| Currawinya is a rural community of over 6200 acres surrounding the junction of the Clarence and Cataract Rivers in northern New South Wales, Australia. It was formed in 1976 by a group of idealistic creatives from Sydney and Perth, to become a place to live a family-oriented alternative lifestyle. Community values were aligned with Chief Seattle's Prayer, and the mission agreed on all those years ago was to restore the land to its former balanced bush / forest condition and reverse the ravages of logging and cattle grazing that resulted in loss of a safe environment for native flora and fauna.
Currawinya's Vision:
~~ Joyful, harmonious, community living sustainably within a diverse and balanced eco-system, caring for our environment and each other. We enjoy healthy social relations and diversified spirituality. We steward the land to sustain the Earth for future generations ~~
The property is owned on behalf of the shareholders by the non-profit company Currawinya Pty. Ltd. There are 24 shares in total, of which 6 are held by original members. Each share is entitled to select a 20 acre area for a home site, which is then approved by the company. The rest of the land is assigned for shared use, in harmony with the wildlife. Certain areas are off limit for home sites, as they are seen to be essential common use areas (eg. places of exceptional beauty or ecological value that are treasured and remain accessible by all).
The land consists of beautiful river flats and valleys, hills and mountains and pockets of rainforest gullies. We enjoy 12km of wild, pristine rivers and multiple creeks, all of which are pure to drink. We are surrounded by natural bushland and mostly bordered by National Park. Parts of Currawinya are declared a Wildlife Refuge and Wilderness Area with many rare and some endangered species calling Currawinya home.
Natural housing is a common feature of the dwellings here, with rammed earth, straw bale, mud brick and even a hand-made stone cottage. We are off-grid and each site generates its own solar energy. Growing food is a passionate (and successful!) focus for a few of the residents on their home sites and we are fortunate to nestle between a variety of temperature zones (hot, wet summers and light frosts in the hills and heavier frosts by the river in winter) allowing for huge variety in our gardens.
We endeavour to achieve a balance between the Me (personal needs) and We (community needs) of community. In the past we have experienced serious conflict (like many of the pioneering communities from the 70's) that has at times seen us diverge from our original mission, however we've proven strong enough to endure and are now looking aspirationally at where we want to go next. We're currently developing a 5 year plan so that we can focus our efforts and uplift following resolution of a lengthy and draining court case to remove cattle from the property.
As a whole, we are not aligned with any particular spiritual or religious teaching, rather, we are a diverse group with a common thread - love of the land. We are interested in attracting considerate, community-minded, nature loving people who want to live here, participate in community life and assist us with the stewardship and care of the land. | Community location is placed at the center of the zip/postal code, city/state, or city/country (not based on street addresses) |
Statement of Housing Non-discrimination: Our community does not discriminate in regards to housing based on race/color, national origin, religion, sex/gender, family status (i.e. having children, not having children, or being pregnant), disability, marital status, sexual orientation, ancestry, source of income, age, creed, personal appearance, political affiliation, HIV infection, military/veteran status, unfavorable military discharge, gender identity or expression, receiving public assistance, or being the victim of domestic abuse.
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