For the first 30 years of her life, like most young people, Nicky was determined to spread her wings and build a life independent from her parents.
But somewhere along the way, something changed.
“I think about the first 30 years of my life and I was desperately trying to move away from my parents and go and build my own life somewhere else,” she said.
“And then the last 10 years all I’ve done is try and make our lives better together.”
In 2015, she bought an overgrown two acre block at 127–129 Ison Road, Greenbank, after more than 50 prospective buyers had inspected its rundown house.
“I bought the block of land and it came with a free house,” she said.
Nicky and her family renovated it into a four bedroom, two bathroom house.
Years later, when her parents downsized from Park Ridge, they added a separate two-bedroom dwelling.
“It meant only one set of bills, one set of rates,” Nicky said.
“We could all help each other out.”
“Don’t get me wrong … we do have moments where everyone needs to retreat to their corners, like all families, but I wouldn’t have it any other way now,” she said.
Across the 8000sqm block, the family grew vegetables, kept chickens and shared the chores.
“At one point, we got [the garden] up to feeding us vegetables every day,” Nicky said.
“We didn’t have a vegetable bill each week.”
Three basset hounds also enjoyed the property, particularly rides in the family golf buggy.
“I’m pretty sure if they could drive the buggy, they would,” she said.
Nicky’s mother uses the buggy to get around, sometimes accompanied by her dog.
Beyond the garden fence lies another cherished part of their lives: the 32 acre Ison Park.
Nicky joked about having appointed herself the unofficial Ison Park ranger, keeping an eye on its maintenance.
With direct access through a private gate, the family regularly walks its trails, while Nicky’s mother collects rubbish and helps keep the reserve tidy.
“We do treat it like it’s ours,” Nicky said.
“My mom goes through every other day with bags and picks up the rubbish.”
“When we walk the dogs, she’ll take a bag with her and she’ll pick up any rubbish.”
But the property itself has remained Nicky’s greatest labour of love.
Every improvement has been personal, from clearing overgrowth to planting gardens and building her dream kitchen.
“I’ve really learned to enjoy the journey and the slow transformation,” she said.
“It was our vision. That’s what I’m most proud of, is just bringing that to life.”
After a decade, the family is preparing another multigenerational property on five acres at Cornubia.
“We’re calling it upgrading the dream,” Nicky said.
But leaving Greenbank hurts.
“We really don’t want to let it go,” she said.
She hopes the next owners continue what she began.
“Do it justice,” Nicky said.
“I’m going to have to hand the badge over and say, ‘Hey, you are now the Ison Park ranger.’ That comes with big responsibility.”
And the new ranger may need some equipment.
“They’ll have to get themselves a golf buggy as well so that they can go around and keep an eye on the park properly,” she said.
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