Eco Camp Retreat

Where a peaceful, harmonious & sustainable world becomes a reality.

Vision: –

Our overarching mission at Gymea is to do everything that we can to co-create a variety of highly influential sustainable, ecologically and socially responsible retreat environments (Gymea Retreat & eco-camp-retreat) that will achieve long-lasting impact on human sustainability through the delivery of world-class sustainable learning and ecotourism experiences. In short, we aspire to provide an appropriate space and environment that will assist and motivate others to co-create a sustainable world through engaging people in the realms of possibility.

The vision for the eco-camp-retreat (ERC) is to co-create a ‘conscious’ experiential learning environment for groups of people in the search of answers, solutions and connection, where building and facilities have been established using sustainable materials and approaches, and the experience is nature centred, healthy, enriching and affordable.

Current situation: –

We are in the later stages of the ‘internal’ planning phase for the eco-camp-retreat and I am working towards presenting the Development Application to Council for approval before the end of 2018 ~ possibly a bit ambitious.

We are dedicating 50 acres of the Gymea Retreat property to the establishment of an eco-camp-retreat (ECR) and have several people and organisations interested in being involved in the establishment of: –

• buildings and structures
• delivery of programme materials
• involvement in running of eco-camp-retreat activities
• of an evolutionary farm prototype,

The plan: –

We envisage that the ERC will evolve over time, and that in the first instance it will be simply a group retreat-camp space that features the beautiful natural environment, pristine creek, bird song, stunning views of Mt Warning and groups will be supported with a few communal facilities including: –

• composting toilets,
• basic group showers,
• flat camping spots with some raised platforms,
• communal kitchen
• and a canvas undercover space to meet, share, learn grow and thrive
• I was wondering if the first phase of this could be delivered under the Primitive Campsite provisions? Not sure?

Over time the built environment will expand using natural building materials and techniques to solidify the communal spaces and to provide a variety of accommodation options… I’m particularly drawn to rammed earth, hemp, mud brick, straw bale, light earth, and the notion of using the materials that come from the land, or in the vicinity of the property.

The end result: –

Once approval has been granted and we are up and running we imagine that all kinds of people and interest-groups will be drawn to our nature based retreat environment and here are a few ideas about the group types and retreat themes that will be addressed in the ECR:-

• Eco and nature-based experience: – all ages from Primary school up of people wanting to build natural environment familiarity, dexterity and resilience
• Rites of Passage. Young people with the assistance of their parents/carers transitioning to adulthood
• Women yearning to share & learn from other wise women (ditto for Men)
• Men wanting to understand what it is to be a Man in this time (ditto for Women)
• Meditators, Yogis and folks wanting to connect with spirit and inner enlightenment
• Searchers, people looking for eco answers to support a ‘better’ and more ‘natural’ way to be and this theme includes: –
  • Sustainable food growing, natural building, affordable housing, living off-grid, energy generation, community sharing, the contemporary village concept
• Folks who are struggling to find their equilibrium, their inner guide to assist them to navigate life and to thrive
• People who are experiencing what I’m calling SMoTs (Significant Moments of Transition) and are challenged by their context and need to make sense of what is going on, where they want to be, and the steps to help them to get there
• And so on and so forth…. Plenty of scope here

Property details: –

 

128 Bonnydoon Rd, Smiths Creek NSW 2484

Lot 20 DP: 1208644 Property No.: 109388

Land Area:- 39.13ha

Zone:- RU2 & 7d

 

Gymea Retreat.  Approved DA: – DA06/0682 Recreation Establishment comprising of Meditation Centre, Accommodation Wings for up to 20 guests, Administration, Dining, Kitchen Facilities, Bathroom Amenities, Car Parking, Spa and Massage Facilities was granted consent 30 November, 2006 and amended consent granted 24 August 2007

 

Mapping / site details:-

Please see a link to ECR aerial plan on Google Maps to see the rough plan.

Please see a dropbox link to aerial plans superimposed on SIX Maps

 

Planning specifics: –

We believe that we might be best served if we take a phased approach:-

 

P0:- ~ 50 person eco-camp-retreat, syntropic farm

• 30 x camp spots
• solar energy generation
• rammed earth shower block to support
• container kitchen that can support food preparation
• composting toilets to support
• canvas undercover meeting / recreating space
• farmers cottage ~ ‘rural workers’ dwelling in the form of 2 x caravans

 

P1:- ~ 100 person capacity, built over time

• P0 facilities plus expanded services including: –
  • 30 more camp spots & platforms
  • extended shower block(s) & addition of a laundry (maybe)
  • food prep
  • and composting toilets
• yoga and meditation space ~ 300m² with rain water collection
• expanded commercial kitchen / bakery / wood fired pizza and produce value add
• 2 x eco host cabins
• Volunteer workers cabin
  • 6 person capacity
  • Shower, composting toilet
  • Kitchen facilities
• 4 eco cabins
  • 2 x king rooms
  • shared bathroom, composting toilet
  • shared kitchen
• Community member dwellings x 3

P1:- ~ 200 person capacity, built over time

• P0 & P1 facilities plus expanded services
  • 60 more camp spots & platforms
  • extended shower block(s)
  • food prep
  • composting toilets
• extra 4 x sustainable cabins with
  • 2 x king rooms
  • shared bathroom
  • shared kitchen
• Community member dwellings x 3

Eco-Training and Education:- 

Provision of a live-in and learn education facilities that support the survival of human-kind on Earth past the next 2 generations.

 

Collaborative Research Centre:-

Measure performance of activities in terms of efficacy: – inputs, outputs and sustainable performance criteria

 

Agriculture: –

Horticulture and food production using cutting edge sustainable methodologies, specifically Syntropic Agroforestry, Certified Organic, Permaculture and Polyculture.  Output aims:  Organic Vegetables, Fruits, Nuts and Meat.  Hardwood Timber.  Carbon sequestration.

 

Value-Add Industries:- 

Honey, Milk, Cheese, Prepared Foods, Soaps, Cleaning Materials

 

Buildings:- 

Built using designs, methodologies and approaches to ensure high sustainability characteristics and outcomes.  low carbon input design natural building approaches and materials:- earth from the land, wood, straw, hemp from the land, using sustainable design principles – passive solar etc.

 

Creation of an evolving built environment that is very close to nature, providing the people who live, work and visit here with an experience that is integrated with nature AND all the while providing a place of education, learning, shared experience and community…

 

Facilities:-

Communal Facilities

• Yoga / Teaching Hall
• Kitchen & Dining
• Recreational
• Administration
• Research & Development
• Certified Organic Farm
• LLGT Community Living
• Composting Toilets and Showers
• Solar Farm