Almost a year a go I set out on a totally new chapter of my life, to build a Fun Learning Centre for Dogs.

Well today we have an Opening Date, January 26 2013 and its all too exciting! SO much blood sweat and tears has gone into transforming a dump area and swamp into a world class series of sports fields, arenas and the Sourthern Hemispheres only DockDogs Facility. Without question it has been worth it and no matter what I am doing if its, training a class of eager DockDoggers or pointing out the behaviours of different breeds to a NoseWork Class, or watering our newly turfed fields I can not help but look around in amazement to think that what has exsisted for so long in my mind is becoming a reality.

The first 6 months of the year as pure hell with flood after flood and endless rain cancelling the ability to utilise machinery so the vast majority of the work was completed by hand, wheelbarrow if the mud was slushy enough to pass the the wheel bracing or buckets if not. I think all up we would have moved several hundred tonnes of earth, sand and gravel by hand. Then the remaining 6 months of the year have been a non-stop drought with very few showers, in fact just enough to keep enough water in the dam to keep the fields relatively green, but hardly enough freshwater to keep up to the livestock and pool which has been a huge cost to cart in.

During this hard slog I have been blessed to be joined by other crazy dog people who have seen this dream and boots and all helped me make it a reality. Without the help, dedication and reminders to keep going, I don't doubt for a second we would not have moved so far so soon. All the while I try and keep the thousand and One things I have on the boil, Tim has been in the background ensuring a brilliant web presence, Marion makes me look like I know what I'm talking about with her shows and ability to just keep turning up without complaint, Jenny, Adele and Kelly are all ensuring the success of DockDogs DownUnder and of course Michael who keeps everything in perspective by working 90 hours a week so that we have the funds to bring all this work together.