Australia’s favourite home show makes a tree change for its 18th season

Rolling inexperienced pastures encompass me as I arrive within the quiet Victorian nation city of Gisborne South.

I rapidly uncover that hiding behind the tranquil vista is an extended line of vehicles and additional afield an especially massive development web site – the house to this yr’s season of The Block.

Our entourage is greeted by Franky the canine, alongside along with his proprietor Block host Scott Cam.

It’s Cam’s sixteenth yr as host and the 18th yr of broadcasting certainly one of Australia’s favorite actuality exhibits.

The Block has taken a tree change; this season the homes are unfold throughout 60 acres of previous farmland on the base of the Macedon Ranges and I’m right here to see behind-the-scenes of the present. 

Govt producer and Block co-creator Julian Cress had the concept for the Tree Change sequence after he and his household moved from Melbourne to Gisborne South throughout the Covid lockdowns. 

The property is a bit of colonial Australian historical past, initially belonging to Scottish immigrant George McGeorge and his household who arrived within the mid 1800s. 

Not solely is that this sequence a mammoth activity for the 5 contestant {couples}, however host Scott Cam picks up the instruments to renovate the the 154-year-old farmhouse. 

Cam stated when he arrived on web site for the primary time, he thought they’d finished loads of massive Blocks previously however nothing as large as this.

It’s a cold day in nation Victoria and fortunately we keep away from any downpours as we actually stomp by mud for a sneak peek on the homes and meet this yr’s contestants. 

The sheer scale of renovating these homes would check any skilled builder; then add within the location, provide chain points and labour shortages – that is going to be a sequence like no different. 

The homes have been designed with sustainability in thoughts, all with seven-star power rankings, fully off grid, every with a 400m² solar energy farm, battery storage, water tanks and sewerage.

Not solely are the homes among the largest The Block has undertaken, contestants additionally needed to create massive out of doors areas, designing and constructing vineyards, tennis courts, natural kitchen gardens, basketball courts and swimming swimming pools.

It’s a renovators dream, however on web site the truth is it’s a tricky gig for all concerned.

It’s difficult circumstances for us guests negotiating the mud, the fixed transferring automobiles and development. I requested Scott how he coped.

“I like adversity within the office as a result of I’ve finished that each one my life, I used to be a carpenter for 40 years, I labored within the bush and I like that feeling of simply push on and get it finished – so to me it was nice to go up in opposition to the circumstances, to get the job finished.”

Cam took on the restoration of the unique farmhouse and he beams with delight about his renovation. 

“I like colonial properties, I like Australian historical past and I like restoring stuff,” he stated.

“The mantelpiece got here from Princess Pier which is a tie to the McGeorge household who would have walked on it after they first arrived in Melbourne, not figuring out what was going to occur – I like these immigration tales.

“I had a fantastic group of men and women working with me and being biased my home is the very best one on the block.

“It’s a easy modern nation design. It feels lived in, prefer it’s been there on a regular basis.”

The McGeorge farmhouse has been fantastically restored and throughout the renovation they discovered many handwritten paperwork from the household which Scott determined to border to pay tribute to those pioneers.

Our go to was coinciding with completion of the renovations, so we noticed most of the completed rooms. Every home had options that I admired, though some have been a bit odd to be frank. It will likely be attention-grabbing to observe who wins which room and why.

You by no means know who you will meet on any given day, and we definitely didn’t anticipate finding Logie award winners Kevin, Tang and Dorian from The Journey Guides on web site. The boys work behind the scenes on The Block when they aren’t filming their very own present. 

Viewers might be in for a deal with as they see the mammoth development happen throughout the three-month sequence. I requested Scott what he thinks would be the highlights. 

“I do know for a undeniable fact that youthful individuals will love the equipment as we’ve got heaps of excavation and Franky my canine might be loads of enjoyable for everybody. 

“There’s all the time a bit little bit of drama and there’s definitely loads of ups and downs however total it’s been a reasonably good sequence,” stated Scott Cam.

The Block airs each Sunday at 7pm and continues Mondays – Wednesdays at 7.30pm on Channel 9.