It began with one virtual brick and ended with a brand new home. This little brick multiplied into a few little bricks, which became many more, eventually topping 1 million! Each and every virtual brick collected and shared by the users of realestate.com.au helped to raise the issue of housing affordability. It was the aim of realestate.com.au and Habitat for Humanity Australia to build a digital space where the community could share their efforts and track their virtual donations… and wow! The target was reached and smashed well ahead of schedule and the next stage – the hunt for volunteers –  began!

Many people offered to get their hands dirty and take part in the actual build. Each day the site was packed with fresh faces, warm smiles and a few keen hands placed firmly on the BBQ! We were just surprised (and heartened) that so many people remained optimistic and happy every day with the weather as it was… unfortunately it poured almost every day and at one stage even the water tanks drifted away!

However, even with the torrential weather and the growing on-site ‘lake’, the build was completed on schedule in just two weeks. A massive thank you needs to go out to all involved. The effort put into the site build was amazing and a real reflection of true community spirit. The Habitat for Humanity Australia team orchestrated the entire build and their unfailing dedication to the project is a reflection of their belief that every family deserves a safe and secure home of their own.

A dream came true for the Abednego and Dau family upon completion of the build. After many years of living in unacceptable conditions they were finally going to make a new life for themselves.  Chol (father of the family) said “Having the opportunity of home ownership is a huge thing for having spent so many years in refugee camps I can now proudly call Australia home - in every sense of the word.”

Soon the family will be in their brand new Bidwill home and they are making an effort to become a part of the local community. Jo Brennan, CEO Habitat for Humanity Australia put together a few kind words:

“The level of success we’ve achieved through our partnership with realestate.com.au is a real credit to the whole community. For the volunteers to weather storms to complete the build, the effort given by all showed how important highlighting affordable housing for Australians is. The Fresh Start Project has been a great example of how Habitat for Humanity Australia can give families a hand-up, not a hand-out. The support we’ve been given along the way and the appreciation we’ve received from the Abednego and Dau family in return has been overwhelming. Thank you to realestate.com.au and all the Australians who participated in the Fresh Start Project for helping an Australian family for generations to come.”

The Fresh Start Project may be over but the site and blog will still be live for a while yet so when you feel the need to see what true community spirit can do you can have a read.

Your feedback is also warmly welcomed on our Facebook and Twitter pages.

Thank you again to everyone who took part, read the blog, left comments, and made this entire project possible.

Now that the house is built, and the Fresh Start Project is winding down we have a bit of time to look back at some of the shots that didn’t make the first cut. After all, we took a whole lot of photos over the last month – why not share them?

The Abednego and Dau family with Habitat for Humanity Australia Marketing & Fundraising Manager Laura Carniato, looking high spirited as usual!

The framing was a little like paint by numbers – each section was numbered so we knew where to put it.

With the frame complete, the inside of the house began to take shape.

Having a roof over your head is important, so we made sure the house had one.

The rain bogged things down a bit at first…

…but our volunteers carried on!

Even the sorrier tasks got the smile treatment!

It wasn’t long before the walls and windows went in.

And shortly after that… the house was finished!

With the house complete, all that was left was to hand it over. Dan Strachotta, Head of Residential – North for realestate.com.au, congratulates Chol and Martha after the ceremonial ribbon cutting. 

And there you have it, the tale of a house, family and friends told in photos! We don’t know about you, but this has been a pretty uplifting experience for us. If you’ve got an inspiring or uplifting story to tell, feel free to  share it with on the blog, Facebook or Twitter.

The Habitat for Humanity Australia belief is that they don’t just provide a roof – they build communities. The Abednego and Dau family home is part of a 4000m2 community development started by Habitat for Humanity Australia in June 2008.

Prior to the Fresh Start Project house build, three houses had already been built on this land in Bidwill. The five-bedroom Abednego & Dau family house is the fourth house to be built in this development and plans are in place for three more houses.

Given the amount of families that had successfully applied to Habitat for Humanity Australia for housing, and the size of these families, Habitat for Humanity Director and Builder, Greg Silversides, was challenged with devising a way to accommodate seven dwellings that would meet Blacktown City Council guidelines, while also addressing water supply and sanitation issues.

The Blacktown City Council have been fantastic to work with and have been extremely flexible, helping Habitat for Humanity Australia through all issues… even down to the décor! (The council guidelines stated that external wall and tile colours needed to be tasteful… Habitat for Humanity chose a consistent theme of cream walls and blue tiles to meet this).

