Australia
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Created by nature loving artists this beautiful 14 acre property is like no other. Using Eco friendly Mongolian Yurts the establishment of an Eco Retreat is the major project already under way. There is an established orchard with a huge variety of mature trees that requires mulching and tending.
Most of the property is covered in magnificent rainforest and two property boundaries are next door to world heritage Dorrigo National Park. A Rainforest regeneration hoop style greenhouse for tube stock needs to be erected to work towards preserving the property for future generations to enjoy.
If you are an artist and have a flair for being creative with natural elements, recycled items, mosaic tiles, decorating the water tanks with vertical moss or fairy gardens, this is the place for you to express yourself.
Gardening
Building
Help with Eco project
Art project
Situated 8 minutes drive to Bellingen town famous for music and cultural festivals. 5 minutes away from the picture perfect Promised Lands swimming holes.
You can borrow the canoe and paddle in the river near by. There are many bushwalking trails around and Dorrigo National park has the skywalk lookout.
Coffs Harbour Airport, Urunga beach and Coffs Botanical gardens are half an hour away.
An exciting opportunity awaits quirky individuals who would like to learn how to erect three Mongolian Yurts currently being relocated from another property to here. Sitting flat packed in the garage at the moment one of three bare earth pads is sculpted and ready for groundwork earthen flooring, landscaping and French drains. (Update...two Yurts are now up. One is fully completed. The second has the frame up and needs the covers put on. The third has the excavation completed and the first layer of crusher dust on the floor. This project is half way through. It’s an exciting time to jump in. One French drains is left and has been dug out ready to fill).
Other projects include mulching the orchard, pathways, and gardens. Creating an artistic organic vegetable and herb garden to be laid out in the shape of an octopus twisting and turning with spirals and keyholes. (Update...the first garden is done. The stone work looks amazing. We are going to the Saturday markets in town to buy plants today. The mulch pile is still at 90 percent full).
Bush regeneration using native edibles and grasses. (Update..we went to Dr Peppers Permaculture Farm down the road. It is 20 Years established. He suggested we create an alliance to help each other with the workers so this is an incredible opportunity to learn from a master and see permaculture in action from beginning to end. He is passionate about native grasses and he will tell you why). There are 15 of 2000 litre water storage bladder bags to be set up with irrigation lines gravity fed to gardens. Minimal weeding in the home paddock however the rainforest has pockets of lantana that can be hacked with a machete if you are keen. (Update...the ram pump has now been built and it’s time to set it up in the natural spring to pump water to the bladder bags. This is a rare opportunity to learn this very clever technology that uses gravity and is fuel free. It’s time to go back to the irrigation supplier and buy more fittings).
There is a half built Japanese Cournix Quail run under the Icecream Bean tree and ideas on finishing it with radical artistic elements from recycled items from the local tip and recycling centres would be greatly appreciated. (Update...the garage has a bench saw, sander, chisels, hammer, plane, various hand tools etc and we have been to visit the Bowerhouse reuse centre to buy some more vintage items. We went to see the Crystal Showers water fall in Dorrigo and were inspired by the walkways through the rainforest. A walkway to the outdoor shower and composting toilet at the cottage is the next project).
In the garage is a vast collection of green and brown glass bottles that could be used in a clay cob project as there is a lot of clay coming out of the Yurt Pads so we may as well build a cob something...ideas anybody???
There are two spring fed creeks on the property and a former logging trail going up the mountain where you can explore while cutting lantana or collect bundles of dry sticks for the fire place. (Update...it’s still cool enough to cook vegetables and brownies in the wood fired oven box. We did it last night).
English
The old art studio cottage is rustic and bohemian with a wrap around verandah. It has a fireplace with inbuilt wood oven inside and a standard BBQ outside. Stainless steel cooking bench with two burner gas stove and whistle kettle. Vintage glass lanterns for night light. Food is kept cold in a Bushmans brand solar and electric powered fridge. Sleeps four in single beds open plan one room but plenty of space to relax. Persian carpets on the floor make the room cosy and they are nice to sit on and relax around a coffee table crying out for a tile mosaic. Its an experience in living in a more Eco friendly way where you can slow your mind down and tune into the natural environment. The sheltered deck is a great place for morning coffee and birdwatching. (Currently the cottage is connected to electricity but this is being phased out in favour of off grid solar and a gas fridge). Internet is not provided however there is reception in the area and Telstra and Boost have inexpensive monthly no fixed contracts that you can hotspot to your iPad or laptop.
There is a school bus that runs to Bellingen at 7.50am and returns at 4.08pm. The town has an IGA for groceries, butcher, newsagent, tavern, pub, bakeries, library, various interesting coffee shops, boutiques, interesting hippy, witchy and fairy supplies, arty crafty nooks for the intrepid explorer and kombu for organic whole foods.
There are plenty of things to do just check out the local Information centre and notice boards. Horseriding at Vallery trails. Archery at Connell Park. Yoga all over the place. Treetop adventure park. There are too many things to list here.
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
More than two
Maximum 4-5 hours a day, 5 days a week
