you want freedom? help is here.

[nosferatu_dj]

so everyone wants to have freedom. and everyone is looking for a answer, a way to be free.

well here is where it starts! if you truly want to be free then it really is as simple as this.

WWOOF Willing Workers On Organic Farms

http://wwoof.com.au/about.html

About WWOOFing in Australia

Who can join WWOOF Australia?
AND in other locations around the world http://www.wwoof.com.au/WWOOFing_aound_the_world.html

Anyone over the age of 17 can join WWOOF. WWOOF Australia members can be of any nationality - including Australian. It should be noted that participants require a level of maturity and independence to participate in the program.

Due to the physical and mental demands of the WWOOF experience, participants should have at least average physical fitness. The nature of the program is such that it is generally unsuitable for persons suffering from psychiatric or psychological conditions.

Working in exchange for food and accommodation is the basis of all WWOOFing. Time spent working varies according to the degree of self-sufficiency expected, how busy the host is at the time of your visit and other factors - but it should average out at about a half day's work for a full day's keep. We suggest that 4 to 6 hours a day is fair exchange for a days full board and accommodation.

WWOOFing gives you:
*
first hand experience of organic growing methods by helping your hosts
*
a chance to meet, talk, learn and exchange views with others in the organic movement
*
an opportunity to learn about life in the host country by living, and working, as family.

Your Hosts

Within Australia, as in many parts of the world, our hosts are mainly pursuing a simple, sustainable, lifestyle. Many are Permaculture enthusiasts, and about 20% use Bio-dynamic growing methods.

About a quarter of the farms in the WWOOF Book are commercial producers, whether full or part time. Some of our hosts are alternative, co-operative communities, and a few are communal living groups (the list of alternative communities includes entries which are not WWOOF hosts).

The work you will do for these hosts is likely to be wide and variable - it could be anything the host needs done which you are capable of!

Since you work as family there are no set hours, but an average of four to six hours daily would be a fair exchange.

WWOOFing with Children

Many host farms welcome children by arrangement - please look at a host's entry in the WWOOF book to check. The most important point to make is that - please - never WWOOF with children except by prior arrangement with the host. Occasionally you can exchange child-care with the hosts themselves as part of WWOOFing. If you are willing to do this we recommend you obtain a Police Check prior to WWOOFing, if you are visiting from overseas, please get a Police Check before you leave your home country.

Although you may be keen to WWOOF, your child may not like the idea of a strange place, new faces, different food, and not sleeping in their own bed. It would be sensible to start with a short visit.

WWOOFing is about helping the host, and if you are also looking after a child then the help you can give is limited. Children must be supervised at all times. You cannot just tell older children to "go off and play". Farms can be dangerous places - they are not playgrounds. Younger children may not have the patience needed to allow you to hoe a long line of vegetables, nor should not be near you when you are chopping wood etc.

One solution is to join up with another single parent or WWOOF with a partner and take turns to supervise. In this case remember that the host will be feeding and accommodating several people in exchange for one person's help, so a contribution to the cost of food might be needed. Many hosts have limited resources, which is why they ask for WWOOF help.

Some host farms are in remote places and those with children welcome the company of others. Being remote means that you need to carry everything your child might need since popping down to the local shop won't necessarily be possible.

At many farms there will be other WWOOFers - some will like children, others may not - and you may well be sharing accommodation and have to consider the fact that everyone, including yourself, needs a good nights sleep after a hard day.

Occasionally you can exchange child-care with the hosts themselves as part of WWOOFing.

Please do not think in terms of giving the children a nice holiday on a farm. There are specialised farms which offer this sort of holiday. We receive many reports of excellent WWOOFers with children but there have also been some disastrous ones. Those that go wrong, are usually due to poor arrangements prior to the visit - expecting behaviour from the child beyond their capabilities at that time - or expecting unreasonable facilities from the host.

The History of WWOOF in Australia

WWOOF (Willing Workers on Organic Farms) started in England in 1972 when the first WWOOFers spent a weekend helping on an organic farm in exchange for their keep. The organization was initially called Working Weekends on Organic Farms, but was changed to Willing Workers on Organic Farms in 1982 after people asked "why only weekends?"