The Bidwill community is still in the process of being built so the Abednego & Dau family can look forward to even more company! We hope that this community can share dinners; the kids have a place to play and together with Habitat, adjust to their new responsibilities as home owners.

It’s the community that helped raise awareness for the Fresh Start Project, the community that actually got involved with the build and as a result helped a whole new community will grow – like a cycle of giving, it’s being paid forward.

The remaining three houses will be built when Habitat for Humanity Australia has the funding – so please consider donating!

How can the burgeoning Habitat community in Bidwill keep in touch? How do you and your community stay in touch? Tell us how you keep in touch with your community on Facebook and Twitter.

As the Abednego and Dau family settle in to their new home, let’s not forget that they will also have to get used to a completely new area. For many, relocating can be quite stressful in itself, but our favourite family are survivors and they’ll do just fine. The local community has been preparing for this moment for some time and they’re sure to have a range of close friends and neighbours.

Bidwill Background

The family will soon relocate to Bidwill, NSW - an area that takes its name from John Carne Bidwill (1815-1853) who was appointed as a botanist in charge of the botanic gardens in 1847. Prior to settlement and colonisation of Australia, Bidwill was inhabited by the indigenous people of Darug.

In the 1960s and 1970s Bidwill became the focus of public housing development due to its location and potential to be an expansive residential suburb. Back then, just like today, families moved to the outskirts of Sydney to start their new lives. Now Bidwill has become a great location for residents seeking a more relaxed and less commercial environment.

The Abednego and Dau family will be close to the suburbs of Mount Druitt and St Mary’s, which have larger shopping centres, banking facilities and railway stations. They will also benefit from the small yet tight-knit population of 4,577, which covers an area of just over 1.4 sq km. The family and the children are sure to soon be regular and popular well-known faces – especially after Chol appeared on Channel 7 news when the Fresh Start Project was featured.

What’s your favourite suburb, what makes it so special? Tell us here or on Facebook and Twitter.

Habitat for Humanity Australia and realestate.com.au couldn’t let everyone’s hard work over the past couple of months simply pass by without an official handover and celebration!

The Abednego and Dau family were clearly excited to begin their new lives in their brand new Bidwill home. It was an incredible day for all who took part in the build and a chance to thank them for all their efforts.  Even the Sunday Telegraph and Channel 7 were in attendance to report on the unique way this project is helping the issue of housing affordability.

The keys were officially handed over to the family and there were lots of speeches and praise given for all involved. Father, Chol, who has been heavily involved in the build spoke and gave thanks, as did the Habitat Chaplain and the Chairman of Habitat. Even the kids (who clearly couldn’t wait to get into their new home and finally have their own individual bedrooms!) spoke to the crowd.

Mother, Martha, who had a big smile on her face, kept smiles on everyone else’s by making food and tea for all attending.

After the speeches and thanks, everybody had a walkthrough of the house, which was unbelievably rewarding.

The Fresh Start Project is an initiative designed to raise awareness of housing affordability for low-income families in need. Everyone involved in the charity effort agreed that it has been an amazing push with the most incredible of outcomes.

Check out the video below, and let us know what you think of the project on Facebook and Twitter.

It’s an exciting time coming up for the Abednego and Dau family –  packing, moving, a new community and new life all ahead of them. Stay tuned!

It’s been an extremely tough yet very enjoyable two weeks for the Habitat for Humanity Australia team and the volunteers. Everyone’s been working relentlessly on the construction of the new Fresh Start Project home while battling with extreme weather, chasing empty water tanks (and of course, making time for the daily BBQ!).

The final push went ahead on schedule and the following finishing touches were made in perfect timing:

• The electrician fitted all of the appliances.

• Whirlpool donated a washing machine, fridge, stove, cooktop and rangehood – you beauties!

• The two bathrooms were completed and are in full working order, which is always good.

• The carpet was laid – meaning no more muddy boots in the house!

• The landscaping has been completed and all gravel paths finished… the team waved goodbye to Lake Hebel!

• The porches in the front and back were painted.

• The blinds were installed.

• The fence was completed.

• The house was finished!

There was a massive push towards the end and everyone was elated that the build was completed in time. The house is looking fantastic and the Abednego and Dau family  are excited to begin their new lives! 

On Saturday, once the house was cleaned and all the tools removed, a hand-over ceremony took place. It was an incredible day and all the efforts that everyone has put into the build over the past couple of months were honoured. Amongst TV crews and newspaper reporters the keys were handed over to the family and there were lots of speeches (even from the kids!) and praise given to all involved.

