Current Status
The Afterlee Ecovillage Development Application was assessed by Kyogle Council and approved on 9th December 2024.
However there are many conditions of consent before final sign off of the ecovillage is given. The management team are now working on these conditions of consent including building the necessary infrastructure such as roads to access homesites.
It is likely that the roads will be built in the first half of 2025 with the goal of complying with all conditions and receiving our occupation certificate by July 2025. People will be able to start applying and building for their individual houses as soon as this happens.
In the meantime community projects including farming infrastructure and community buildings will be constructed and people can start to maintain and improve their own homesites immediately. This includes planting gardens, sheds and other infrastructure in preparation for their dwelling.
Our Land
The Afterlee Ecovillage spans 700 acres in the Cob O’Corn valley at 200m elevation, bordered by Cob O’Corn Creek. It features four housing clusters, including a village center with community facilities, over 100 acres designated for farming, and more than 400 acres of forest for conservation and community use. Located in the biodiverse Richmond Range near Toonumbar National Park, the land, formerly used for farming, includes grazing paddocks and wet sclerophyll regrowth forest. The ecovillage aims to restore the landscape through ecological rehabilitation and regenerative agriculture, promoting sustainable food production and improving the natural environment. A spring-fed dam provides water security and recreational space.
Our Infrastructure
The site currently includes a school, two dwellings, and farm outbuildings that may be converted for communal use based on member preferences. Funds in the share price (stage 2) are allocated for communal facilities, with potential future projects including a community hall, multi-function shed, natural swimming pool/sauna, work hub, dance and meeting space, and a public café/store. Common infrastructure will include internal roads and wastewater facilities for village homesites, while off-grid power and water systems will be needed outside the village. Over 100 acres of farmland will support agricultural activities, with any commercial ventures requiring co-op board approval. Community workshops will determine the extent of communal farming and use of the extensive forest area.
Our Legal Structure
The Afterlee Ecovillage is governed by a co-operative structure, a model used by landsharing communities for over 40 years. It operates as a legal distributing co-operative under Australian regulations, with day-to-day operations managed by an elected board of directors.
The co-op’s rules guide meetings and decision-making, and the community uses a landsharing policy along with holistic management and sociocratic governance techniques where applicable. Those interested in membership can learn more about shares, homesites, co-op rules, and the landsharing policy by reaching out via the contact form.
Our Members
The skills and talents of current Afterlee Ecovillage community members include: farming, horticulture, ceremonial, teaching & education, physiotherapy, yoga, cooking & food prep, natural therapies, landscaping, carpentry, music, management & governance, accounting, medical, butchering, plumbing, film & photography, legal, electrical, software, counselling, parenting, decolonisation pathways, home gardening, support work, artistry, dance.