Today there are 31 WWOOF groups all over the world, including France, Spain, Switzerland, Germany, Japan, Italy, USA, Austria, UK, Ghana, New Zealand and Canada. All the groups are independent, but operate in a similar way, by putting people into contact with each other. Throughout the world the WWOOF philosophy is the same; WWOOF hosts provide food and lodging to travellers and students in exchange for between 4 and 6 hours work per day.

Lionel Pollard started WWOOF in Australia in 1981, and over the last 25 years WWOOF has grown into an organization that employs 5 people, and publishes a directory of over 1,500 hosts farms and properties all over Australia. This book provides contact details, a description of the property, the work to be done and the accommodation and meal situation. The WWOOFer simply browses through the list, chooses a place they would like to go and contacts the host to arrange a mutually suitable time to visit. The choice may be based on geography (close to a route they are travelling); or philosophy (such as biodynamic farming practices); cultural (many of our hosts speak other languages as well as English) or it may just sound like an interesting place to visit. WWOOFers live and work with the host families in the same way as relatives and friends do when they visit.

Many of our hosts are involved in Landcare and Land for Wildlife organisations throughout Australia. WWOOF Australia also meets the standards of the National Council for Volunteering. WWOOFing is learning about organic farming and environmental rehabilitation, as the Australian Trust for Conservation Volunteers is.

In general people see WWOOF as an association or a club. We bring WWOOF hosts and WWOOFers together in a voluntary work situation which does not take away any jobs, and WWOOFers do not do work which would otherwise go to a paid employee. We have been able to satisfy the Department of Immigration in this regard and they will now allow WWOOFing to be done on a Tourist Visa for precisely those reasons.

Operated by WWOOF Pty Ltd (A.C.N. 085-920-690) 2166 Gelantipy Road

W Tree, via Buchan, Vic 3885 Australia

E-mail wwoof @ wwoof.com.au (no spaces)

Within Australia, Phone (03) 5155-0218 Fax (03) 5155-0342

From outside Australia, Telephone +61-3-5155-0218 Fax +61-3-5155-0342

[nosferatu_dj]

i have been giveing this sirus thought... as this could be a VERY good way to get a community started that would be able to have people come live, work, help ect... and the "LAW MAN" scum, cannot do a thing about it.

i think if someone was to.... buy land.. then the rest, well i think this website explains it best.

http://seetheemptycage.blogspot.com/

What I'm about at the moment is exploring Australian Sustainable Communities (aka Eco-villages, communes, Intentional Communities). I'm filming the people that live there and their efforts at sustainable living! From the footage I will compile a "how to do it" film for future use and a short docco for circulation. I trained in Anthropology and wrote my honors thesis on Australian Sustainable Communities. Now I am travelling by myself, Wwoofing around Aus, learning first hand from these extrordinary people. My goal is to spread information and encourage a sense of the environmental movement which is steadily gaining momentum! My passion is to provide an accessible non-corporate means to this knowledge! WooHoo!

[nosferatu_dj]

so you are still not convinced on just how easy it is to become "A FREEMAN ON THE LAND" to have freedom.

well just take a look at this.
http://codyleemeyer.blogspot.com/2009/02/everyday-life-in-southern-victoria.html

