“CCOOEE” - A Community Farm Initiative for the Murgon District

“CCOOEE” - A Community Farm Initiative for the Murgon District

To whom it may concern

This is to let you know about an initiative I have been working on for over 20 years in Cloyna, near Murgon, Queensland, to set up a community enterprise I am calling “Cloyna Community-Owned & Operated Eco-Enterprises” – CCOOEE – which I intend to incorporate, on a 40 acre property. The proof-of-concept has been working well in principle over all that period in my renewably-powered ‘towards 90% self-reliance’ bush settlement model.

It is based on the principles of permaculture and evidence-based strategies for local social cohesion, resilience and growth - there are innumerable examples but these excel: 

http://www.ceres.org.au/

http://www.ted.com/talks/pam_warhurst_how_we_can_eat_our_landscapes/transcript?language=en

http://www.transitionsunshinecoast.org/transition-towns-in-australia.php .

I have also taken inspiration locally from Brian Jarvis’ highly successful ‘Growing the Burnett’: https://www.facebook.com/GrowingTheBurnett . This group is showing us a far better way forward, of how a community acting on a shared vision can lead to a brighter, more supportive, and more resilient future for this district, a working model that is realistically achievable and truly sustainable over the long term. 

As well as a comprehensive plan to produce a wide diversity of traditional permaculture foods, it includes horticulture of local endemic bush foods and medicines and Vic Cherikoff’s bush food supplements program http://cherikoff.net/  Vic has been extremely supportive of all my community-focussed efforts over the past few years:  http://worldatpolarity.blogspot.com.au/2014/08/wild-foods-vs-processed-foods.html

It also incorporates my Continental Connectivity Collaboration threatened ecosystem restoration initiative: http://worldatpolarity.blogspot.com.au/2015_01_01_archive.html, protecting, enhancing and restoring the listed critically-endangered remnants of virgin forest and old re-growth on site. A number of Australia’s professional eco-restoration experts have expressed their support of this initiative.

It also includes a program of earth-building based on the ABA standard plans for a coursed adobe (cob) cottage that I have submitted to council, that were drawn up by one of Australia’s foremost earth builders, architect and builder Michael Leo of Bardon, and underwritten by possibly the foremost earth builder, Peter Yttrup who designed and built the mud-brick Rainbow Serpent Information Centre at the base of Uluru. The building that I propose for the community farm is an adaptation of those plans, which I hope to collaborate with Michael Leo on to bring to fruition. http://worldatpolarity.blogspot.com.au/2014/08/blog-post.html http://worldatpolarity.blogspot.com.au/2014/08/earth-building-5-bedroom-cob-longhouse.html  

I am hoping that Cherbourg’s Nurunderi TAFE’s earth building program may be interested as I believe it would provide invaluable experience for Cherbourg’s youth. Justin Crawley, Executive Officer of the Thathangathay Foundation: http://www.tf.org.au/about-tf/foundation-profile.aspx  is an exceptional role model for Aboriginal self-determination and self-reliance through earth building and has expressed his support. I will also be approaching Graham Jones, the Executive Director of Aboriginal Housing in the WA Department of Housing  and structural engineer Daniela Ciancio at the university of Western Australia who have been pioneering earth building in that state. I have also designed, with the help of a local Butcher, a small adobe free-range piggery and bantam chicken roost based on a traditional dove-cote. A small dairy is also planned.

There are now tens of thousands of such community enterprises around the world: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecovillage , and many in Australia:  Google ecovillages Australia for a list. The model easily adapts to urban populations as neighbourhood community enterprises. CERES was the first and goes from strength to strength – it has been a brilliant success story for Melbourne. The small enchanting St Kilda community garden is an absolute gem: http://vegout.org.au/  These places become sanctuaries for the most disadvantaged among us, a place to go where they always feel welcome and can have as much fulfilling work as they want and where engagement with others with goodwill invariably produces beneficial outcomes for them.  I believe the town of Murgon and district is in great need of such a safe and joyful hub of productive activity that community gardens and farms can bring.

I am seeking and hoping for state, federal government and the South Burnett Regional Council's support for this initiative and will soon be taking a petition concerning it around Murgon town. As this template also applies to my ‘P/C villages for New Australians’ initiative: (reposting update soon):  http://worldatpolarity.blogspot.com.au/2014/06/dig-for-victory-what-to-do-about-at.html, I am also sending this to the PM, Warren Truss, Bill Shorten and Richard Di Natale. It is also being sent to the WA Premier to supply remote Aboriginal communities with the resources become 90% self-reliant through permaculture rather than removing funding and forcing them to leave their homelands, causing untold anxiety, grief and suffering.

Maureen Brannan 905 Wilsons Road CLOYNA Q 4605

ph: 0427710523  email: mbrannan4@bigpond.com

(For Leon Olle Arcos Brannan on his first birthday 1^st June 2015)