April 2025 Building and gardening with joy, tons of events   Recently updated !

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Natural building – a long, worthwhile journey

Linda’s green roof – left; The underlying webbing – right

-Linda Scott

This 4th May I’m excited to be opening the doors to my hobbit-style art studio for Sustainable House Day in Narara Ecovillage.  

From the initial decision to build an earth bag (super adobe) house while attending a natural building workshop in Spain to the completed quirky building, it’s been a journey of more than 10 years that has involved well over a hundred people along the way. 

Super adobe – filling polypropylene bags with clay, sand, lime mix – is a unique and cheaper way of building, but be warned: it is very labour intensive.  <read more>

While the Spain workshop built a dome in one day, my build took much longer. After laying the bags and completing the roof, there was still so much work to do.  Such as rendering the walls, lime washing recycled floorboards for the stunning ceiling, laying the earth floor, and constructing the green roof with webbing to hold the soil.

In the beginning, I had 10-20 paid workers and volunteers/backpackers each day working hard in the hot summer sun. They camped in the village and I prepared their vegetarian meals.

I’ve had the predictable ups and downs of building, but the finished result has made it so worthwhile. My quirky hobbit studio has gained much attention and I’m looking forward to showing it to you.

Annihilating all that’s made / To a green thought in a green shade. -Andrew Marvell

An obsession

-Jazz Mozzi

“But it’s growing so well and is supposed to be healthy, and I persevere, googling all the while, what to do with a revolting tasting leaf.”

I have shaken my head in puzzlement over friends who spend hours in their garden wasting time when they could be doing something productive, I say. Ah, famous last words! Slowly, seductively with every snap pea, radish, rocket leaf, cucumber creating a colourful salad for my lunch, this land drew me in.  

My neighbour Chris and I started gardening when Covid happened, and spent lots of $$ creating veggie beds, building up the soil, getting the worm farms going and experimenting with edible plants and herbs.

Chris planted sorrel … it grows lush tapered red and green leaves. So many leaves that beg to be used but taste blah. But it’s growing so well and is supposed to be healthy, and I persevere, googling all the while, what to do with a revolting tasting leaf.

The tiny finger lime that was ordered took months to arrive, they are a challenge to graft. It has been nurtured, fertilised, watered and cooed over for 4 long years. Huge excitement when flowers blossomed and then 15 tiny sausage shaped fruit formed. The globules of citrus burst with flavour in fruit salads or cooked dishes. Price per kilo is $25-50 and in demand in high class restaurants.

Growing dragon fruit also takes patience, more googling – what this climbing cactus needs is a strong trellis. Build it and they will come! This year the first one appeared, more great excitement for one fruit.

Somewhere in between, the pomegranate, which has not fruited (takes time) and the dwarf banana, which has put out its first bunch of the most adorable fat little bananas, the word obsessive was starting to creep into my head. I’ve seen banana trees before, but this one is mine!

Such satisfaction for a few mouthfuls of food. I highly recommend it.

Permablitz – changing the world one garden at a time

“Permaculture is both a design system and an approach to living. Permaculture’s core ethics: “Earth care, People care and Fair share” underscore the inextricable connection between being human and living on this earth.” A recent permablitz at Narara Ecovillage

——

In a permablitz, a group descends on one person’s place and together transforms it to be more regenerative and sustainable, guided by permaculture design. Which sounds like a lot of work- something we usually prefer to avoid, especially on the weekend. But it turns out that it’s not just the garden that benefits: so do the humans. When people come together to plan, learn and  share in something worth doing, they also come to life and thrive. 

Here are 12 core design principles from David Holmgren:

1. Observe and interact

2. Catch and store energy

3. Obtain a yield

4. Apply self-regulation and accept feedback

5. Use and value renewable resources and services

6. Produce no waste

7. Design from patterns to details

8. Integrate rather than segregate

9. Use small and slow solutions

10. Use and value diversity

11. Use edges and value the marginal

12. Creatively use and respond to change

More information & references

Permablitz Aug 2020

The same garden April 2025 

‘Respite, healing and beauty’ in the garden

In a recent article in The Conversation, Carole Lefevre explores how happiness is found from contact with nature.

The author gives a wide range of examples focussing on gardens, and introduces Erich Fromm’s concept of biophilia: “the passionate love of life and all that is alive”. Fromm speculated that our separation from nature brings about a level of unrecognised distress. 