Thursday, February 26, 2009
Everyday Life in Southern Victoria
6 days ago I journeyed from Antarctica to Christchurch, NZ via an AirBus. Spent two nights in Christchurch then flew to Melbourne. Spent one night in Melbourne and took a train to Sale at the train station shown below.
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On the train I spoke with a few Aussie elders and we talked mostly about motorcycles and farming. Looking at the window all I could see were livestock (Emu, Goat, Cattle, and Kangaroo) farms. When I arrived at Sale I called Frank up. He showed up a few minutes later and drove me an hour away to his beach-farm property. When I got out of the car I met Fred, one of the many local Wallabies.
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Fred loves carrots. But, Fred's not all that's in the bush. Kangaroos can be seen jumping around the beach trails. Kuckaburros sing from the tree tops. Whales cruise the ocean. Seals rest along the shore...
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Here's Frank climbing out of one of 8 shipping containers filled with good ol' junk. You can see the solar panels right next to him. In front of him is Olivia, a girl from Switzerland who decided to get out of the floods of Queensland and cyclones of the West. Now she faces bushfires and we laugh about it. Australia is being hit by all the elements of nature... except ice and snow, which is ironic for me after being in Antarctica for the last few months.
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The campground from a glance. Energy comes from a generator, but we hardly use it, maybe 1 or 2 hours a day. Our bathrooms are holes dug by ourselves, nothing different from my Alaska park experience. I bathe in the ocean. We clean our clothes in a bucket. Life is simple.
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Things are a bit of a mess. But, sometimes intelligence is lying behind the trash built by insanity. In the back of the container there is one small clean spot, just for the telescope we use to read the stars.
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Our dining area is in a big blue tent. Quite splendid. We dine right at sunset, eating very healthy foods while watching the wallabies next to us. The green water container is for the fire fighting system.
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An old tractor from the previous landowners.
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You can see our camp towards the bottom. It's bloody hot, around 35 C during the day and 15 C at night. Today is 40 C and fire alerts are all over the radio and television. The last time it was this hot, was Black Sunday when the fires claimed many lives, only a couple weeks ago. Frank's in Sale getting his truck fixed and the three of us are just keeping an eye on the news and weather. After finishing this post I will run to the hill-top and keep an eye out for smoke. My job for today is to be a fire watchdog and protect the girls.
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Ontop the hill is the house we are building. It should be done within 6 months and is the most sustainable abode I have seen. I've been reading through eco-friendly development books and while reading walk around the house to check Frank's work. Everything is 110%. He's thought outside the box and I can't wait to see the final product. Not too expensive, amazingly strong (Cat. 4 cycle and fire proof), water comes from rain and storage (14,500 litres), can be split into two residences, air-locked windows and doors, energy from solar and wind (maybe micro-marine-hydroelectric system), and much more.
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Here's Olivia and Latesha having lunch while looking out for whales.
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The last few days we have been leveling the insulation, and soon we will start the rendering and installation of the bottom floor windows.
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The roof has been originally pieced together by Frank. He took a bunch of older strong roofing designs and maximized their potential by using certain materials and grounding the roof deep into the infrastructure. His dream is to have an Aussie environment safe house that is a sustainable residence for several people at a time... while having a widescreen television that can alternate floor levels via a motorized track.
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After work I head to the beach for a jog, swim, and nap... assuming I don't have to box any kangos on the way ;)
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The only footprints are my own. The first day I got the shore I stared at the flowing ocean thinking about how different it was from the icy shores of Ross Island. I ripped my shirt off and ran into the water falling gracefully as if I were being reborn... again.
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Shells everywhere.
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Well, maybe there a few other tracks on the beach...
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[nosferatu_dj]

ok so now i have put the idea, plan. out there.....

i myself do not have the funds to buy land and no i do not own any land. BUT if someone was to oh i dont know.. buy some land or if someone already has land and is willing to become a "HOST" WWOOF, well i think you know where i am going with this.

PLEASE look into this as it is not just for Australians. many people have been looking for a way to live off the grid, get away from all the NWO crap.. have a place where people that have a common cause can live together.
just becouse you are off the grid don't mean you cannot still fight the NWO.

[tfx08]

Wow thats pretty cool mate:)

[armoured_amazon]

"The nature of the program is such that it is generally unsuitable for persons suffering from psychiatric or psychological conditions."

:confused:

[nosferatu_dj]

"The nature of the program is such that it is generally unsuitable for persons suffering from psychiatric or psychological conditions."

:confused:

this is only coz alot of the communitys "organic farms" are not to close to a town.
so someone that is "suffering from psychiatric or psychological conditions" would be at risk of not being able to get the help they need "doctors and all that".......
also they might be a risk to the safety of the others,, that is depending on there "psychiatric or psychological conditions".

this is also not a "RULE" it is a "GUIDE"... some places will accept anyone no matter there "psychiatric or psychological conditions",, while others will not.
this is also a thing to cover the WWOOF orginization from the "law". for example.... a nut case gets to join wwoof and they get into a community and deide to kill everyone or watever. then WWOOF is covered by law and are not held accountible.... so this means NO guvernemnt can infiltrate them and do something like this in order to close down WWOOF.

[coldinsomnia]

Thanks for posting this. I'll be considering this very seriously.

