For the last few months, a Cobram handyman extraordinaire has devoted his efforts to housing those most vulnerable to the winds of change.
John von Appen’s birdhouses, crafted from recycled timber, come in all shapes and sizes.
“Every birdhouse is different,” he said.
It’s a statement verified by only the most cursory glance at the flock of his latest works.
Some of John’s birdhouses come in burnished wood, others au naturel, while some nest themselves in the bark of melaleuca - commonly known as paperbark - trees.
John’s birdhouses do not discriminate against their clientele.
His birdhouses are for “any bird that likes to fly and nest,” he said.
He has built homes for birds as large as parrots, and as small as blue wrens.
Now retired from a career in aviation, John said building the birdhouses is something he enjoys doing.
“I’m always trying to create things,” John said.
Each birdhouse takes John at least a day to build.
“And the birds love it,” he said.
For those wishing to find out more about John’s birdhouses, contact him on 0418 101 540.