| Kohatu Toa Eco- Kohatu Toa Eco-village is situated approximately one and a half hours’ drive from Auckland, just north of Kaiwaka off State Highway 1.
Kohatu Toa, the hill which gives the Eco-Village its name, overlooks the valley and has spiritual significance for some members of the community.
The community here is dedicated to:
• Living simply, peacefully, and co-operatively.
• Protecting and enhancing our environment.
• Developing a resilient, sustainable economy.
The Eco-Village consists of seven house sites varying in size from 0.26ha to 1.31ha, within community land of approximately 100 acres. The title to each allotment includes an undivided one-seventh share of the common land.
The community currently consists of about 20 people, including seven children aged from approximately seven to seventeen years.
As a community we are committed to living lightly on the land, to nurture the valley and ourselves in a way that honours our individuality and supports community development. Social opportunities include weekly community meals and celebrations. Groups of us work together on common land and projects as required. The land is certified organic under the OFNZ certification scheme. As well as our own gardens and orchards, we have two community gardens and a community orchard block. We also have a small herd of Dexter cattle.
We have a beautiful earthbrick building, owned by the community, which provides shared space for the community as well as meeting and kitchen facilities for workshops and events.
We have an established green-dollar scheme with members from the Eco-Village and the broader community. This allows us to trade skills and produce and helps to support us all. Several community members are actively involved in the local Transition Town group.
A number of businesses are based here, including Koanga Gardens—Centre for Sustainable Living (www.koanga.co.nz). | 
