Afterlee: An Ecovillage Designed for Families

Kyogle Shire, Northern Rivers, NSW, Australia

Designed for long-term belonging

Many parents feel it quietly, the sense that our modern neighbourhoods weren’t truly designed for children. We’ve traded the “village” for convenience. Neighbours often remain strangers. Children grow up mostly indoors, separated from nature by busy roads, fences, and full schedules.

Afterlee is a response to that feeling. We are a cooperative community in Northern NSW, shaped from the beginning around family life, connection to nature, and a stronger sense of home.

Watch our 1-minute clip “Children of Afterlee” below

Neighborhoods

6

Homesites Allocated

41

Total Homesites

62

  • Homesites allocated 66% 66%

Joining Process

1. Book a Site Tour
Visit the land on a Saturday morning and learn about the project.

2. Meet the Community
Stay afterwards to connect with members and experience a working bee.

3. Review the Details
Receive information about the cooperative structure, site availability, and development stages.

4. Submit an Expression of Interest
If you’d like to move forward, you can formally express your interest and continue discussions with the community.

About Afterlee Ecovillage

Located in the historic Afterlee area, 25 km west of Kyogle, Afterlee Ecovillage offers a variety of eco-friendly homesites, from smaller village lots ($145,000) to larger acreage plots ($170,000). Guided by the Healthy Living Community Co-operative (HLCC), the community fosters ecological sustainability and shared governance.

This isn’t a typical estate; it is 700 acres of bushland, ridges, and valleys that we hold in common. We see this land as a natural classroom, a place where children have the freedom to roam and explore. By choosing a cooperative model, we ensure the land isn’t a commodity to be traded, but a sanctuary to be protected by the people who live here. Instead of high fences, we are building shared pathways and open spaces, turning the entire neighborhood into one big backyard.

A Different Kind of Neighbourhood

Afterlee is not a finished estate, it is a thoughtfully planned community in development.

The land is secured, and internal roads are planned as the next stages of development (est. 2nd trimester 2026).
A growing group of families are already involved in shaping how the village will evolve.

Afterlee operates as a cooperative, meaning members participate in decision-making and contribute to the development of the project. Working bees, meetings and planning sessions are already part of how the community functions.

We are creating a place designed intentionally for family life: shared green spaces, low traffic, walkable paths, and neighbours who know one another.

It’s a setting where children can explore safely and parents can feel supported.

Drone Shot

Explore our interactive 3D map of the land

Working bees take place on the second Saturday of each month. We schedule site tours on the same day, giving you the opportunity to explore the land and meet members of the community.

A School at the Heart

At the heart of Afterlee Ecovillage stands a school campus. While the school is not yet operating, its presence is a daily reminder of our priorities. We envision a future where the “school run” is a safe walk through the trees, and the school gate is a natural gathering point where parents connect and community rhythms form. The buildings are already there, waiting for the village to bring them to life.

The Kyogle Region

Afterlee is located 15 minutes from Kyogle in Northern NSW, surrounded by forest, farmland and small regional towns.

The area offers a slower pace of life while remaining connected to the wider Northern Rivers and South East Queensland region.

If you’re driving, you can reach:

  • Nimbin and Lismore in approximately 1 hour

  • Byron Bay and Ballina Airport in approximately 1 hour 40 minutes

  • Tenterfield in approximately 2 hours 15 minutes

  • Brisbane in approximately 3 hours

This location provides a balance between seclusion and accessibility, close enough to services, schools, and transport links, while offering space and natural surroundings.

We Build for the Long Term

Afterlee is guided by principles of sustainability, responsible land stewardship, and cooperative ownership. We are building something stable and enduring, a place where families can put down roots for decades.

Already, 41 households have joined us in this vision. With 62 lots in total, the first two-thirds of our founding generation is already in place. Joining at this stage means becoming part of the final group of households who will shape how the village evolves and grows from here.

Working bees take place on the second Saturday of each month. We schedule site tours on the same day, giving you the opportunity to explore the land and meet members of the community.

Afterlee Ecovillage

Working bees take place on the second Saturday of each month. We schedule site tours on the same day, giving you the opportunity to explore the land and meet members of the community.