Monday 17 October 2011

(5) The Property

The alignment of the heavenly bodies twinkling in the dark tells about the life of the whole universe. An alertness in your soul, without tension, allows you to read the book of the heavens. 


 - The Book of Kin (book 6)


After our meeting with the Augusta-Margaret River council, Emily and I were so happy. We walked out of the building bubbling over with excitement. It seemed like all of our dreams were coming true!


For so long we have tried to figure out some way to make this vision a reality, and Emily's idea of the geometric housing was making it all possible! The council had stated that if we forego having one residential building on our block, then we could have two workmen's accommodation buildings.


(For more information on this meeting with the council, see previous blog entry '(3) Meeting with the Council')


We were overjoyed. We pictured that we could have two of these buildings, maybe with 8 families in each, meaning a small community of 16 families. Ideally we would love to be surrounded by 100's of families, but this was something real. Something achievable now!


As we were floating through the streets of Margaret River, buoyed by the impulse of creation, we wondered what step to take next? We decided to wander down to the main street to look at the windows of the real estate agents, and see if we could spot our future land. As we walked, we commented that it would be so wonderful if we could find 2 large blocks right next to each other, so that Santosha could have four houses! Ask and it is given...


We found that there were two large rural blocks that were side by side. Could this be exactly what we were looking for? The real estate agent looked at Emily and I with some disbelief when we asked if we could have the address so that we could go and inspect the properties. As he went to the next room to find the information, Emily said quite loudly ''I don't think he believes that we can afford any property''. Strangely enough, he was very polite to her after that. She may be little, but underestimate Emily at your own peril! :p


We have fallen in love with these 2 blocks, side by side from each other. It is here that we want to create Santosha. We don't own either of these blocks yet, but in our hearts, this land is Santosha. We speak as if the land is already ours. We are currently in the stage of gathering up enough people and money to purchase the property. 



As with any spiritual undertaking, what we are attempting to create requires an element of trust. I know I am guided by my own soul, the impulse of creation. The journey of Santosha thus far has led to so many blessings, so many synchronicities. At some stage, we learned to let go. We truly feel that this property is the future of Santosha, but if it does not work out that way, I know that its not meant to be. There will be another property waiting for us that will be just as perfect!




Birds Eye View



Having said that, we are so excited about the property we have in mind. In this blog entry, I am going to be taking you on a tour of the property and its surrounds. I will also be sharing our layout for the community, showing our plans for what the land will look like when we create a community there.



These pictures are showing the property from a birds eye perspective. What is contained within the blue lines is the land of Santosha.

In this next picture, you can see the individual blocks that make up this property. You can see that this land was originally one block, but has now been subdivided into 3. The pink block was sold earlier this year, and the two blue blocks are still for sale.


The two blocks together are about 90 hectares. In the process of sub division, the owner had soil samples tested for both blocks. We can make the results of those samples available to people during the dialogue process. 


Up until now, the property has been used as a dairy farm, grazing land for cattle. It has two dams, which currently pump water to a number of wells across the property, so the cattle have access to drinking water. There is a stream that runs through the property, as well as 4 copses of virgin bush. These copses are made up of Marri and Jarrah trees, very old and very tall. You can walk across the fields barefoot. There are no prickles or anything nasty like that. 


The property is about 15mins South of Margaret River, and then a 5 minute drive East. It is at the end of a no through road. It's a coastal property, and yet it is tucked away from civilisation. Its a long way from any main roads, and there is no traffic running past the property. Just the deep silence of nature broken by the occasional bird song... 


On the Ground

We have some pictures from the ground, that Emily took when the estate agents showed us around the property. Next to each picture, I will show the birds eye view perspective on where the picture was taken.­


This photo is taken from the southern field, looking South West. It shows the rolling green pastures that have been used for cattle grazing. Truly, a blank canvas..



                       

On the northern field, looking into one of the copses of trees, where there is a natural clearing. This glade has amazing energy, will be perfect for community gatherings and festivals in the future!



 
Standing on the northern hill, looking south over Santosha. You can see the vegetation that lines the stream that runs through the property.