[nosferatu_dj]

why is it when showen HOW to start a change. a change in you're own life that is everything you are searching for.
a way to stop the NWO and everything.

there is people out there that will not take the chance to change?
it is very sad to see people so stuck in there ways that they think if they dont live in a city, town, a place created for them by the guvernemnt. then they think they will not be able to live in luxury, or have there everyday plesures, things they have come to take for granted.....

many people i have showen WWOOF to and other things like it.. the people always react the same, they think if they where to live in a community like this, they will not be able to have what they have in there lifes...... this is not true.
if people where to sirusly look into this, they will find that most of the communitys have there own water, electricity, food etc.

[nosferatu_dj]

here is some more examples of what i am talking about.
http://seetheemptycage.blogspot.com/2007/03/moora-moora.html

Wednesday, March 21, 2007
Moora Moora Co-operative

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The front gate to Moora Moora, Healesville, Victoria.

Bob's wood box. Fill it outside, collect it inside.
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Luc and Amy the splendid Wwoof hosts of goodness are setting up a community garden which will supply residents with organic vegies! The garden is just getting started in this pic: Now deliveries are up and running!
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The wind turbine!
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Bob shows us his hand made solar hot water heater and I try out the exercise bike energy generator which charges a 12volt battery. I had to peddle till dinner was finished cooking! Only kidding.
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Julia's art studio was constructed at a community working bee when I was there! It was a prezzie from Jeremy. Here is their house, Jarra and Jinja the kids sleep upstairs.
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Below Shin and Jane are willing workers in the vegie patch!
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The Rant: Moora Moora started up in 1974 on a forested hilltop near Healsville (70kms out of Melbourne). It has a fluctuating population of around 40 Adults 20 children there are 30 potential house sites with still a few to be built upon. The settlement is organised in to 6 clusters, each with it’s own name and personality. New members can also buy an existing house when it comes up for sale.
Moora Moraites are not connected to the grid so families have individual solar hook ups. They tap into a natural spring that runs through the property. Community workday is on the 3rd Sunday of every month at a different person’s house every time with lovely cakes and tea! (I had chlorophill juice, wooo, new experience!) When I was there new pipes were being dug into a field with a trencher.
There is a minimum 6 months (but usually 12) “getting to know you” period for prospective members in which they rent a vacant house or stay at ‘The Lodge’.

No dogs and cats are allowed but there are horses, which are used for riding and a source of manure. I know this first hand from a rainy day of chocolate shovelling.

Moora Moora houses the prolific contributor to environmental discourse Bob Rich here is his website if you want to check out his writing http://bobswriting.com (everything from science-fiction to how to build your own house manual). Founding member Peter Cock still lives here, he gained Australia wide knowledge of Intentional Communities when he toured Communities in 1970. His book “Alternative Australia” recounts the journey.

All houses are different combinations of alternative building. Mostly earth walls and more recently, straw bale. Solar heating. Spring and rainwater. Many of the earlier houses were built to rely purely on spring water. There has been a push from the newer residents to convert their dependence to rain water tanks, which is telling of the change in priorities of communards.

When I was at Moora Moora there was a community discussion (lead by the younger members) about hosting a rave/doof/dance party. It was a really interesting time to witness a shift in community activity to something more relevant to younger communards as a means of community celebration that is a part of their sense of belonging. When the meeting resolved everyone had decided to allow the doof as a part of the community commitment to alternative culture. Like other successful Intentional Communities Moora Moora has made a commitment to change in response to societal needs. In this case, alternative culture will evolve in response to mainstream societal culture.

For the first time a communal vege patch is being started at Moora Moora! Luc and Amy settled here with the purpose of creating a CSA (community sponsored agriculture). They found Moora Moora when they were Wwoofing and made a proposition to the community. It was so exciting to Wwoof with this wonderful pair as they laid out the first beds of the large-scale organic garden. Now the community members of Moora Moora will have local organic vegies delivered to their door.
It’s a rare thing for communal gardens to be sustained in community. The reason I believe it will succeed here:

* *Two full time committed organisers with previous experience
* *Financial support from a local population base (they contribute money in advance which provides money for the infrastructure (seeds, mulch, waterworks ect.)
* *Wwoofer worker support
* *Passion - Amy and Luc are really passionate about organic gardening: They rock.


