As government guidelines allow, we would like to welcome visitors to our Ecovillage again. Some events will continue to be held online, however this month, we will offer site tours with limited numbers for our Open Day as well as Personal Tours by appointment. See details below.
Please consult this page or Facebook for updates, or feel free to reach out: 02 4328-1588 or info@nararaecovillage.com
Best wishes for staying healthy over the next while,
the Narara Ecovillage Community.
Friday 21stAugust 8-9pm, Alternatives to the Traditional Models of Home Ownership and Bank Finance at Narara Ecovillage.
Our next Friday night zoom will see us chatting with Deb who does the finances for our Ecovillage. We have many interested followers who can’t afford to buy a lot and build a house, or who don’t want to be tied down to a mortgage for 30 years, or who can’t get a bank loan. Deb is a creative thinker and she will share some of the strategies Narara Ecovillage members have used to secure their happiness here at the Ecovillage. She is inspired by flexible housing scenarios abroad, as well as the diversity of the people who are drawn to our community.
Sign up below to be part of the conversation
https://events.humanitix.com/creative-financing
This unique building was designed by Will Eastlake and Kenney LeMire of Integrated Biotecture and is currently being owner-built with their assistance at the Narara Ecovillage on the NSW Central Coast. Framing timbers, windows, doors and flooring have been carefully re-purposed from demolition sites and given new life. Now, the next step is to fill the walls with straw and clay using the light-straw-clay technique with bamboo as permanent form-work.
This workshop is an opportunity to learn about the light-straw-clay building technique which is low-cost, safe to install, non-toxic and arguably one of the most sustainable building solutions around. Apart from enjoying the work and camaraderie, there will be opportunities to discuss and learn about other aspects of the build which include:
- passive cooling: earth tubes and thermal chimney
- mass heating: solar passive design and cob rocket benches
- earthen floors
- creative carpentry and window making
- water saving: rainwater harvesting, compost toilets
- wiring choices to reduce EMF exposure and healthy material choices.
And after all this, if we get enough done we might also move onto cobbing the internal walls in the ‘wattle and daub’ technique.
The Hosts:
Benjamin is the owner-builder for the project, a physiologist by trade and avid health researcher. Carly is a psychiatrist and home-schooling mum who was mad enough to let her husband build this home. Will & Kenney are the building designers and natural builders who designed this special home.
Cost:
$120 for the full 6 days and includes morning tea, lunch, snacks, coffee and a selection of foraged and normali’tea(s). Lunch will be vegetarian, gluten free, mostly organic and as local as possible (but ask us if you need any special arrangements, if too niche we might ask you to BYO). The per day rate is $25 ($20 for NELN or NEV members) but priority will be given to longer duration as capacity is limited. Some safety equipment will be provided but we ask you to bring appropriate footwear, gloves and hearing protection/glasses, if you have them.
Dates: Friday 28 August until Wednesday 2nd September.
The working day starts at 8:30am and finishes about 4:30pm. This can be flexible to your needs, but otherwise we appreciate you being on time.
Where to stay:
There are local accommodation possibilities including home-stays, hotels and camping at the village. We encourage you to arrive on the Thursday evening if you are not local. Please let us know if you’d be interested in any of these these options and we’ll put you in touch to arrange. Sorry, but we cannot accommodate dogs or other pets.
Contact
Benjamin on 0490 537 598 or via email bcfs24@gmail.com for further information. A 50% deposit will be requested to book your place in.
About Sociocracy
Sociocracy provides simple but powerful tools that help people work together efficiently and effectively.
What will be covered in this workshop?
Micro Facilitation Skills
Facilitating a group can be like riding six horses who all want to go in different directions. Balancing each individual’s ideas with the needs of the whole group can be a challenge. How do you bring them to order in a way that gets them all headed in the same direction?
The process of Sociocracy offers a number of tools and structures that help groups to work together. Perfecting the implementation of Sociocracy also requires skilled facilitation.
This workshop explores the detail of the many micro skills that make up successful facilitation, within a Sociocracy framework.
By practicing each micro skill one at a time, you will gain competence in real life implementation. We will do real time practice and feedback on each little skill so you can confidently add them to your repertoire.
Drill into each component of the five skills sets of:
- Structure and Morale
- Regulating Participation
- Focusing
- Consent Decision Making
- Emotional Climate
Suitable for both beginner and advanced facilitators.
Presented by Rafaele Joudry and Deb Mohr from the Sociocracy Resource Circle at Narara Ecovillage
Cost – $30.00
NELN Members – $25.00
A Collective Know-How event
Presented by the Narara Ecovillage Sociocracy Resource Circle
Coronavirus continues to disrupt all our lives. Due to the escalation in Victoria and growing uncertainty in New South Wales, plans for the Open Day have had to change.
So far, there are several tours confirmed during the Open Day that explore different areas of Narara Ecovillage. Each tour is by pre-booking for a small group of people to keep everyone safe.
Open Day Tour: Ecovillage Overview
at 1.15pm
Pre-bookings >> https://events.humanitix.com/open-day-tour-overview-of-narara-ecovillage
Open Day Tour: Ecovillage Explorer with Kids and Families
at 1.45pm
Pre-bookings >> https://events.humanitix.com/ecovillage-explorer-with-kids-and-families
Open Day Tour: Collaborative Living & Sharing
at 2.30pm
Pre-bookings >> https://events.humanitix.com/open-day-tour-collaborative-living-and-sharing-9dflc1jn
The tours are $10 for adults and free for kids or Narara Eco Living Network members.
