Bellbunya revs up eco-agriculture

Chris Gibbings on the new tractor.

Contributed

For about 20 years Bellbunya, a 40 acre property at Belli Park, was operated as a corporate retreat and conference facility.

In December, 2008, this idyllic space was purchased by The Association for Sustainable Living and rebirthed as the Bellbunya Community.

The Bellbunya Community aims to create a place to model, implement and teach sustainable living.

Their holistic sustainable approach is applied ecologically, socially, economically and spiritually as well as culturally.

Director Karyn Maher said their efforts in this area have received a huge boost thanks to a $33,000 grant from the Queensland Government’s Gambling Community Benefit Fund.

The grant has made their dream of teaching and promoting eco-agriculture come one step closer.

The grant has gone towards the purchase of a tractor with a four-in-one bucket.

Among its many uses, it will allow community members to make their own organic compost and gather and mix materials for earth building.

Spokesperson Chris Gibbings said the tractor will be a huge support to regenerate and care for the land.

It will allow them to fence animals away from Belli Creek, increase biodiversity and model permaculture food forests.

“As a fertile area with high rainfall, agriculture is a major activity of the hinterland for a variety of small-scale and lifestyle farmers.

“We aim to build the knowledge, desire and skill base of local growers to grow healthy food in sustainable ways.

“We support and run sustainability workshops from Bellbunya.

“And we are currently working with the community to develop sustainable land use plans for the centre.

“We are always open to new partnerships and projects that build more sustainable futures.

“We welcome groups to use Bellbunya as a base for workshops and conferences and actively promote holistically sustaining, relocalised communities.”

To use the centre or find out more about the sustainable agriculture project, contact Karyn on 5447 0181 or www.bellbunya.org.au.