JACARANDA HAVEN RETREAT
From the outset of the founding of The Academy in 1995, John & Rosemary Butterworth intended to build a country retreat where people may come for physical, mental and emotional healing and for self-improvement, education and transformation. The land was purchased 6 years ago to build the retreat which they named Jacaranda Haven.
WHERE IS IT? Jacaranda Haven is 84 acres/33 ha of gently-undulating land with inspirational views located within the temperate climate of the New South Wales mid-North Coast hinterland at Dyers Crossing, just south of Taree and west of Forster in Australia. Approximately three and a half hours easy driving from the heart of Sydney, the property can be accessed by a number of scenic routes including The Buckett’s Way through The Avon Valley & Gloucester, the Pacific Highway with its ever- increasing new Freeway sections, or Taree/Wingham.
A former timber-getting and cattle property, it is approximately 2/3rds cleared with about fifty acres of remnant bushland and three dams.
Biodynamic growing of fruit, vegetables and culinary & medicinal herbs is being commenced on the cleared land.
Set well-back from a bitumen sealed , all- weather road, the land is peaceful and private with an abundance of native birds and kangaroos, and is easy to walk and drive around. The air and rainwater are pure and sweet, and the night skies and sunsets have to be seen to be believed. There are numerous motels, caravan parks & camping grounds, and B & B’s within comfortable driving distance. Day visitors to Jacaranda Haven are most welcome.
THE PHILOSOPHY OF THE JACARANDA HAVEN PROJECT.
It offers a sensible, sensitive and caring way of living that encompasses every aspect of our physical, mental, emotional and spiritual needs, about how we relate to each other and all of Creation – and does so in a joyous, practical, non- sectarian and non- denominational manner. It’s about easily and smoothly achieving harmony and balance in our lives whereby there is awoken a constant awe and reverence for all life.
It’s about re-awakening in each of us the wonderment of the child – seeing a butterfly for the first time, or sunlight reflecting like diamonds in dew drops. Yet not being blinded by, but rather being balanced with, the wisdom and discernment of maturity. Not always seeking a new experience/pleasure with a ‘been there – done that’ attitude, but rather perceiving with that first-time freshness. Under-pinning all this is the living, eating, breathing of the Values of the Academy as timeless, eternal tenets for guidance in ‘right-living’ that honour all that is animate and inanimate.
One key value is:- ‘If all come to give, then all shall receive’ – so contrary to the traditional conditioning of “ What’s in it for me ? I’ll only go to some event/do something etc if there’s something in it for me” , but rather encouraging a stance of “ What can I contribute, give, bring” to any situation…Surely, the world would be a very different place if every human being lived by this principle…
Other values are:-
Environmental responsibility and sustainability’…(Honouring our stewardship and responsibility for the planet). ‘The only authority is one’s heart’ ,(to act according to one’s own conscience) which was defined in another way by the legendary Richard Buckminster Fuller as ‘integrity’. At the Integrity Day event held in a Los Angeles auditorium in Feb 1984 to celebrate his life’s work ( and attended by hundreds ), he was asked to define this principle, and did so thus: “Integrity is having the courage to live by the Truth, the whole Truth and nothing but the Truth as eternally revealed by the Divine Voice in every heart.” When about to commit suicide out of despair following a business failure in the late 1920’s, he claimed that he underwent a life-changing spiritual experience that led him unwaveringly to live the next 55 years of his life according to this principle…
Digging the bore.
PROGRESS TO DATE:
Since purchasing the property in March 2005, two water bores have been sunk, one with a potential yield of 240 gallons per hour. Large tanks have been installed for rainwater harvesting and gravity-fed trickle irrigation. Panama Red Passionfruit Vines are being grown on trellises. Small mixed fruit orchards have been planted and continue to be expanded. It is intended that bio-dynamic farming and gardening (as initiated by Rudolf Steiner in the early 1900’s) constitutes a major component of the Jacaranda Haven Project.
A Blessing Ceremony held in 2005 was attended by 25 people who had a fabulous weekend together.
As an integral part of this Retreat Centre concept, fruit and vegetables will be grown in increasing quantities utilizing the application of Homeopathic preparations both to improve soil structure and plant vitality and also other preparations (called ‘peppers’) to deter kangaroo and rabbits from cultivated areas. The early planting out of the half kilometre avenue of Jacaranda Trees leading up to the proposed house gave birth to the registered business name of ‘Jacaranda Haven’.
THE OCTAGON:
A beautiful octagonal house and seminar venue with large ponds and outdoor teaching/eating space has been constructed. The octagon features panoramic views, excellent natural light and ventilation, natural timber flooring, fireplace, gourmet kitchen and grey-water irrigated landscaping. The seminar space comfortably seats 30 + people. The native bird songs are magical and the sunsets have to be seen to be believed. (Plenty of kangaroos can be seen grazing early morning). It is a place of rest, stillness and renewal.
Accommodation at the Octagon.
Overnight/Weekend accommodation is available for 7 – 8 people in the Octagon, up to 5 people in backpacker style in the machinery shed, and limited on-site camping. Visitor cabins are planned for the future. Additional, there are numerous motels in the area.
FUTURE PLANS.
The large architect-designed main building (The Lodge) was earlier approved b Council and awaits funding and construction. Featuring an art studio, 7 bedrooms, therapy room, seminar venue and open fireplace it will overlook the serenity of one of the property’s dams with its waterlilies, water features, gardens and bushland with distant valley views. The courses and events programme will continue to expand to include all aspects of healthy, intelligent and responsible living encompassing the education and nurturing of the physical, mental/emotional and spiritual bodies, the essential goodness in all of us.
HOW CAN I BECOME INVOLVED?
A spiritual community is being built and you are invited to be a part:
Eventually the community will be divided into departments much like Findhorn have done. There will be the gardening department which will not only be responsible for the maintenance of the garden but also the exciting experiments such as growing vegetables under sacred geometrical forms. People whose passion is healing, will need to form a group, or perhaps their love are children’s needs. Earth healing and reconnection to the land must be addressed. As you can see every modality needs to be catered for. At Jacaranda Haven we will be living life holistically. Our motto is “Love All, Serve All”. Listed below are some of the current activities you can be involved with or you may simple enjoy attending an Open Day which are held every two months. (For more info. See events or Phone (02) 8005 0562). Open Day is by donation.
Ongoing activities include planting of vegetables, fruit trees, installing trickle irrigation for new vegetable and garden beds, weeding, mulching, Bio Dynamic preparation application, slashing of paddocks, and getting in touch with the Devic Kingdom. Then there is the exciting new work like the designing gardens and the planting of ornamental trees, designing and building of ‘The Belvedere’ on the highest point of the property where there are exquisite panoramic views over the Wallambah Valley. Dam 2, which is to be overlooked by the lodge.
This is an exciting new project – discovering a new way of being, living and loving the earth. For those who feel a heart connection to this project you are invited to come along and see for yourself how you can be involved. There are so many different parts/projects being undertaken one might be close to your heart, eg., in time there will be the experimentation of growing vegetables under different geometrical shapes. Worm farming. setting up a small bio-diesel manufacturing plant for the property’s machinery. The planting of locally native plants to stabilize dam surrounds & spillways, or as windbreaks/wildlife corridors etc.
If you would enjoy spending a weekend helping in the gardening/maintenance department contact:
JOHN BUTTERWORTH at info@aol.org.au
