Come visit our home & gardens

We moved onto our 1 acre lot in 1995, lived on the land for a year to feel & observe the seasons before creating the overall design. Gradually it is starting to happen. With our rammed earth home finished, the landscaping and gardens are taking shape.

Working with contours, not fenced boundaries, we have been able to plant out a rainforest area, which leads into a wildlife corridor for our feathered & native animal friends.

The land features include an orchard, food forest and bush food area. The vegetable gardens produce healthy, clean and nutritious food. We are demonstrating small acreage edible food growing.

Diverse gardens, predominately made up of native plants surround our home. The open plan design, flooded with natural light makes for a delightful living space.

The passive solar design incorporates recycled windows & doors, local hardwoods and earth walls. The solar hot water system and the wet composting waste water system complement the ecologically friendly aspects of the house. We look forward to sharing our home with you.

Wildlife
The careful design and management of the property have allowed Crystal Waters to become a sanctuary for birds, animals and people. With the replanting of the habitat, increasing water areas, providing forage and a safe place to live the wildlife is abundant. Ground dwelling species are able to establish themselves well here because we have no cats or dogs and follow a more organic approach to living.

The eastern kangaroo & red necked wallaby are common place in our landscape. It is rewarding to see the young out of their pouch finding their feet and the ‘teenage’ bucks jousting.

You may witness an echidna ambling past, a goanna scrambling up a tree or bandicoots digging up gardens. Down by the river you might chance to see a platypus family or the endangered Mary River cod. Another special feature of the area is the unusually dense frog population.

Over 150 birds have been identified. …outstretched wings of cormorants, egrets long legged long necked, broad winged hooked beaked eagles, raucous cockatoos, noisy & fast flying parrots, well camouflaged frogmouths, plump quails, brightly coloured stout bodied kingfishers, aerobatic flycatchers, flitting fairy-wrens, honeyeaters with brush tipped tongues, pardalotes striped & spotted. A bird watchers paradise !

Crystal Waters Permaculture Village
Crystal Waters is a sanctuary nestled in the bush covered hills of the Conondale Ranges. It has been established for the exploration of living more consciously and in harmony with the land and its wildlife.

Eco- Village and Permaculture
Crystal Waters is an environmentally responsible rural subdivision, established in 1987. It is the world’s first Village to be designed according to permaculture landscape principles. Permaculture uses the inherent qualities of plants, animal and humans combined with nature to work towards producing more sustainable and productive agriculture. An eco-village is an ecological settlement where business, agriculture and human activity are designed to integrate with the natural surroundings. In 1996 this eco-village received the Habitat Award from the United Nations for “pioneering work in demonstrating new ways of low impact, sustainable living”.

Prices:


Personalized Tour
guided informative visit of the property and one individual lot
approximately 1 hour
cost: one person $45, $5 for each additional person, maximum 4 people
BY APPOINTMENT, PHONE TO BOOK


Group Visits
one day specific courses
theory & practical workshops
approximately 4 hours
cost:$7.50 to $30+ per person
GREAT FOR SCHOOL, TAFE AND SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS



TO BOOK YOUR TOUR, A COURSE, OR FOR FURTHER INFORMATION...

Contact Lorelle on:
Ph: 07 5494 4816
E-mail: lorelle@ecoeducate.org.au