Find the article here: Friday essay: in an uncertain world, ‘green relief’ offers respite, healing and beauty

Thriving Community Garden Ready to Grow

-Rafaele Joudry

Over the past years, we’ve been transforming a patch of clay and gravel under an old metal pole domed structure, known as the TripleSpan, into something special. What started as a bare space is now 500 square meters of thriving garden beds, thanks to the dedication of volunteers who run it as a community garden. It has become a real hub for local food, sustainability, and connection. Read more

Events

Any time: Habitat gardening for Birds

Birdlife Australia has created a six-part video series showing how to create a garden that birds and other wildlife will love. Packed with practical tips & inspiration, these videos are free, and you can watch them any time. Watch the videos on YouTube

In addition, a more detailed – but still free – online course is offered.

Throughout April: Great Fungi Hunt 

Explore the world around you, find fungi, win prizes and contribute to our knowledge of fungi in Australia by uploading your photos and observations to iNaturalist. Download this handy guide on “How to describe my fungus” – https://bit.ly/HowToDescribeMyFungus

More information here: https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/the-great-aussie-fungi-hunt-2025 

Tue April 15: Meet Woven Gathering Communities Online

Regardless of whether you’re able to come to the Woven Intentional Communities Conference (24-27 Apr- see below) in Victoria, you’re invited to an informal Zoom chat where you can meet the communities.

Tue April 22: Empowering Collaborative Action – Free lunchtime session

Discover how the Inner Development Goals (IDGs) and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) offer a powerful framework to build team resilience, tackle climate impacts, and drive long-term sustainability in a rapidly changing world.

Thu April 24- Sun 27: Intentional Communities conference 

Moora Moora Cooperative in Wurundjeri Country is hosting this weekend of connection, workshops, open forums, and celebration. Whether you’re already part of a community or exploring the path, come share knowledge, creativity, and solidarity as we co-create a resilient and connected future.

Sat-Sun April 26-7: Experience Narara Ecovillage Living at our April Open Weekend

You are invited to join some or all of a series of workshops, walks, talks and interactive experiences, structured around our regular Open Day talks and tours on Sunday. 

Jump in and experience ecovillage living firsthand:

  • Yoga, meditation, nature walks, sacred chanting 
  • Learn about energy efficient buildings or sociocracy – our very inclusive method of decision making and self-governance
  • Lunch and snack at our Coffee Cart
  • Visit the community garden, join our film night, “Water Is Love” with discussion and potluck dinner (bring a dish). 
  • All our regular activities, plus special workshops for guests, are available to join and experience

Come for a single session or stay the whole weekend!

  • When: Sat April 26 – Sunday April 27th
  • Where: Narara Ecovillage, 33 Gugandi Rd 2250
  • Cost for all activities: $83 – $182
  • Learn more and register here

Sat April 26 morning: Sociocracy In Action: Inclusive meetings that work

Sociocracy is an inclusive decision-making method used around the world in organisations and groups of all shapes and sizes – even individual families or households. 

In this hands-on workshop you will learn about and apply some of the key tools of sociocracy, helping you to: Tap the ‘wisdom of the group’; Develop solutions together; Make decisions effectively.

  • When: Sat 26th April, 9am – 2:30pm
  • Where: Narara Ecovillage Hall, 33 Gugandi Rd 2250
  • Cost: $39-$99
  • More Details and Registration (scroll down to find this event)

Sat April 26 evening: Film – Water is Love – Ripples of Regeneration

Through inspiring stories from projects in India, Kenya, and Portugal, this film aims to spark conversations and actions that contribute to a regenerative and resilient world. As we face growing impacts of climate disruption as well as government failure to act, ‘Water is Love’ points to an often overlooked possibility: community-driven decentralized water management as a key for surviving in this century and beyond. 

Join facilitated discussion with Ecovillagers after viewing the film. 

More information about the film here.

  • When: Sat April 26, 7-9 pm
  • Where: Narara Ecovillage Hall, 33 Gugandi Rd 2250
  • Cost (by donation, suggested $10-25)
  • More Details and Registration (scroll down to find this event)

Sun April 27 morning: Narara Ecovillage Open Day

The Open Day (talk and tour) shows what Narara Ecovillage is all about, and demonstrates how we are activating a resilient community with ecological, social and economic potential by:

shared food growing, natural retreats and permaculture spaces

shared community and workplaces

highly efficient, low-carbon homes

All are welcome.