Looking East on the northern field. There is an undulation that forms a stream on the north-eastern most part of the property. The elevated land in the distance is a neighbouring property.


























Emily stands on the fencepost, looking north across the southern fields. You can see the hill in the distance.







This photo was taken from beneath the shade of a tree right by the stream. We are looking north towards the hill.



Taken from inside one of the copses of trees, this photo looks north onto the northern field.




The Stream

As you have already seen from the pictures, there is a stream running through the property. This is Mcleods Creek, and is a major water feature in the area. This stream is one of the major reasons we are excited about this property. 

As anyone who has read the Ringing Cedars will know, living water is essential for good health. Water that has picked up the essential nutrients from the land, over rocks and trees. It is even more beneficial than rain water. 

When the agents showed us the land, we all scooped up water from the stream and drank it right then and there. No need to boil the water or purify it in any way. When we create the Santosha community on this land, this will be our drinking water. Nobody will be allowed to pump water from the stream to grow vegetables etc, but everyone will have access to the stream for drinking water (not to mention swimming on a hot day!).

According to the agents, the stream is spring fed and so it also flows in Summer. At some points, the stream is extremely deep. The agents told us that there is probably marron in the stream. The stream is very wide in parts, and in the narrow sections, the water flows very quickly. 


(The two pictures at the top show the stream in its current state, the two pictures show what we hope to create with the stream at Santosha)

Currently, alot of the stream is not accessible due to very thick bushes that line the stream. Though there are some easy access points, the density of the plants is indicative of how much water flows through the stream and how much life it can support. That being said, the bushes aren't very attractive, and they would prevent us from enjoying the stream to its full capacity. In most parts, you would have to fight your way through 5 or 6 metres before you would actually reach the water.  

It will be done in stages, but we will be clearing these bushes and replacing them with plants and trees that the community chooses. Water loving trees like weeping willows would be an obvious choice, but I'm sure we will have other trees from Australia, Asia and Europe. We will also grow a variety of ferns, flowers and other plants. The focus will be on allowing the community to enjoy the stream to its full capacity. Wooden board walks, footbridges, benches, shady trees with swings etc.

The stream is like the life-blood of the land running through our beautiful community. I plan on bathing in the stream every morning, to reconnect with Mother-Earth. It is our hope that the stream becomes a community gathering place where we can all delight in the flowing crystal clear water.    


Even more pictures 


For more pictures of this property, look through the photo albums on on our facebook page. We have 96 different photos from many different angles. Go on a virtual tour of your future home!


http://www.facebook.com/santosha.community


However, photos can only capture so much. I recall Emily saying 'none of these photos are doing this place justice.' To really understand the magic of this land, it is necessary to travel to Margaret River and feel the energy for yourself. If anyone would like the address to this block, please send Emily or I an email and we will give you directions. 


Please do not contact the Real Estate Agents regarding the property. Our aim is to bargain the price for this land, and we feel like we will be able to get a discount, because we will buy both blocks of land at the same time. However, if the real estate agents are contacted by lots of people, they will think that demand for the property is very high and will advise the owner not to accept any lower offers. Thankyou for your understanding. 




The location 


Now what we would like to do is take you on a quick tour of the surrounding area. 

This picture shows the South West of Australia. In the Yellow circle is Perth. In the Green circle is Margaret River.





In this picture, we can see the location of some of the surrounding towns and cities. In the Blue circle is Santosha. Augusta is in the Orange circle. In the Pink circle is Margaret River. In the Red circle is Dunsborough. In the Green circle is Busselton.




This photo shows the property from a birds eye view.





The two photos below show where Mcleod's Creek goes after it passes through the property. If you follow the Red line (Mcleod's Creek) you will see that it passes through just one other property before feeding into the Blue line (Blackwood River).




These next two photos show the proximity of the Boranup forest with its magnificent Karri trees. Santosha is in the Red circle, while the Boranup forest starts at the Yellow line and stretches to the coast. These photo's also show how close we are to the ocean!




These last two photos show where the water that runs through the property comes from. If you follow the Yellow lines, you will see that the majority of the water comes from the Boranup forest.




