Stories from our intentional community
Rosemary Leonard Narara Ecovillage (NEV) is a living experiment in how people can work together at the local level to create a thriving community. NEV members know we need to explore new ways not only of regenerating the environment and our communities but also our economic systems – because they all work together. One of the most exciting aspects of …
Background notes Nurture: some people did not like the word “develop” because it sounds like a mainstream housing development. “Create and Build” were in the last aim and are not suitable because we will have built it before the end of 10 years. “Grow” sounds a bit odd! So we landed on ‘nurture’, a word requested several times during the Picture …
We’ve launched a podcast! Ecoliving will look at ways to reduce your impact on the earth, from cutting your greenhouse gas emissions to minimizing land and water use. Our first episode features Narara Ecovillage resident Chris Wenban, who lives full time in her tiny house on wheels. Listen Here:
by Annie McCluskey Early this year, I started volunteering at the Narara Ecovillage bulk food store for two hours each week. I really enjoy this role, as it allows me to meet more village members and learn about food, while contributing to our community. Six village volunteers run the store, which opens at least twice a week. The store was …
by Lyndall Parris A couple of us saw the usefulness of a fun, exercise-friendly, focal hub in the Ecovillage, particularly as a wave of our kids are maturing. We developed a proposal to build a tennis wall on an existing flat bitumen surface, sought lots of input and discussion, then received consent from the relevant community team to go ahead. …
“This house has been described as hugging its occupants, which is exactly what I wanted in my new home.” Donna The house sits on a sloping block with sweeping views across the valley. It is a single storey house split over two levels following the natural slope of the site. The upper level has a burnished concrete slab floor, which …
We are excited to bring you the creative minds behind some of the Ecovillage’s most distinctive houses. Join us as we discuss their vision and journey so far. Circular, hexagonal, natural and organic – this session will be a delight for your eyes.
A conversation between families in the Ecovillage who have chosen different schooling options for their children. Which schools are great in the Narara area? What are considered to be the best schools on the Central Coast? How do the local Steiner, Montessori, Home School and Public Schools differ in aspects of classroom sizes, homework and use of technology? Which dovetails …
“My house has the capacity for living both on- or -off-grid. The level of air circulation is exceptional via a ceiling fan and multiple windows and skylights.” Chris Wenban The Mayflower is a fully equipped tiny house built on a tri-axle registered 7.2 x 2.5 m steel trailer with brakes. When entering, it opens into a living area with a …
Ben’s House Ben’s workshop We’ve had a great Winter on the build of this round recycled home, with plenty being done to get us from a bare slab to a roofed and walled light-straw-earth and cob home, thanks greatly to the help of some pretty awesome workaway volunteers (big shoutouts to Euge and Fran, Lois & Koen) and our designers/natural …
People often ask us how we make decisions and handle our differences. We use a method called Sociocracy: an evolution beyond democracy and beyond consensus. Sociocracy includes many practical elements such as: 1 Decisions are made in smaller or larger groups meeting as circles In a circle, each person’s voice is valued equally; we take turns speaking and listening. The …
In the past, we have held a short talk for Open Day visitors to share some of the vision and reality of Narara Ecovillage. With the coronavirus restrictions, we have had to change the way we hold these events, so please enjoy this online video version of our Open Day talk.
An Earthship is a passive solar earth shelter that is made of both natural and upcycled materials. Candy’s features earth-packed tires, cob walls and a natural geothermal cooling system. This earthship was only the second approved in NSW. “At least a hundred people helped me build this house. It was made with so much love. Anybody that comes here feels …
By Deb Mohr I love that my two kids enjoy lots of free play, climb trees, help with the weeding and the community chooks and have access to so much more land than we could afford to maintain ourselves. This was definitely one of the draw cards for us, when choosing to move our family to Narara Ecovillage. But some …
Chris and Jazz share a block of land at the Narara Ecovillage. We get a tour of their place for this year’s online Sustainable House Day.
What happens when you get a bunch of permaculturalists, landscapers, growers, botanists, and people who like good food in the one place? The veggie patch version of a cosmic explosion! Join us to chat with Marg from the Triplespan Growing Group about the niche growing ideas used in the Triplespan Greenhouse here at Narara Ecovillage. There’s sure to be a …
Sustainable House Day 2020
Join us for a fascinating chat about birds and wildlife with avid birdwatcher and Ecovillage member Richard. It is wonderful to see how many different species we share our home with, and you can learn about some of the ways we actively encourage the increase and diversification of native animals. Find out how you can track the change of season …
-by Megan Wallace My son rushed in the door, so animated after sharing a ride home from school with our neighbours. After a quick chat and snack he hears our home schooling buddies riding by and rushes out to play. I take the opportunity to walk over to our common area and am delighted to progress our idea of a …
-Mikala Dind In this six-part series, Narara Ecovillage member Mikala Dind shares her knowledge about what makes houses healthy or unhealthy. While this article is about existing homes, the information will definitely assist anyone seeking to build a home. One of the most common reasons for mould problems in a home is water finding its way into the building. In …
