What is Peace Valley?

Formerly a bush retreat where you could experience living together in community, hands on permaculture gardening and a lived experience of deep nature connection in the local area of the Scenic Rim, Queensland and Tenterfield, NSW, Australia. Now it is IN TRANSITION to a new location in the UK. In this in-between time it will inhabit a purely virtual space.

Vision

Our vision is to inspire and inform by living in a way which honours all aspects of nature; human, plant and animal, thus creating a future of abundance, harmony, beauty and balance for all. Learning by doing.

Values 

  1. Respect - mindfulness, compassion and understanding
  2. Self-responsible - accountable
  3. Gratitude - generosity and service
  4. Harmony - beauty and balance
  5. Honesty - authenticity and transparency/openness
  6. Inspire - wonder, learning and play
  7. Collaboration - joining of indigenous and western wisdom, everyone is honoured
  8. Growth -  openness and enthusiasm for the new 
  9. Commitment to a just, abundant and thriving world: Always considering the impact of our choices on the next 7 generations

Goals 

  • To provide a safe space where embodied learning enhances personal growth, empowerment, connection to nature and to each other.
  • To integrate indigenous and western wisdom thus bringing balance and healing to people and land
  • To become an integrated and thriving part of the local community
  • To protect, enhance and increase native ecosystems 
  • To create a living environment of beauty and harmony, which integrates natural and recycled materials for buildings and living areas.
  • To be self sustaining in vegetables, water and energy.
  • To be an exemplary model of how we can work together locally to address global issues.

 

Concept

To provide a safe space for reconnection to self, each other and nature which empowers and rejuvenates - Inner Ecosystem Restoration within Nature

Core themes include:

Connection to nature - living simply in nature, off grid, permaculture and edible forest gardens

Community living - eating, playing, learning and working together

Multicultural exchange of wisdom - learning from our elders

Meditation and Mindfulness - daily meditation, space in the day to just 'be'

Empowerment - the natural effect of experiential learning on the project along with facilitated learning and events

Regeneration of local area - tree nursery, planting trees, weed removal, soil and water conservation

Gift Economy - holding the foundation of reciprocity and gifting forward so this experience remains open for all

 

Long Term Vision

Peace Valley is an organically growing project with 4 phases as follows:

  • Phase 1 Pilot Project at Bindarrabi with temporary basecamp. Completed early 2021
  • Phase 2 Research for main project in the UK. Winter 2021/2022
  • Phase 3 Commence large scale project. Ideally to obtain an area of degenerated farmland, build permanent community structures, gardens and a tree nursery and then begin regeneration work. 
  • Phase 4 Go global, building camps in nature near many western cities using the experience gained over the first phases to inform their physical, legal and social structures.