The tours involve walking on semi-rural land and are best enjoyed with closed shoes and all-weather clothing. They can also involve visiting spaces with wildlife. So please leave your pets at home.
The Open Day is a COVID safe event. Please bring a mask to the event. Masks will also be available for sale at the welcome desk.
On the day, our fabulous Coffee Cart will be open from lunchtime to 3pm, selling great drinks and healthy food.
If this will be your first visit to Narara Ecovillage, the Open Day Preview with a pioneer members provides an introduction of the ecovillage and its unfolding story.
Ahead of the Open Day, you can also find answers to Frequently Asked Questions: https://wiki.nararaecovillage.com/display/FAQ/Frequently+Asked+Questions+Home.
Looking forward to welcoming you to Narara Ecovillage!
Affordable Strategies for Comfort Workshop from Beyond Zero Emissions
In this very informative workshop you will learn energy-saving tricks to keep your house warm, even if you are renting. House types covered include cavity brick, brick veneer and weatherboard. Case studies will be presented, including Narara Ecovillage’s “Dorothy”, with a guided tour afterwards. Attendees may also purchase a pdf of the Energy Freedom Home book by donation.
About BZE: Beyond Zero Emissions is a climate change think tank, showing through independent research and innovative solutions how Australia can reach beyond zero emissions.
Discount tickets are available for NELN members. The Narara Eco Living Network is a not for profit educational and outreach body established by members of Narara Ecovillage Co-operative to promote more sustainable living in all its forms. All are welcome to join. Join the Network here
Meet outside the Visitors Centre.
Not recommended for children under 12.
Bring your binoculars.
Sustainable House Day and September Open Day together!
-More details to come
About Open Days
Visit our beautiful site and learn about our purpose and plans for Narara Ecovillage.
Over 3 hours enjoy a perfect introduction to Narara Ecovillage through:
- walking tours of the site,
- a presentation, often by our founder, Lyndall Parris, and
- opportunities to meet members and to ask questions.
Our fabulous Coffee Cart will be open from 9:30 to 3pm, selling great drinks and healthy food.
Come prepared for all weather and walking on a rural property. Kids are always welcome. However please leave your pets at home.
On Open Days where other events are scheduled, these events may involve separate registration and costs.
Whether you come just for the Open Day or extend it with another activity on offer at Narara Ecovillage on that day, we look forward to greeting you on your first visit or to welcome you again and again – and again!
Cost to attend: Individual $10, Family $20, Free for NELN (Narara Eco Living Network) members.
If you are unable to attend this Open Day we offer a monthly Open Day program – either morning or afternoon. Most dates are on Saturday with a sprinkle of Sundays.
6:30 pm for 7 pm start.
By donation to the coffee cart.
Meet outside the Visitors Centre.
John Shiel has visited ecovillages around the world and will describe how these communities formed, and how some were successful in developing their sustainability. He will show how establishing a sustainable community in an urban area contributes to the village’s success and can lead to lower overall ecological impact.
He will discuss the importance of:
- Connected Communities living locally
- Local currency
- Local food growing
- Houses and infrastructure that:
-
- Power themselves
- Have low or negative embodied energy
- Low energy transport
- Zero Waste
John Shiel is a member of Narara Ecovillage Co-operative and the Principal of EnviroSustain, Built Environment Sustainability Consultants. He is a member of Beyond Zero Emissions and is the Immediate Past Chairman of Permaculture Hunter. Formerly, John was a power station civil engineer and an IT consultant with a multi-national. His has an engineering PhD in retrofitting houses for climate change.
Visit our beautiful site and learn about our purpose and plans for Narara Ecovillage.
Over 3 hours enjoy a perfect introduction to Narara Ecovillage through:
- walking tours of the site,
- a presentation, often by our founder, Lyndall Parris, and
- opportunities to meet members and to ask questions.
Our fabulous Coffee Cart will be open from 9:30 to 3pm, selling great drinks and healthy food.
Come prepared for all weather and walking on a rural property. Kids are always welcome. However please leave your pets at home.
On Open Days where other events are scheduled, these events may involve separate registration and costs.
Whether you come just for the Open Day or extend it with another activity on offer at Narara Ecovillage on that day, we look forward to greeting you on your first visit or to welcome you again and again – and again!
Cost to attend: Individual $10, Family $20, Free for NELN (Narara Eco Living Network) members.
If you are unable to attend this Open Day we offer a monthly Open Day program – either morning or afternoon. Most dates are on Saturday with a sprinkle of Sundays.
Join John and Lincoln at our beautiful ecovillage to experience the joy of bees.
$20 per family / person and includes a jar of honey.
Meet outside the Visitors Centre.
Visit our beautiful site and learn about our purpose and plans for Narara Ecovillage.
Over 3 hours enjoy a perfect introduction to Narara Ecovillage through:
- walking tours of the site,
- a presentation, often by our founder, Lyndall Parris, and
- opportunities to meet members and to ask questions.
Our fabulous Coffee Cart will be open from 9:30 to 3pm, selling great drinks and healthy food.
Come prepared for all weather and walking on a rural property. Kids are always welcome. However please leave your pets at home.
On Open Days where other events are scheduled, these events may involve separate registration and costs.
Whether you come just for the Open Day or extend it with another activity on offer at Narara Ecovillage on that day, we look forward to greeting you on your first visit or to welcome you again and again – and again!
Cost to attend: Individual $10, Family $20, Free for NELN (Narara Eco Living Network) members.
If you are unable to attend this Open Day we offer a monthly Open Day program – either morning or afternoon. Most dates are on Saturday with a sprinkle of Sundays.