CURRUMBIN ECOVILLAGE

Currumbin Ecovillage is a private development project located 7km from the Gold Coast. This project was recognised as the Best Gold Coast Urban Design award for built environment in 2009. Besides this honour it had also been honoured by over 30 different international awards. Currently, it is a popular case study being studied by at least 4 different universities across Australia.

The Ecovillage offers a natural lifestyle for more than 400 residents. Lots sizes between 450 and 6000sqm surrounded by trees and native vegetation create a 6.5 persons/ha project, where dwellings are highly connected with the natural resources of its environment. This project includes a community hall (with a pool), a water treatment plant, 20km of cycling paths and an Interpretative Centre (that is no longer working). Originally it had been planned with a Village Centre, but after 16 years this has not yet being constructed.

Figure 22 - Location Currumbin, Gold Coast

Figure 23 - Currumbin Ecovillage

COMMUNITY-BASED PLANNING PROCESS

Landmatters was an existing private company. After the acquisition of the 110ha land, Landmatters Currumbin Valley Pty Ltd was established, to lead the development process of the project. Since the beginning their idea to:

“inspire sustainable living and development practice awareness by creating a world-class ecologically sustainable village” (Currumbin Ecovillage, n.d.).

The design began with a community consultation exercise involving different local actors. The idea was to collect information regarding the nature of the site and local impressions to define technical guidelines. This process was an essential strategy to generate awareness between neighbours and build trust with the local government. Ideas such as offering 40% of the land for conservation purposes complemented with reforestation programs were implemented.

The planning and construction of Currumbin Ecovillage was developed by Landmatters Currumbin Valley Pty Ltd following real estate principles and techniques. The process involved many consultants such as Town Planners, Landscape Architects, Urban Designers, Civil Engineers, Water/ Waste Management Consultants, Flora and Fauna Consultants, Traffic Engineers, Tenure Consultants, Architects, Cultural Heritage Consultants, Marketing and Media Consultants, etc (developer’s interview).

Figure 24 - Real Estate Marketing strategyFigure 25 - Currumbin Ecovillage residential

Figure 26 - Energy and Water Efficiency in dwellings

Once the sites were sold, residents started to get involved with their neighbours in the construction of a new community. This process was guided and supported by Landmatters Currumbin Valley Pty Ltd. The strategies involved the establishing a community webpage facilitating different interest groups to relate with each other, organising social events inside the Ecovillage, Earth Careers and Coffee Connects group meetings, decision-making meetings using a facilitator, and the release of a monthly newsletters called ‘Village Well’ (CSIRO, n.d.)

Once the community was consolidated external stakeholders became interested in the project. In 2003 the Gold Coast City Council (GCCC) nominated Currumbin Ecovillage as its first Innovation Estate (Sustainable Green, 2010). This fostered a partnership between the Ecovillage and the GCCC to promote sustainable practices through the Interpretive Centre located inside the village. However once the partnership finished the Centre stop working.

Thanks to this partnership, the Ecovillage found a breach to open themselves to the rest of the community through education and knowledge, while outside companies offer them sponsorship to try new materials and technologies.