SMALL WONDER
In its exposed location on the Hunter coast, Fern Bay is either the northernmost suburb of Newcastle or the southernmost region of Port Stephens. Officially, it’s the latter.
A high-flying bird would see wetlands and reclaimed dunes bisected by the twin channels of the mighty Hunter River. So, when Andrew and Cynthia Meyles moved into a new housing estate in Fern Bay, the immediate challenge was the soil — or rather, the sand.
“The soil was barren,” says Andrew, “and I had to spend a couple of years building up the organic matter to make it fertile and productive. I brought in some soil for the garden beds and it was full of nematodes that I’ve had to learn how to control.
“Moving from Tasmania to Newcastle meant I had to
