An ecovillage is the one using sustainable energy sources as their primary and the only origin of energy. These type of cities or villages are possible and they exist in the world. In Australia there is one eco-village or ecocity called Currumbin located in the Currumbin Valley in the South-Est part of the state of Queensland, Australia. The Ecovillage in Currumbin is a living community that was conceived by a passionate group of friends in the late years of XXth century. Currently is the home of over 200 people, several small businesses and an active community that enjoys events at its community hall.
View from a terrace in a sustainable home in the Currumbin Ecovillage (Australia). Picture from Sander van Dijk (Flickr)
This example shows how a sustainable way of life is possible. The Currumbin ecovillage is self-sufficient in energy usage and completely autonomous in water and waste water recycling. The Ecovillage at Currumbin promotes the food and material self-sufficency, household farming and preservation of natural landforms. In the community they achieve education of sustainable living and development practices via the Interpretation Centre. The Ecovillage at Currumbin has won an international award-winning sustainable community.
Its location 7 minutes from the beautiful Currumbin Beach on the Gold Coast and South-east Queensland gives a mild sub-tropical climate with yearly temperatures averaging between 15ºC min. and 25ºC max. To build a house in the ecovillage requires owners and builders to meet specific building codes that encourage sustainable building practices which improve quality of life for occupants and help to reduce ongoing operation costs
Currumbin ecocity faces the challenge of how to live and develop sustainably – in harmony with nature, to foster community and a modern quality of life without increasing the pollution or using unsustainable energy sources. Amidst the threat of global environmental crisis, the persons living at Currumbin have the vision to “inspire sustainable living and development practice awareness” by creating a residential community that exemplifies World’s Best Practice in Ecologically Sustainable Development.
There is the possibility to rent houses or rooms within the ecovillage for short, medium and long terms. The ecovillage contains 147 blocks of land ranging from 450m2 to 8.000m2, most of which are sold, but others are currently for sale.