Passion for people and ponies, and biking the world

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Trevor and Scilla became members of Narara Ecovillage in 2014 – very soon after their partnership began.  For Scilla, at least, an understanding of the challenges presented by establishing an ecovillage, knowing the history of Narara and the awareness that Deep Ecology had a presence were all factors in her decision to join.  From the start, Scilla and Trevor were …

Rafaele (left) and Rosemary in front of their retrofitted Queenslander house

Retrofitting our lives – and our home

adminPeople, Village Life

Rosemary and Rafaele are referred to in the village as R and R, not for Rest and Recreation but for Recycling and Retrofitting. They met a few years ago at a stage where they were looking for a lifestyle that would support their wellbeing in retirement, while offering avenues for helping the community and environment. Coming from backgrounds in academia …

Field Naturalist and Parent for Climate Action

adminCommunity, People, Village Life

Guy and Suzie with their school-aged daughter, Lila, moved from Victoria to the ecovillage in 2021 to rent from ecovillage-founder friends who own a townhouse here. They liked it so much they decided to buy a block and build! Their 8.5 star home was completed in 2025 – a split-level home at the top of the hill, made from aerated …

Our Invaluable Octogenarians Kate and Mike

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Kate and Mike were the very first people to move on site along with Linda Scott. The Ecovillage Co-operative took ownership of the property in 2013 after a long settlement with the previous owners. The existing Managers Cottage, quickly renamed ‘Heritage House’, had been vacant for a while and the house and garden needed a lot of work to make …

Linda’s Bamboo House & Art Studio

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As Linda enters her 80’s, she looks forward to enjoying more recreation and social life when her time-consuming building project is completed. She’d like to get back to writing and enjoying more art and books. Linda has been building an extraordinary house, with her passion for natural building that was sparked when, as a WWOOFer volunteer in UK, she experienced …

Tanya – Global Ecovillage Network Ambassador

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Tanya was drawn to Narara Ecovillage because of its intention to be a demonstration village with a focus on education, the credibility that came from the connection to the Global Ecovillage Network with proven experiential resources and the need in our world for examples of regeneration and sustainability. “I realised the village had all my passions rolled into one. I …

Heidi and her growing boys

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Heidi found the Ecovillage community a few years ago. The appeal to be surrounded by a village while raising children was strong.  It was a way to live the homestead lifestyle without the isolation. There was a lot to consider with juggling finances, shared access for the boys and work commitments. Heidi dipped in and out for 2-3 years until …

Health professionals note the benefit of social cohesion

Jonathan Keren-BlackPeople

Lynda and Meng (and Ruby) have been residents for a few years enjoying their hempcrete home that was built as part of the Stage 1 Ecovillage development. Lynda became a member a decade ago and Meng later joined her at the Village. ‘We both decided this was the place we wanted to live. I have a passion for permaculture and …

Peter and Kee get stuck in

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Peter and Kee enjoyed a full and varied working life until retirement with businesses in software, computers, academic research and more recently apartment management, as well as building an eco-home in Moss Vale, …….  They bring many skills to the community and have have embraced the NEV Community and thrown themselves into many groups. Although quite new to the community, …

2 mums, a son and a snake!

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Kate, Lara and Casper have joined the village on a shared lot with Elly and are planning to build a small cabin-style house in stage 2. Passionate about creating a socially and ecologically just world; ecovillage living was something that appealed for connection to community, sharing resources and treading lighter on the earth. Big outdoor lovers, the family found the …

Elly and Pikelet are sharing their lot

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  Elly maintains a small practice in dance, and in particular, improvisation, participating in weekly performance groups in Sydney – experimental music, improvised dance/theatre, as well as the very non-experimental UNSW Collegium Choir.   All are immensely satisfying, physically, emotionally and spiritually. Elly is looking forward to establishing some classes at the village or finding a nearby studio in which to …

Jonathan and Sue – Religious diversity from cooler climes!

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Jonathan and Sue have come from 20 years in Melbourne, and before that they hailed from London. Retiring from ‘paid employment’ they feel they still have plenty of energy and enthusiasm to give to try to make a better world. Jonathan, a Rabbi, was involved in Interfaith work as well as Environmental awareness, and brought these together by serving on …

Cathy and Jay – drawn to the ‘thickness’ of community

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With backgrounds in social change movements and progressive governance Cathie and Jay were drawn to Narara Ecovillage for its use of sociocracy, and what they call a ‘thicker’ experience of community. “As social change geeks, we liked the large scale of Narara”, says Jay. “An intentional community of 200 people means working together through differences, and exploring beyond a culture …

Deb and Dan – seeking more connection and meaning

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Deb and Dan were looking for a place where their kids could roam free, and they could have meaningful connections with their neighbours. They had visited other ecovillages before choosing Narara, and were wanting to know they would have like-minded neighbours. Deb says: “We had heard stories of inter-connectedness, but hadn’t really felt it. What we didn’t really expect was …

Lyndall and Dave – dreaming the village into being

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Lyndall Parris is a passionate pioneer in the world of intentional communities. With a background in teaching and accounting—and a deep desire to live more purposefully and collaboratively—Lyndall followed a powerful calling that led her to found Narara Ecovillage. Lyndall’s journey is one of vision, courage, and heart. From the early days of dreaming up a community where people could …

A beautiful place to call home

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George and Mark, both retired from corporate jobs in Financial Services and IT, have been together for 24 years. They first made contact with the Ecovillage in 2014 and owner-built their house in Stage 1 in 2021. George has a passion for printmaking, Permaculture and Nāda Yoga and Mark designs software, electronics and 3D printing. “We have made some very good …

Healthy living, community vibe and many new friends

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Karl and Annie lived in western Sydney for 30 years before recognising a need for more community, especially as they got older.  We moved to the ecovillage in 2020. “We rarely saw our Sydney friends because, like us, they are busy. At Narara, we spend time with local friends and neighbours every day at working bees, over a coffee, lunch …