The Community Layout
So now that we have thoroughly explored the beautiful piece of land we hope to call our home, lets have a look at what we plan to do with that land. Below you can see the property, divided up into lots of different colours. Let's explore :)





Land for Domains - The land allocated for domains is divided by the dotted lines. These are clear, open fields that have been used for grazing land. By our calculations, the smallest size for these domains is 1.4 hectares, though some of the domains are larger than this. The size of the domains cannot be completely uniform, as we have had to work with the natural features of the land, as well as our unique housing plan. 

The dotted lines are only a guide at this point as to how the land will actually be divided up. Once the land is bought, we will consult with someone who is trained in making these sort of calculations and mark the boundaries. Consideration will be given to size, soil quality etc. No two domains will be exactly alike, just as the aspirations of human souls are never exactly alike. Of course, it is the human soul that turns a blank piece of land into a Space of Love.

The dotted lines also indicate a walkway between each of the domains. There will be a 3 metre gap between each domain, so that members of the community will be able to go for morning/evening walks through the community and delight in all the beauty of their neighbours gardens. It is our hope that people will also create an additional path through their domain for people to walk upon, connecting the whole community by a series of walk-ways. However, this will be a decision for each family to make on their own.

Housing - As you can see, there are four structures on the property. Two of these structures will have 8 houses, while the other two will have 6. You can see from the plan how the domains extend out from these structures. 

Community Land - This land is reserved for use by the community for whatever purpose we collectively choose. There have been many suggestions already. One suggestions is to build a giant shed, where people can store excess 'stuff', thereby reducing the necessity for building a large, expensive house. Other suggestions have been to plant a beautiful garden, and open up this land to the W.A population to come and enjoy picnics etc. There is also the idea of eventually having a Santosha 'market day' where each domain has a stall and the wider community comes to buy our artwork and taste our delicious produce. This can even just be land where the community gathers for celebrations and festivals. Whatever is done with this land will be decided in the future by the community. 

Grazing Land - In some of the communities that have sprung up in Russia, people have taken domains of 3,4 or even 5 hectares in size because they want to keep horses and other livestock on their land. I think it is a great idea to keep animals, Emily and I have got our eyes on Chickens, Alpacas and Goats. However, if everyone takes a large domain like that, we will be living very far away from our neighbours, and the sense of community will be lessened. Also, the land will be alot more expensive. Our solution is to have community grazing land, where people are allotted a number of animals that they can keep. Obviously some animals like chickens can be supported on a smaller piece of land, but this option allows for people to keep large animals, and lets the animals make lots of friends!

Limited Drainage
 - The land that we have called 'limited drainage' is land that becomes a bit sludgy during the winter. During our recent visit (late october) the land had dried up. This slight muddiness is because that section of the property is at the bottom of a small undulation. You will notice in the community layout plan that the domains end at this point. This is so that none of the houses are built on land that is potentially not stable. We have decided that this land will be included in people's domain, so that they can use the land as they want. Some permaculture enthusiasts have told me that some crops are especially easy to grow in those kind of conditions, and so we leave it to peoples creativity. These spots would be ideal for dams. 

Community Trees - These are pre-existing copses of trees that will be community land. It is our hope that native animals will find a refuge at Santosha among these trees. They are beautiful. These community trees will be maintained, with the exception of the bushes surrounding the stream. The scrub that blocks access to the stream will be gradually replaced with our own trees that will be planted as a community.

Stream - While many of the domains have frontage onto the stream, the water itself as well as the land around it will be owned by the community.

Roads - The roads in the community are designed to give each person access to their domain in two ways. From the plan you can see some rounded sections leading to the houses. This is for parking. As well as this main access point, each domain is accessible by road, so that you can drive a vehicle on your domain. This will be vital if you are unloading soil or other bulky items. 


This concludes our tour of the property. It truly is a beautiful place. However, its potential for beauty has not yet begun. When 28 families begin to touch the soil with love and plant gardens of eternity, then Santosha will truly be known as a grand co creation!



Even if an elderly man wears out his body and is lying at death's door, but does not think of death, but pictures his life in the living space he has been creating, he will be born anew - such is the law of the Universe. The Universe will not stand by and allow a life creating thought to die.


