For most home buyers, the checklist revolves around bedrooms and renovation potential. But for one Illawarra family, the true value of a property was measured in fertile soil and growing space.
Millie Hall and Michael Zubrecky, along with their five-year-old daughter Sunny, have transformed their Mount Saint Thomas backyard into a productive edible paradise, achieving remarkable self-sufficiency and slashing their grocery bills.
The Garden That Sold The House
When the couple purchased their home six years ago, they had a clear vision. The sloped backyard, with its striking views towards Port Kembla, was not just for aesthetics; it was a blank canvas for their future food forest.
"Our garden was the first thing we started working on, and working on the soil is really important," Ms Hall shared during their recent participation in the Edible Garden Trail on Sunday, November 23, 2025.
She emphasised that the foundational step for any aspiring gardener is to focus on soil health. "The first thing to do when you move to a new spot is to just work on the soil, and as you build the soil, the garden benefits."
Pets With a Purpose in a Sustainable System
Their garden is a masterclass in integrated systems. The family's chickens and guinea pigs are far more than just pets; they are essential workers in this sustainable operation.
Their ten named chickens provide a steady supply of five to six eggs daily. Beyond that, they efficiently process kitchen scraps into valuable compost. The guinea pigs, meanwhile, have been enlisted as the family's dedicated, no-cost lawnmowers.
Their daughter Sunny is an active participant, particularly in pest management. "She's great at pest control," Ms Hall said with a laugh. "She has handpicked the ten spotted ladybugs off the potatoes every day."
Why Homegrown Tastes Better and Costs Less
The reasons for choosing homegrown over supermarket produce are numerous and compelling for the family. Ms Hall notes they can cultivate varieties rarely found on store shelves, enjoy unparalleled freshness, and experience superior flavour.
Perhaps most appealing for many Australian families is the significant cost saving. Growing your own food is dramatically cheaper than buying it, especially with rising supermarket prices.
Health is another major factor. The family avoids sprays and chemicals, instead creating their own fertilisers. "We create most of our own fertilizers using the animal waste and our compost as well, our food scraps," Ms Hall explained.
A Creative Outlet and Community Inspiration
For Michael Zubrecky, who works at Ciro's Pizza in Thirroul, the garden is a creative sanctuary. "It also really helps spark creativity," he said. "The garden is our blank canvas and we've been able to propagate and build it the way we want."
The abundance of harvest has also spurred culinary creativity, leading the family to learn preserving and fermentation techniques. Their homegrown Jerusalem artichokes even find their way onto pizzas at Ciro's, with hopes to expand this farm-to-table connection.
For those feeling daunted by starting their own edible garden, Mr Zubrecky's advice is simple: "Have a go." He suggests starting small. "It's like 45 minutes a day of just sitting in a small area and just observing, just weeding, and that over the course of the year makes this."
The couple's garden was one of 36 gardens from Otford to Shell Cove featured on the Edible Garden Trail, now in its third year. Trail coordinator Emily Fowler said the event allows the community to share knowledge on everything from backyard permaculture to native habitat gardens, fostering a stronger, more self-reliant Illawarra.
