Our neighbours have recently built a house and its a odd shape, approx 15 windows now overlooking our backyard, they dont have blinds. We build a caravan car port to try block some windows and we have a shed blocking the right side but there's still a few to block. As you can see the windows sit right over the 1.8metre high fence. We have bamboo but unfortunately it keeps dying since they built the house. We are looking to block the left side of she shed and also something run behind the carport as thr caravan doesn't block enough. I was hoping to build something inside the fence and not attach anything to the fence, can go close as possible. Stuck on what to do as there clothes line is also against fence. Just wanting to block as much as we can without plants are they wont survive their now :) i had a idea to sink a few poles and put some marine ply and put a basketball hoop in the middle. Unsure but
Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community @qld2026. It's fantastic to have you join us and many thanks for your question on screening.
I'd recommend having a read-through How to choose a hedging plant and How to choose a screening plant. I am unsure why plants wouldn't be able to survive there now, as it appears the area still receives adequate light, and even if it doesn't, there are still plenty of options that don't require full sun all day.
It sounds really frustrating having so many windows suddenly overlooking your backyard. Since plants like bamboo aren’t surviving anymore, a solid-built screen inside your boundary is probably your best long-term option. If you don’t want to attach anything to the existing fence, you could sink galvanised steel or treated timber posts just inside your fence line and install fixed privacy panels between them. Materials like exterior-grade plywood (sealed and painted), composite screening, metal slat panels, or timber battens with small gaps can all work well and look neat from your side. Extending the height to around 2.4–2.7 metres (subject to local council rules in Queensland) would give you much better coverage over those upper windows. Running a continuous screen behind the carport would also help block the remaining sightlines without relying on the caravan for privacy.
Your idea of installing posts with marine ply and incorporating a basketball hoop could definitely work if designed properly, as long as the posts are deep enough and engineered to handle wind load. Just make sure to check local council height restrictions and setback requirements before building anything higher than the standard fence height. A clean, freestanding privacy wall or slatted feature screen might end up looking more intentional and less temporary than piecing together smaller fixes, while still solving the overlooking issue. You might like to check out our Top 10 most popular screening projects for inspiration.
Please let me know if you have any questions.
Mitchell
Good Afternoon @qld2026
I came up with this idea to give me privacy as once I built a retaining wall and paved the area the level was high enough to see shoulders if I stood up in the spa to get out.
The next photo is where I have used ground screw stirrup posts along the fence line. I will be installing gabion cages as a retaining wall/drainage path along the edge as well. (Currently making up the cages :) )
Screw posts work well if you dont hit any rocks underneath. I used a 400mm hammer drill to drill a center line first and even doing that I ran into issues with two of the posts. One was ok"ish one I removed and concreted in a stirrup instead.
You can see how the gabion cage will be next to the fence but not pushing the fence. The yard slopes up so everything is at different levels. I plan to have pavers sit as capson the cages but shall see how good I am :) The posts every 1,000-1,100mm are resonably firm, If it wobble sto much I will put in a post oppissit one of the post to form a T support .
Dave
