Hi all, new to the forum and finding it really helpful so far. I've got a question regarding a highset place I own in Brisbane. Basically, the place is a typical highset, on a slightly sloping block. The house is on stumps and the front of the house sitting on a brick wall. The sides and rear are enclosed with timber slats. There is a double garage built under the left-hand side of the house with a concrete slab, but the right hand side is bare earth.

I would like to replace the timber slats that enclose the garage with something more secure - as it is now, you can easily see into the garage and it would not be hard to break in.

My question - what is the best way to do this? I was thinking of just framing up the sides with timber stud walls and sheeting with blue board (then rendering the outside or something later), but I was worried about a timber frame encouraging ants, as well as becoming decayed if the timber sits directly on the concrete slab. I doubt this concrete slab has any moisture barrier - it looks original. Also, what would be the best way to finish the top of these walls - should I leave ventilation spaces up around the joists and bearers? Should I leave a pest barrier of some sort?

Any tips would be appreciated - I'm looking to get started on this straight away.

As the garage is at the moment:

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