Another rocking feature of Moora Moora is a large, systematised Wwoof quarters. Wwoofers (not to blow my own trumpet) seem to bring a flow of energy and ideas through Intentional Community. Hosting a Wwoofer does, however, take a certain amount of emotional energy (they stay in your house and are involved in your life full-time). At Moora Moora Wwoofers stay in “The Lodge” and are given the rounds by a caretaker. Wwoofers have two days off a week (in which a Wwoofer makes their own meals from the stocked Wwoofer pantry) One other day is work for the community (which the caretaker overseas) the remaining days are to whatever family needs some Wwoof help, you Wwoof on their property and they feed you.
As a Wwoofer it’s a great way of meeting many families and getting a good overview of the community. Your full 6 hours are usually utilised (because people want to make the most of their Wwoof time) but you get great meals because everyone’s ultra prepared! From a Wwoofer perspective it’s a more impersonal experience (people don’t really get to know your name unless you’re around for a while) but it is good if you need some time alone after a big immersion experience (like Wwoofing usually is).
From a community perspective a formal system like this can really churn through the Wwoofers and create a whole Wwoofer tribe in peak season (lots of energy for working bees), community members don’t have to provide accommodation to their Wwoofer for the day and you don’t need to retract your Wwoof entry if you go on holiday or just don’t have the energy for Wwoofers. This system means Wwoof hosts also may miss the interconnectedness of a real Wwoofer experience. However, some hosts have Wwoof entries of their own or poach idle Lodge Wwoofers in the night lured by the promise of a relief from Korean spicy cabbage pilfered from the Wwoof clan when one can’t be bothered to cook pasta.

This is getting a bit rambly sorry, this is for you Jay, I think The Wolery needs a Lodge.

In conclusion, Moora Moora was great. Lots of energy and strong connections to mainstream life (which is good for everyone, especially the mainstream). It seems that trade connections (market gardens and fair days) are important for keeping the lines of communications open and Moora Moora (similar to Crystal Waters) had the close local connection of the Healsville community which created a nice relationship of reciprocity.

Check out their official Website http://mooramoora.org

[nosferatu_dj]

http://seetheemptycage.blogspot.com/2007/10/moonie-creek-co-op.html

Saturday, October 06, 2007
Moonie Creek Co-Op

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Moonie Creek Co-op is in Victoria and is home to this gorgeous creature Olive the wombat
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Moonie Creek has few permanant residents, it mostly houses Melbournites who live in the city and use Moonie Creek as their holiday space.
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Here are some of the houses on the property, all owner designed and built.
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I had a lovely stay here with Shaun and Nobuko. Due to the isolated spot it's hard to both live on the property and work. Nobuko is a local district nurse and Shaun is the handiest handyman I have ever met! Here is Shaun on the balcony of the house he built twice!
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He dabbles in apiary to keep the family/friends in honey and makes beautiful wood craft. Here are some examples of Shaun's work:
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The community has been powered by a water turbine which is powered by a natural stream which runs through the property. Here is me demonstrating unblocking the man-made dam which allows the water to pour through the turbine
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The water turbine is further downstream. Power is distributed between the 8 houses.
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Here is John's hot water heater. The flu of the oven heats the water. It works!
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Not all jobs are weeding! At Moonie Creek my favourites were picking mulberries and restoring this old typewriter! More info on Moonie Creek are coming, but an all round lovely place with vegetarian dogs! Thanks so much to my lovely hosts, they made me feel welcome any time!
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[nosferatu_dj]

http://seetheemptycage.blogspot.com/2007/10/fryers-forest.html

Saturday, October 06, 2007
Fryers Forest

Fryers Forest
Near Castlemaine in Victoria was started in 1995 by Su Dennett and David Holmgren were two of the original land purchasers. They still keep connections with the community although they do not currently live on the community.
Fryers is a Body Corporate, set up under the Victorian Subdivision Act. That means residents hold a freehold title and the areas they inhabit are roughly one acre. The remainder is jointly owned and a community house is planned for the twelfth, jointly owned, non-residential block, but is not yet underway.
The main focus is native bush regeneration.
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Lilly plaits Leelah's hair in the living room of their community built straw-bale house.
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Anthony's house frontage: The red render matches with the stark red earth in this area so the house blends beautifully with it's surroundings. He is working on a small vege patch to the left of this photo and a straw bale surrounding wall was under construction!
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Crafting personal touches to incorporate into the house structure. Mosiac was very popular in this household!

