STORY: "Kicking back at Krambach."
By Tracey Edstein.

U2 sings, “I still haven’t found what I’m looking for,” but Monique and Michael Piscopo belong to the fortunate few who have found what they are seeking.

Just over a year ago, they brought Jack, 5, and Yvette, three months, to live on fifty acres at Krambach. This was a far cry from the frantic, albeit materially successful, lives they had been leading in Sydney. Monique and Michael are both of Maltese extraction and had known each other since childhood through the church community. After marriage, they lived close to their families and while they were not unhappy, something was missing. Michael had long harboured dreams of owning acres near water, but building kept him working long hours for profit but limited satisfaction. Michael freely admits that he is a workaholic, and while ever he stayed in the city,
nothing would change.

An advertisement led to the Piscopos inspecting land at Nabiac, and while it was not suitable, it brought them to the Manning district. While the speed of events might have frightened some, Monique knew in her heart that the purchase of land at Krambach was right: “It was time – I knew that I wanted to be here.”

The initial plan was to keep the property as a weekend and holiday destination, but as the family travelled north happily each Friday, returning to the city on Sunday became less and less appealing. Michael renovated a dilapidated dairy, and they lived there while renting “the big house” to the previous owners. Finally, the decision was made to move for three months, and long before the trial period elapsed, Michael and Monique knew that they had “found what we’re looking for”.

There is a perception that country life requires early rising, but Michael’s day had been starting at 2.30am in the city, so he found the
change welcome! Another difference lies in the willingness of neighbours to share skills and resources; bartering is alive and well.
The charmingly renovated dairy now serves as accommodation for family and friends, and Michael’s skills and imagination are evident in the Piscopos’ home. Timber from the cattle yards has become kitchen benches, and a tree trunk from the property is a supporting column in the living room.

The challenge for Michael now is to establish himself as a builder and handyman in the local community. While he has completed major renovations on his own property, no job is too small!

The Piscopos were pleasantly surprised to find many young families in the area. Jack is happily enrolled at the school at Krambach, and Monique takes a turn playing the organ at St Bernadette’s. While some of their city friends still don’t understand, Michael and Monique have no regrets. As Monique said, “I sit outside and it feels like heaven”.

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