the temperature can be 15 degrees celsius less under the exotics."

As vice-president of the local Landcare group, Charlie has gifted fig trees to members for their fire retardant qualities.

He is building a large cellar to store surplus fruit and vegetables for the household.

He has already converted a rainwater tank into an insulated room for the array of preserves, jams, chutney and sauces made by Fay.

The couple's shopping trips are now reduced to milk and non-essentials.

To water such a large garden, Charlie walks 6km with a bucket in each hand filled with grey water from the washing machine.

"One clothes wash (cycle) uses 80 litres, which I bucket by hand on to the garden," he said.

Charlie has retrofitted a worm caste system to the septic tank so all scraps can be recycled and the liquid caste is used on the garden.

He has plans to add a wind turbine for power generation.

Future plans include extending the raised-brick garden beds to grow perennials, and bee hives for crop pollination and honey.

Charlie and Fay will also expand their home so their adult children can return in the future.

"We want to be entirely self-sufficient and have a closed system with nothing coming in or going out," Charlie said.

"We will produce all our own food, water, power and manage our own waste.

"In an environment where global warming is a huge threat to humanity, and where food production will need to increase to feed growing populations, we hope our property will be an example of best practice in adapting to climate change."