  • When: Sun April 27 10.30am – 1.30pm
  • Where: Narara Ecovillage Hall, 33 Gugandi Road 2250
  • Cost: $15 includes talk & walking tour around village, kids & NELN members free!
  • More Details and Registration (scroll down to find this event)

Sun April 27 afternoon: Workshop: Energy Efficient Buildings

Narara Ecovillage has possibly the most eclectic collection of environmental house styles in the country. Our highly sustainable new and retrofitted homes range from 7 to 9 stars and now have a minimum requirement of 7.5 stars as well as a very low energy cooling requirement. 

Owner-builder Geoff Cameron’s hempcrete ‘Powerhouse’ is very energy efficient and also very comfortable. Geoff also has extensive experience with the village’s power and water companies – as well as being a productive permaculturalist.

This is definitely one not to miss

  • When: Sun April 27: 1:30 pm – 5:30 pm
  • Where:  Narara Ecovillage Hall, 33 Gugandi Road 2250
  • Cost: $20-$69
  • More Details and Registration (scroll down to find this event)

Sat May 3 – Sun 4: Central Coast Edible Gardens Trail

The Central Coast Edible Garden Trail is a weekend of inspiration, connection and so much fun! There are plenty of interesting gardens around the coast to visit on both days.

Selected Narara Ecovillage gardens will be opening on Saturday, 3 May ONLY. The village will open seven gardens, including five home gardens and the Triplespan and Scribbly Gum Food Forest community gardens.

The village’s gardens showcase diverse & evolving styles, including raised beds, guild plantings, fruit and nut trees, chooks, food forests, a mini market garden, and all forms of composting and soil improvement methods. See a preview here

  • When: Sat 3rd and Sun 4th May 9.30am-4pm
  • Where: Various locations on the Central Coast, NSW. Narara Ecovillage Gardens 3rd May only.
  • Cost: $10-25 Children free
  • Registration: Click here for more info and tickets

Sun May 4: Sustainable House Day at Narara Ecovillage

This is an opportunity to explore some of Australia’s most inspiring homes, and learn from the people who built and live in them.

Seven village homes will be open, plus 4 guided tours in the morning, and two talks in the Village Hall:

  • Retrofitting for energy efficiency and thermal comfort (morning)
  • Setting up a microgrid and community battery (afternoon)

The open houses are: The “Hobbit” studio – natural build  | Donna’s Hempcrete House  | Geoff’s Hemp House |  Heritage House – retrofit  |  “Dorothy” – retrofit Queenslander (featured on Restoration Australia)  |  Candy’s Earthship  |  Karl and Annie’s House  |  Ecovillage community battery and switch room

Fri May 30 – Sun June 1: Deep Ecology Immersion at Narara Ecovillage

-Hosted by John Seed, Niamh Murray & friends

“The modern psyche is radically alienated from the air, water and soil which underpin life and this is reflected in the rapid shredding of all-natural systems in the name of economic development. Deep ecology reminds us that the world is not a pyramid with humans on top, but a web. We, humans, are but one strand in that web”

This transformative workshop allows us to become aware of our rootedness in the living Earth and the renewal, empowerment and vision that invariably ensue

  • When: 4pm Friday 30 May to 4pm Sunday 1 June 2025
  • Where: Narara Ecovillage Hall, 33 Gugandi Rd 2250
  • Cost: $150 TO $600 according to your means. 25% of proceeds go to rainforest conservation. 10% discount for NELN members
  • More info & Registration here

Other Deep Ecology workshops around Australia in 2025. Reviews from previous participants.

Sun June 15: David Holmgren, Permaculture talk, plus more 

Join us for an engaging and interactive day at Narara Ecovillage with David Holmgren, co-originator of the permaculture concept. This unique event offers a rare opportunity to hear from one of the most influential voices in sustainable living—on a topic chosen by you!

  • Enjoy a delicious vegetarian/vegan/gf meal, provided by Pachamama Catering
  • Guided tour of Narara Ecovillage, where you’ll be able to see different materials and techniques of ecological homes
  • A chance to connect with like-minded individuals, shape the conversation, and gain insights into the future of regenerative living!
  • When: Sun 15 Jun, 10am – 4pm
  • Where: Narara Ecovillage Hall, 33 Gugandi Rd 2250
  • Cost: $30-50 
  • More info and tickets here

Accommodation at Narara Ecovillage

Paperbark House: in the heart of the village

Zen House: a secluded getaway

  • This fully-equipped artisanal tiny house on the edge of Strickland Forest suits singles or couples, but can sleep up to 4 if required
  • Choose between complete privacy, adventuring through renowned forest trails, or experience one of Australia’s leading Ecovillages, chatting with the members, taking part in a workshop or working bee.
  • More info, pictures and booking link here