Sunday, January 15, 2012

STIHL Giveaway - My Dream Aussie Backyard when Growing Up *GIVEAWAY ENDED*


You missed out on this giveaway! It ended. But to catch the next one, subscribe to my Giveaways Newsletter here.

As a little fella, I grew up basically in my backyard.  It was massive.

Today, my backyard is the size of a dwarf's bed, where swinging a cat would definitely not get you anywhere.

It's something I definitely want to change one day and I have been thinking about it a lot.

It's funny, because STIHL recently got in touch with me about backyards.  They want me to write about my backyard growing up and what makes it Australian.  What made it mine.  It really was such a coincidence that they contacted me when it has been playing on my mind.

I want my boy to have a backyard like I did, where he can tear it up like a Tazzie devil.

So, thank's to STIHL for giving me a great idea for a post!  I'll be talking about their latest competition to WIN an Australian Day party in your backyard with 20 friends, a STIHL Backyard Hero and a STIHL prize package valued at over $2,200 in a minute, plus a STIHL giveaway!

First, let me tell you about my backyard.

This Was My Backyard Life

*sigh*

I sure do miss being a kid with the backyard we had.  It was massive, but living out in the sticks would mean you have a massive backyard.

There were sheds to play in, tanks to climb, a hills hoist to swing on, and ample room to smash a cricket ball around in.

The rainwater tanks were a pillar of the backyard.  One especially, old and disused, was covered in ivy.  We climbed the crap out of that bugger.  Thinking back, nobody would have known if we'd fallen through the top of it.  It was old and rusty and who knows when it was going to cave in.

When I say we, I mean me and my brother.  A backyard isn't a backyard unless you have a sibling to kick their arse in.

Backyard cricket every summer.  My old man would sometimes stop working for a bit to have a bowl.  My grandpa would always be the wicket keeper.  Mum would be the crap umpire :-)

Remembering my Poppy playing with us wells me up...

Yep, I'm losing it....

So, umm, yeah.. I definitely loved my backyard. No matter what weather, we always found a way to entertain ourselves.

Every House Needs a Backyard if there are Kids


I know it might be hard having a large backyard, with prices of those kind of houses.  But, you just have to do it.  Taking kids out to a park nearby is a good substitute, but after the amount of life I lived in my backyard, I am doing everything I can to get us a good sized piece of yard for my boy to play in.

Others may not tend to agree. That's fine.

But there is nothing more fun and Aussie than the kids going nuts on their bikes around the yard or kicking a footy over the neighbours fence.  And yes, dare I say it, they have to be able to count on at least two hands the number of times a cricket ball goes through a window. You bet your thing you are sitting on though that if my boy does that, there will be loads of chores :-)

I miss a big backyard.. Here's hoping I one day get one.


Now, onto what STIHL is offering!

This is My Backyard Competition and Giveaway


STIHL are chucking a pretty cool competition. They are offering you the chance to WIN an Australian Day party in your backyard with 20 friends, a STIHL Backyard Hero (Dermott Brereton, Matthew Hayden, Andrew McLeod, Matthew Pavlich or Brad Fittler) and a STIHL prize package valued at over $2,200.

This is for any sized backyard! From tiny courtyard or balcony, to 100 hectare property.

There is still time to enter, so get cracking so you can have an Australia Day BBQ that you wont ever forget!

Check out their Facebook page to enter the competition.

Ooh, and thanks STIHL.  They've got me ready for Australia day.  Have a Captain Cook at what the nice folks sent me.



Oh, hey! Did someone say giveaway?  STIHL are offering 3 STIHL hats to giveaway to 3 lucky people. You can see the hat in the picture above.

To enter, you must be an Australian resident.

Simply leave a comment on this post saying "enter me!" to give yourself a chance at winning.  Get an extra entry for tweeting this blog link by clicking here, and clicking "share" on the link in Facebook (via Tork's Blog fanpage).

Winners will be drawn via random.org. Competition ends midnight January 21st AEST.

Don't forget, you must be willing to provide address and contact details to receive the goods if you win!

Good luck!

- tork