After the talking was done, everybody got to have a walkthrough of the house, which was truly eye opening. It’s amazing what can be achieved in such a short space of time when the community gets together.We’ve got a video coming up to give you a better view of the day, so stay tuned!

The second last day of the build and there’s no rest for anyone! Thank-fully the builders and volunteers have had a break from the rain and were lucky to get some sun.

With the house coming to lock-up stage, activities have now turned to landscaping and gardening. The turf was laid, shrubs planted and protected with mulch, water damaged turf repaired and a gravel path added.

Inside the house the tilers completed their work and, a major milestone for any build, door locks were fitted for a safe and secure home.

And with such a major project coming to an end it was time to start making sure everything is looking tip top. The hard-working volunteers have been doing an amazing job of cleaning inside and out, up high and down low to make sure the Abednego and Dau family have a home to be proud of.

Friday is the final day of the build and the cleaning will continue together with installation of carpet and vinyl. It’s amazing the things that make a new home so exciting, the smell of brand-new carpet is one of them! What other senses excited you when you stepped into your new home?

Let us know here on the blog, Facebook or Twitter!

Wednesday started off with rain, but thankfully cleared up by mid morning. The site was still muddy, but all of the work done on Tuesday clearing the excess water really helped. Topsoil has now gone in and turf will be down before Friday.

More internal painting has been done – skirting boards, architraves and some doors. The family has chosen a cream colour for the interior; so the same colour on the doors, skirting boards and walls. They have taken quite a neutral approach to the interior – which is recommended by plenty of interior designers, so that furniture and accessories can feature and provide changeable colour.

The other tasks undertaken by the volunteers were;

• Lots of internal cleaning, in preparation for floor and window coverings. There will be carpet in the bedrooms and vinyl in the lounge, kitchen and dining room. The windows will have vertical blinds installed for keeping out our strident Australian sun!

• Vegetable garden has been roughed in.

• Ground prepared for turf to be laid (with 10 tons of top soil moved and spread, wow!)

• Chol is going to plant an extensive vegetable garden when they move in

• 50 grevilleas planted (apparently they’re almost drought proof, though that wasn’t necessary this week!)

• Mulch has been wheelbarrowed to garden beds.

• Site cleaned up at end of the day, in preparation for the next one!

We’re really looking forward to seeing that vegetable garden come together, talk about sustainable! It’s also great to be using Australian native plants for the rest of the landscaping – have you got a favourite native Australian plant?

Let us know here on the blog, Facebook or Twitter!

In this latest video we hear a little bit more from some of our volunteers. Plus, you can see a bit more of how the house is progressing. Be sure you don’t miss our run-away water tanks in the background, before they made their infamous escape attempt – check it out!

So, it’s coming along pretty nicely isn’t it? What do you think of the paint job now that you can actually see it? Aren’t our volunteers doing an awesome job?

Let us know what’s on your mind here on the blog, on Twitter and Facebook!

As the build continues, unfortunately so does the rain. It’s been off and on over the past few days but yesterday was almost unbearable. In fact, it’s been raining so hard the holes that were so carefully dug last Friday filled up with water and the empty water tanks simply drifted away.

The first job that the relentless volunteers and the Habitat for Humanity Australia team had yesterday wasn’t glamorous. Using buckets they had to empty out the water tanks, muddy holes and retrieve run-away tanks to put them back in place.

After this, the build continued:

•         The volunteers cleaned up all of the water to make the conditions safe to work in – to do this they dug trenches and used buckets to take water away from the work areas.

•         Tough conditions meant no time for the usual team photos.  At around 10am the rain stopped and the sun came out which helped to dry up the site and made things a little easier for everybody.

•         As the build progresses and becomes more complex, the need for tradespeople increases. The tradies showed up to tile the bathroom and laundry area, install all of the doors and complete the second phase of the fitout to ensure all of the timber work is up to scratch. A few of the volunteers helped out with the second phase fitout too – true commitment!

•         The inside of the garage was then painted and finally everyone crossed their fingers that the rain would hold off for tomorrow when the painting and planting continues.

It’s amazing to see the volunteers work so tirelessly even with rain lashing down upon them. Do you have any stories to share about working in torrential conditions? Ever chased a water tank down the street? If so let us know it will make volunteers much happier knowing they’re not alone.

Let us know what you think on Facebook and Twitter and keep reading the blog for more photos and updates from the construction site.