(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)