The loss of a child, a crippling disease necessitating the need to learn to walk again and storm damage to your home, not once, but twice would be enough to make most people crumple.
However this was not how it was for Elizabeth.
Looking at the creek bed opposite her home, Elizabeth was distressed to see old mattresses and general debris clogging up the once pristine waterway.
Previously, the busyness of life had prevented Elizabeth from really noticing what had happened.
Chatting with a neighbour Elizabeth recalled the birds and frogs they had heard when they first moved to the area thirty years earlier.
That was pre lantana, and other non- indigenous plants having taken root and pre people using the creek as a dumping ground.
Where their children had played, was now uninviting and potentially dangerous.
These two energetic women called on their families to assist them in restoring the native environment.
They began by carrying the huge items to street level.
It was obvious that a truck or trailer would be needed to take this pile to the tip.
After they sourced quotes for service providers to do it, they opted to prune as many native plants as possible and remove the non-native plants to make the venture financially feasible.
However they were in for a rude shock once the tradesmen came and saw the massive piles of rubbish.
New quotes to remove it were prohibitive, so one of the husbands hired a truck and delivered it himself.
Some 8 trips in all were involved! But, that was only the beginning.
The men built stairs to make it easier to access the creek.
They put in ramps as well.
Always enterprising the women visited the council sale of native plants on the, 'special's day' and bought up big.
They commandeered their adult children to assist them in the planting and weeding.
Indeed every invitation included a 'one hour free labour clause.
' Ten years later and after hundreds of hours of volunteer work and many more trips to the tip, the area is a mini paradise.
The birds and frogs are back.
Children access the area and delight in spotting nests and tadpoles.
The water is sparkling once more and the neighbourhood is fiercely proud of its reserve.
Today the grand children of those women enjoy the same privileges as their parents had.
They, in their turn have made and fired statuettes in a variety of colours and shapes to bring interest and new textures to this native environment.
There is a surprise around every corner.
Perhaps this is not in the same league as Ian Kiernan's 'Clean Up Australia" campaign but the same energies are behind it, the desire to make a difference and leave a legacy for future generations to enjoy.
There is a shared hope to see native species thrive and provide habitats that will encourage wildlife.
Elizabeth could have ignored the obvious and left the overgrown creek bed in the hope that someone else would take care of it or she could be assertive and take positive and energizing steps to create a better world.
The choice was hers and she chose the hard but rewarding path.
Her zest for living and her ability to make a difference has cast a long and pleasing shadow for future generations to find relief in the beauty of nature.
However this was not how it was for Elizabeth.
Looking at the creek bed opposite her home, Elizabeth was distressed to see old mattresses and general debris clogging up the once pristine waterway.
Previously, the busyness of life had prevented Elizabeth from really noticing what had happened.
Chatting with a neighbour Elizabeth recalled the birds and frogs they had heard when they first moved to the area thirty years earlier.
That was pre lantana, and other non- indigenous plants having taken root and pre people using the creek as a dumping ground.
Where their children had played, was now uninviting and potentially dangerous.
These two energetic women called on their families to assist them in restoring the native environment.
They began by carrying the huge items to street level.
It was obvious that a truck or trailer would be needed to take this pile to the tip.
After they sourced quotes for service providers to do it, they opted to prune as many native plants as possible and remove the non-native plants to make the venture financially feasible.
However they were in for a rude shock once the tradesmen came and saw the massive piles of rubbish.
New quotes to remove it were prohibitive, so one of the husbands hired a truck and delivered it himself.
Some 8 trips in all were involved! But, that was only the beginning.
The men built stairs to make it easier to access the creek.
They put in ramps as well.
Always enterprising the women visited the council sale of native plants on the, 'special's day' and bought up big.
They commandeered their adult children to assist them in the planting and weeding.
Indeed every invitation included a 'one hour free labour clause.
' Ten years later and after hundreds of hours of volunteer work and many more trips to the tip, the area is a mini paradise.
The birds and frogs are back.
Children access the area and delight in spotting nests and tadpoles.
The water is sparkling once more and the neighbourhood is fiercely proud of its reserve.
Today the grand children of those women enjoy the same privileges as their parents had.
They, in their turn have made and fired statuettes in a variety of colours and shapes to bring interest and new textures to this native environment.
There is a surprise around every corner.
Perhaps this is not in the same league as Ian Kiernan's 'Clean Up Australia" campaign but the same energies are behind it, the desire to make a difference and leave a legacy for future generations to enjoy.
There is a shared hope to see native species thrive and provide habitats that will encourage wildlife.
Elizabeth could have ignored the obvious and left the overgrown creek bed in the hope that someone else would take care of it or she could be assertive and take positive and energizing steps to create a better world.
The choice was hers and she chose the hard but rewarding path.
Her zest for living and her ability to make a difference has cast a long and pleasing shadow for future generations to find relief in the beauty of nature.