Riverbell Cottage is a small homestead in Bellbowrie, Brisbane focused on upcycling, veggie gardening, composting and creating a sustainable way of living. We moved here 6 years ago having lived on a main road in suburbia for 10 years dreaming of a more rural life.
It is home to me, Carrie (born in the UK), my husband Theo (born in Cyprus), our 4 children, miniature poodle Oli, adopted cats Narla & Nelly, cockatiel Sunny, mini pigs Penelope-Sue and Rosemary, sheep Dougie, Betty, Mary with our lamb Pumpkin plus a growing number of other homestead friends, not to mention our huge flock of chickens. We are a Christian household and love learning how to grow our own food and make things from scratch.
We made the decision to create a future where we could be more self-sustained and this meant using our land to support us, not only in growing the food we eat but in providing an income for our family. This led to our soapmaking classes and our olive oil inspired skincare & candle range.
"Homesteading is a lifestyle of self-sufficiency. It is characterised by subsistence agriculture, home preservation of food, and may also involve the small scale production of textiles, clothing, and craftwork for household use or sale."