Fryers forest, more than any community I have visited so far, has a relaxed feeling; It is a completely “expectation free-zone”. There has been the usual community conflicts concerning the bi-laws (eg. Speed limits, cats and dogs). There are now "inside pets" allowed and a small part of the land houses horses. Here is a picture of an outdoor cat run which links to indoors, giving the cats some outdoor roaming whilst protecting the natives.
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Even the eco-friendly loo has mosiac mastery!
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The expectation-free atmosphere does not lead to any lack of community spirit. Community time is voluntary and involves more play than work.
Anthony (a talented barista) owns a kick-ass coffee machine and puts on “café” every few days, once a week, or whenever he feels like it. People come and make a small donation for their coffee. The only rule about café is "no talking community politics". This is a fantastic contributor to making Fryers work (in my opinion). What is essentially a ‘no gossiping’ clause maintains community spirit without breeding misgivings amongst those who don’t attend. There is no need to worry that people speak badly of you for not participating.

The lack of these “expectations” at Fryers really alerted me to how common they are in community living. The feeling of looming expectations may be the mental construction of the individual (rather than others ACTUALLY thinking badly of them for not participating) however it still has the effect of making the non-participant feel isolated. This is a conundrum because surely the intention of Intentional Community is a commitment to participation. On the other hand, people often need phases of retreat from community during illness, loss of loved ones, relationship troubles, or simply a lack of energy for community participation.
Some people wanting to live communally might find Fryers Forest too “hands off”; All of their communal activity is based around fun rather than work.* But the relaxed atmosphere here was a thing to behold.
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Another example of great community glue at Fryers forest is their 2way radios. Every household has a 2way radio (to be used only in certain hours, not too early/late) which communards use to contact other members without having to pay for phone calls. Rather than being intrusive (as it might sound to some) this has the effect of giving a lovely daily overview of community goings on. Regular messages such as
“has anyone seen Leelah recently?”
and
“yep, I saw her riding north past the dam about half an hour ago”
and sometimes
“I’m making a fruit cake and I need 1 cup of sultanas and cooking whisky, can anyone help me out?”.
These messages were also ‘expectation free’ inviting participation but not eliciting it, it spurred silly joyful messages and constantly confirmed a feeling of being connected to the whole. Easy communication also had the effect of increasing resource sharing because it was so easy, people would often offer to get things from town for others on their shopping run. Tools and Wwoofers and energy was also utilised.


Fryers has a fantastic dam for swimming! The water level was down this year but it keeps the heat and is great for night time or in the rain swimming!
The members of Fryers are self-employed or work in the local area.

Thanks very much to Ant and his lovely family who looked after me here at Fryers Forest I loved my time with you! They also took me to meet seminal Permiculture experts David and Su where I got to eat pasta freshly made from just milled wheat! Yikes! That's tasty sustainability!

David and Su run fantastic courses from their home in Hepburn Springs. It is the most amazing example of sustainable living I have seen on my travels.There is also a section in this website detailing Fryers Forest.

http://www.holmgren.com.au/

*This was the phase that was happening when I visited but it of course, has not always been the case. During the building phases community members worked with each other daily (these times are thought of very fondly) and the same still happens but it is not an expectation.

[nosferatu_dj]

http://seetheemptycage.blogspot.com/2008/05/auravale.html

Monday, May 26, 2008
Auravale

The first Community I visited was the isolated and scarcely populated ‘Auravale’, in North Queensland, just out of Cooktown. The remaining residents here are champions of besting the odds and creating ingenious alternative technology. Look at their solar panels…
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These ones power
the communal house
where Wwoofers stay.
And the batteries
where the power is stored.
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The three lovely kids who currently live at Auravale are home schooled. In this photo they are with some friends from the nearby town one night when we had a bonfire.
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The get-over-your-modesty-loo is flushed by filling a water container from the nearby folded hose and simply tipping it in! The pure spring water at Auravale is piped from two streams that run through the property, the pipe runs a few K’s up for water pressure. Some residents (definitely Rainforest John) also have water tanks, but spring water is plentiful in the wet season.
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The water is heated in recycled hot water systems propped over a fireplace. It takes about 20 minutes to heat up a bath full. Fiona super-mother is washing some blankets too big for hand washing. I call it foot washing.
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Like so many dwellings at Auravale this one is empty but this is the construction look of most. Recycled local materials and not many walls (ahhh good old Queensland, got to love a state where you don’t need walls) and the essential mosquito nets!
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I really wish I had a photo of the orchard. The 30 year-old fruit trees here were laden with every tropical fruit under the sun. You could survive purely on the fruit. I’m pretty sure local Mic lived soley on fruit, wild pig and a few occasional extras from town.