 - A New Civilisation (book 8)

Saturday 15 October 2011

(4) Why Margaret River



See, Vladimir, how the sun shines. That is God's creation. It is for everyone. For you and me, for the snakes, the grass and the flowers. Bees use the flowers to get honey, while the spider's power is to draw poison. Each of them has their own function and no bee and no spider can do otherwise. Only Man has wider scope, only Man can act in more than one way! 

 - The Ringing Cedars of Russia (book 2)

The South West of Australia is a region of magnificent beauty, totally unique in its flora, fauna and landscape. Every area in the South West has its own appeal, making the choice of where to create Santosha a very difficult one. 

There is the region of Mount Barker/Albany, nestled between the majestic Stirling and Perongerup ranges. There is the Denmark/Walpole region, with the rugged cliffs over the southern ocean. There is the Northcliffe/Pemberton region, beneath the huge Karri forests. There are the rolling hills of the Balingup/Bridgetown region. So many amazing places we could live, each with their own unique charms. This was always going to be a difficult decision. 

 Over the last few years we have been travelling extensively through the South West region. Emily and I have been on many camping, backpacking or trekking holidays and we love so many spots in the South West. Ultimately though, there is one very special place that calls to us. It calls us to begin a family. It calls us to plant seeds. It calls to us to create our own Motherland. This is the calling of Santosha.

Welcome to Margaret River :)


Size

One of the appeals of Margaret River is its size. It is a much larger than other towns in the South West region. The shire of Augusta/Margaret River has a permanent population of 9600 people. This means that the township is equipped with all of the modern conveniences and creature comforts that we have become accustomed to here in the city. Margaret River has a hospital, a large sporting complex, restaurants, food and clothing stores, hairdressers etc. Though we will be living on our domains, we feel lucky to have a vibrant place like Margaret River as our local town.


Tourism

According to the Augusta/Margaret River council's website, the region receives approximately 1.5 million visitors per year. Margaret River is the undisputed tourism capital of Western Australia, and is world famous as a holiday destination. At this stage it is just an idea, but ultimately we think Santosha will be a tourist destination in itself. People will flock to have a picnic among the beautiful gardens of our community land, taste our organic produce and talk with happy people. 

In the short term, tourism provides us with lots of employment opportunities. I'm a big fan of tourism. I think its a sustainable industry, and more and more, tourism is based on conservation of the natural environment. There is always so much going on in Margaret River. There are courses on spirituality, art exhibitions, live music concerts, farmers markets etc. One event that Emily and I already have our eye on is the Town Square markets, held every fortnight in winter and every weekend in summer. 

The price of having a stall is only $25, incomparably cheaper than anything we have found in Perth. Emily can sell her clothes and artwork, and in the future, we can sell homemade recipes and the surplus of our domain produce. The opportunities here are truly exciting!

You can view a calendar of events for Margaret River here: http://www.margaretriver.com/events_monthly.asp


Employment

Being a large town, there are definitely opportunities for earning a good salary in Margaret River. Also, it is worthwhile remembering that Busselton (population 31 000) and Dunsborough (population 3 166) are closeby, with further opportunities for employment. 

 
Being as large tourist centre, Margaret River has lots of opportunities for casual work and wage labour. There is a huge variety of cafes and restaurants where people can find work. 
 

There is also lots of seasonal work at the fruit orchards and vineyards in the region. It is simple work, but its outdoors and can pay very well. This a great way to supplment your income. 


Schools

Emily and I are still undecided about schools and education when it comes to our own children. One of the great aspects of living in a domain community means that home-schooling is a very real possibility for us. Living in close proximity with neighbouring children means that they won't miss out on valuable social lessons if we choose to home-school. 

However, if you're interested in the schools that Margaret River has to offer, I am pleased to tell you that there is a rich variety to choose from. As I am studying to be a Montessori Primary School teacher, I have researched this with keen interest, as I am likely to be working at one of these schools in the future.


Margaret River Primary School

There is a government school in Margaret River. It is the largest school in the area, with about 500 students studying there.

