Lyonesse Tiny House Intentional Community Australia
Lyonesse is designed for people who want to:
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live in a community in northern NSW region in a tiny house on wheels.
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live in non-hierarchical, mutually consensual and beneficial relationships with others.
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communally grow organic food using permaculture principles and cook and eat communally.
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develop socially just and environmentally sustainable community businesses and use the income:
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to buy food we cannot grow to sustain all members.
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to cover other financial costs of establishing and running the community.
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live in a community with others who are aligned with earth based spiritual traditions from around the world.
POSSIBLE PROPOSED TOPGRAPHICAL PLAN & VIEW
We will do this by establishing a caravan park on an old farm in a place with plentiful rainfall and fertile soils.
Much of the Lyonesse social and economic design is replicating the ethics and practical strategies utilised over the last forty years by the communities Twin Oaks and Acorn. We are inspired by the success and popularity of these communities. They are part of the Federation of Egalitarian Communities in America.
These ideas are the social and economic basis that Lyonesse will be established on:
Location
We have not yet decided where we will buy land. We are in the process of talking with local governments in the Northern Rivers region of NSW. Whether or not their environmental and social values align with ours is a primary consideration. We need to be certain that our development approval to set up a community based caravan park is granted before we purchase land.
Financial
You will not need money to buy a piece of land or become a member. Everyone will commonly own the land. Individuals will have a rent-free community site for their tiny house on wheels.
Lyonesse will have non-hierarchical processes and structures with a commitment to the principles of equality of all people and the decentralisation of power.
This is one of the core principles of egalitarianism. For us here in Australia it begins with us decolonising ourselves and engaging with Aboriginal people on their own terms. Members will take responsibility for their actions and all relationships must be mutually consensual and mutually beneficial.
The function of the spirituality, lore and culture is a critical overarching consideration. It is the glue that will bind members with a common set of ethical and spiritual beliefs. We will only be seeking members whose spiritual inclinations are aligned with earth based Indigenous traditions from around the world. We see Buddhism, Indigenous and Pagan spiritual traditions as being aligned with our spiritual ethics.
We will utilise the same economic model that Twin Oaks and Acorn uses. These are both egalitarian communities. The income from social enterprises we operate will be used to sustain all of the economic needs of community members. In return all members are expected to contribute to sustaining the community and its enterprises according to their abilities. Community life at Acorn and Twin Oaks reveals an environment that is quite different from the competitiveness and repetitiveness of a normal workplace. Lyonesse will have many different types of tasks and roles that will need to be performed. This will offer variety, new skills and lots of opportunities for enjoyable interactions with like-minded people. Community businesses must provide a demonstrable social and economic benefit to members and the wider region.
The community will need highly motivated people who want to assist with building the essential infrastructure and administrative functions. We think that it will be difficult to economically self-sustain individually so will try pooling an agreed part of our Centrelink incomes until the community is self-sustaining. This is the cheapest way to live as a group. People will be able to keep an agreed amount of their income for personal needs.
One of the enterprises will build tiny houses on wheels for community members and the public. The community will develop a range of options that will enable members to ultimately own their own tiny houses. People that already own their own tiny house or caravan will be welcome. Members will not be charged any rent.
We will grow as much of our own food as possible to keep living costs down and ensure we have nutritious chemical free food to eat. What we cannot grow ourselves will be purchased communally. Communal meals will be available. Cooking and cleaning for communal meals will be accounted for as part of people’s community contribution. The communal meals will mainly be vegetarian. This will be up for discussion by members as the community evolves.
Environmental sustainability
Environmental sustainability is key to our survival. We will use organic gardening and permaculture techniques for our food production systems. We will also use composting toilets and reed-bed grey-water processing systems to re-use water where possible and ensure the highest possible degree of environmental standards.
It would not be legal for us to set the community up using the community land title act. The utilisation of caravan park regulations is required to make sure our Tiny Houses on Wheels community is legally secure.
Tenure
The land will be held in trust and owned by the community members in perpetuity to enable secure tenure for the community members.
Getting along with our neighbours.
We will aim to get along with our neighbours to ensure the best possible relationships are built with them.
Welcome to the Lyonesse Project. Enjoy!