Lots of past love has gone into Auravale
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So what happened? Seems there are many different reasons for the collapse of the thriving Auravale community in the 80’s: Change in government legislation that cut off support payments to rural areas, communards not being able to own a share in the land and consequently feeling less investment in it’s future, and of course, good old personal differences, the fate of many a promising Intentional Community.

Sustainability seems trickier in extremely remote areas were there is no option to earn small amounts of money additional to sustaining yourself and family. Even people that have managed total self-sufficiency are greatly helped by the ability to earn money on the side to cover unavoidable dealings with government such as taxes and rates. The remaining Auravale residents (five adults) earn money by travelling long distances to occasional work. Thankfully this predicament is easier to overcome these days with internet access which often provides community residents a way of earning money from home. Lots of this was going on at Crystal Waters, my next stop.

Auravale was difficult to leave, literally. Getting in was fine but the Queensland rain raised the stream crossing and the submarine (Chester) got stuck. Submarine, PAH!
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Sunrises used to symbolize the end of an all night adventure, living in a van has given me a whole new appreciation for them.
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Next I headed off to the thriving community Crystal Waters which lies just out of Maleny north of Brisvegas...

[nosferatu_dj]

http://seetheemptycage.blogspot.com/2008/05/crystal-waters-this-community-is-so.html

Monday, May 26, 2008
Crystal Waters

This community is so huge it gives the impression of a living organism. The 85 plots house hundreds of residents, each with their own focus and approach to sustainability. The wealth of knowledge here has caused the place to become almost a display village. Many residents assist this process by running courses and workshops in the community spaces for the public and students of lifestyle. There are also many efforts to link Crystal Waters to national and global Eco-Village networks. There is a community newsletter and many residents publish books and contribute articles to Magazines such as Genoa, Eco-living, Diggers and Dreamers and Earth Garden.

Other residents focus on personal businesses or just getting on with living sustainably, they aren’t so actively in ‘spreading the word’. This leads to an interesting atmosphere within the community. As Australia turns it’s head toward sustainability it shines the spotlight on places like Crystal Waters. I got the feeling some residents have a vision of city people running for the hills in search of help when crunch time comes, will they be ready to help? I am so excited by the dynamic atmosphere that is created as mainstream Australia grapples with ecologically friendly living as a growingly urgent priority. Residents of sustainable communities all over Australia have built their knowledge through years of trial and error and the perseverance it takes to break away from the mainstream, now the mainstream wants to join in. In the city ideas like ‘sustainable living’, ‘organics’ and 'renewable energy’ are all entering the conciousnes of city dwellers. These options are being introduced through largely corporate means as big business responds to public demand. I am presented with two different worlds, green living entering the mainstream and green living in communities built on a passion for community connection. Can we bring eco-friendly technology into our highly individualised lives? What to you think? I reckon we will find out soon, get involved and help the process evolve so I can find out sooner! It is an exciting time to be alive! It seems to me that fixing the earth is the first step to fixing our own health and well-being, I take all increased care as a good sign. Maybe I can tout that idea to A Current Affair: The “Attain Spiritual Wellbeing By Saving The Earth” no, actually, the “Loose Weight by Saving The Earth Diet” YEAH! Send any ideas (perhaps a reality TV show?) to me at emptycageproductions@yahoo.com.au

Back at Crystal Waters…

Despite all the variations in focus, individual differences aren’t as devastating here as they are in smaller communities. At Crystal Waters you can chose with whom and how much you are involved. This does lead to a bit of an involvement hierarchy: the more you are involved more effect you have in the community goings on, but this system seems to be self-regulating. It also economises on people’s initial energy and enthusiasm and lets people rest when they are burnt out.