I dont know alot about this school, but more information can be accessed on their website:

http://www.mriverps.wa.edu.au/


Margaret River Montessori School

This Montessori school has excellent facilities, located in the town, surrounded by gum trees. For those who don't know what Montessori is, this video gives a good introduction to its philosophy:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Obo95qqoj1U&feature=channel_video_title

I like the Montessori philosophy alot, particularly the emphasis on freedom and respect for the child. Though I am still finishing my studies, I have worked in a Montessori school and I'm happy to chat to anyone who is interested in how Montessori operates. You can find out more about the school here:

http://margmont.wa.edu.au/

Yallingup Steiner School


Though I chose to study the Montessori philosophy, I like Steiner education alot. For information on what Steiner education offers, see this link: 

http://www.steiner-australia.org/other/overview.html

The school is about 40km north of Margaret River, so it would be a commitment to drive there each day. However, Santosha is a community, so there should be lots of opportunities for carpooling. More information on Yallingup Steiner School can be found here:

http://www.yss.wa.edu.au/home

Nyindamurra Family School
(Now called Margaret River Independent School)

This school is geographically closest to Santosha, and my intuition says this is a school that is definitely worth looking into. It teaches from the state curriculum, but its focus is on the arts. Drawing, dancing, music, drama etc. It is a small family school, and accepts a maximum of 10 students per year. 


It is very community minded, and parents are asked to contribute some time each week to the school. As far as I know, it draws from many different alternative education philosophies. There is more information on the school here:

http://www.mronline.com.au/schools/nyindamurra.htm



Beaches

For those who are worried about leaving the wonderful beaches here in Perth, do not worry, because Margaret River has world class beaches of its own. You can swim almost anywhere, exploring the many hidden bays along the coast. For surf breaks, there is the internationally renowned 'Surfers Point' where the Margaret River Pro is held every year. There is great fishing all along the cape, and the limestone reefs of Hamelin bay offer awesome opportunities for diving and snorkelling. 


The Forest

From one corner of Santosha, you can see the highest point of the region, in Boranup National Park. Boranup is a regrowth Karri forest about 15 minutes south of Margaret River. There are many walking trails through the forest, including the 'Cape to Cape trail' which runs for 135 km along the Leeuwin-Naturaliste Ridge between the lighthouses of Cape Naturaliste and Cape Leeuwin. 

The Soil 

The soil in Margaret river is quite low on organic matter, which means it is ideal for viticulture (grape cultivation). However, the gravelly soil has fantastic drainage and is easily improved. Many people have successfully cultivated a large variety of fruit orchards and thriving vegetable plotsin the Margaret River region.


Rainfall

Most rainfall in Margaret River comes between April and October. While the level of rainfall can vary from year to year, the mean rainfall is 1130mm per year. On average it rains 139 days of the year. 
As a basis of comparison, the average rainfall in perth is 752mm per year. On average is rains 112 days of the year. Based on these figures, there is 50% more rainfall in Margaret River than Perth. 

Temperature

The climate of Margaret River is mediterranean with mild winters and temperate summers. The average maximum in Margaret river is 21.1 degrees and the average minimum is 10.6 degrees. 

For comparison, the average maximum in Perth is 24.5 degrees and the average minimum is 12.7 degrees. 

You can view statistics for the Margaret River Climate here: 
http://www.weatherzone.com.au/climate/station.jsp?lt=site&lc=9574

Of course there is no substitute for actually visiting the region. I highly recommend taking a holiday there, to feel the energy of the place and take in some of the natural beauty. It is worthwhile really exploring the region. After all, this could be the place where you establish a Kin's domain that will be passed on for many generations!!

In our next note, I will be taking you on a tour of the property we want to purchase, as well as our plans for the community. Love, light and many blessings :)

The people of the Earth have so many words with different meanings. There are so many diverse languages and dialects. And yet there is one language for all. One language for all divine callings. It is woven together out of the rustlings of the leaves, the songs of the birds and the roar of the waves.

The divine language has fragrance and colour. Through this language God responds to each ones request and gives a prayerful response to prayer. 
 - Co Creation (book 4)