When Crystal Waters’ committees vote on issues they require a two thirds majority. I really like this system, it cuts the hours of discussion time to arrive at unanimity but often requires some consensus building which leaves fewer ‘losers’ than a 50/50 vote. Most times the members here all agree anyway.
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Here is one of Crystal Waters’ 85 different interpretations of a permaculture garden. There is also a communal garden, dairy and bakery which supplies the general store. The organic produce grown here is also sold at market days that locals, visitors, Wwoofers and residents attend.

A landscaped water recycling system in the making.
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At Crystal Waters I met and Wwoofed with the lovely Christopher Bradley, an ex-restaurateur from Sydney. Christopher sold up shop and moved here about three years ago.

This is his circular permaculture garden where we collected our lunch every day. I miss those salads…and Christopher!
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Many residents build a temporary house during the making of their final house. This is the case with Christopher’s beautiful future studio where he now lives. His temporary loo is one of the simplest to make, It creates effective safe soil in 12 months. (there is a lurking bucket under this seat)
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Here is the lovely Guillaume saving the day… I know you’re all cringing but trust me, emptying the poo bucket is very satisfying! Turning something you didn’t want anything to do with in to something useful is a great feeling. Once you’ve had poo bucket, you never go back baby yeah!
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That reminds me, to meet someone equally enthusiastic about poo meet Hamish http://www.naturalevent.com.au/ who runs the best festival in Australia. Go to FRL,http://www.bilyana.com/ I’ll change your life.

We sun-dried the extra crop of cherry tomatoes. Solar power go!
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Muhahaha I’m from South Australia so cane toads are hilariously novel to me, these pests are still prolific in Queensland and not so funny to the locals.
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Due to minimal car movement (there is a 30K speed limit) no cats and dogs and protective neighbours, native wildlife also thrives at Crystal Waters. Kangaroos are everywhere and residents must get creative keeping them out of the garden beds. Heavy-duty fences are a common solution.

There is so much more to tell here… Check out their website for info on Crystal Waters’ history, infrastructure and courses coming up. I recommend a visit here if you have any interest in permaculture or ecologically-friendly housing. The architecture here will blow you away, very creative, unique and stylish. Check out the website. http://genoa.ecovillage.org/genoceania/ecocentre/index.html
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Then my circus family all played on the beach and I skipped merrily on my way!
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[glacidtek]

theres also:
http://www.helpx.net/

Welcome to Help Exchange (HelpX), an online listing of host organic farms, non-organic farms, farmstays, homestays, ranches, lodges, B&Bs, backpackers hostels and even sailing boats who invite volunteer helpers to stay with them short-term in exchange for food and accommodation.

HelpX is provided primarily as a cultural exchange for working holiday makers who would like the opportunity during their travels abroad, to stay with local people and gain practical experience. In the typical arrangement, the helper works an average of 4 hours per day and receives free accommodation and meals for their efforts. This time range can vary considerably depending on the tasks at hand and the host’s preferences. Some hosts may require just 2 hours per day for accommodation only, and ask you to provide and cook your own food. Others may expect 6 hours per day in return for meals, your own room and sometimes other benefits such as free Internet use, horse riding, kayaking, bikes, local sight-seeing trips, yoga or English lessons, etc. Some will give weekends off, while others might allow you to put in 8 hours one day and later take a full day off. Helpers often live with the host family and are expected to join in and offer a helping hand with day-to-day activities.

[nosferatu_dj]

i thought slave labour was illegal:rolleyes:

this is from a booklet i got from CAMPBELL PAGE. JOB services australia...

after 12 months what will happen?

we really want you find sustainable employment.

if you are still unemployed after 12 months, we will arrange a stream services review for you which will determine whether you will move into work experience or whether you need different cervices.

there is a broad range of work experience activities and is you proceed into work experience, we will talk about which activities are available in your local area and help you to select an activity that is best for you, such as:

* work for the dole or full-time work for the dole activities

* green corps environmental activities

* education or accredited training, for example, the productivity places program

* part-time or casual paid employment

* unpaid work experience

* voluntary work in the community and not for profit sector

* drought force farm-based activities

* participation in non-vocational programs (for example, drug or alcohol rehabilitation counselling)

we will also continue to meet with you at least every month while you are undertaking work experience activity.

thank you and all the best with your employment search with campbell page..................................

so anyone else see that the guvernemnt is getting people to do something that is already available BUT they want you to WORK for them not for yourself.