A community development scheme is a type of strata title development (see next question) that allows for a variety of land tenure arrangements and flexible governance structures.
A strata title is a type of land tenure. You own your title outright (like owning your own house and land) and can borrow against it and leave it as an inheritance. Your title also includes rights and ownership of common property. At Tasman Ecovillage your title includes ownership of 19 acres of common ground and community facilities.
The body corporate is the governing body for a strata title scheme and consists of all owners in the scheme.
Owners make these decisions in consultation with residents and other stakeholders.
There are currently around 45 full-time residents (including children) in the village, plus various visitors, WWOOFers and helpers, depending on the season. Other members own investment property in the village but live off-site.
You can build as soon as you have approval from the Body Corporate and Tasman Council.
We are a growing community and prefer owners to build and live here (or rent out their property) but there is no requirement to build immediately.
Buildings at Tasman Ecovillage must comply with all relevant state and federal building codes as well as the Tasman Ecovillage Residential Building Design Guidelines that ensure your home aligns with the ethos of our village. The guidelines aim to be flexible whilst offering villagers some certainty over what will be built here.
The Consumer, Building & Occupational Services (CBOS) Tiny Houses Fact Sheet dated 1st March 2018 provides good information about the regulations covering tiny houses.
Fixed Tiny House
"If a dwelling is intended to be attached to land, it requires building approval and these conditions apply:
- All new building and plumbing work in Tasmania must meet the standards of the National Construction Code.
- An occupancy permit is required before a new dwelling is used.
- Use of land for residential purposes also requires council planning approval."
Tiny House on Wheels or Caravan
"If a structure is built with wheels (e.g. a caravan or trailer) and is capable of being registered as a vehicle by the Tasmanian Motor Vehicle Registry (Department of State Growth) then it is not a building and it does not need building approval for erection or installation."
"Temporary structures or prefabricated buildings erected for a temporary purpose require a temporary occupancy permit for their placement and occupation, instead of building approval for permanent use."
For additional information on Tasman Council regulations about temporary dwellings, see Part 5 - Occupation of Caravans etc. in the Tasman Council Regulatory Services Bylaw 2018.
Yes, with approval from the Body Corporate. We envisage large sheds and workshops as part of our common facilities for the village.
Yes.
Possibly yes, with Body Corporate and Council approval. You may also be able to build two conjoined dwellings on one title.
The village zoning allows certain types of businesses to be run from home, providing they do not interfere with the “quiet amenity” of neighbours.
The Body Corporate is responsible for maintaining the common property. An external management company is engaged to assist us with managing the property.
Some owners have their own gardens and there are various shared gardens in the pods and elsewhere on common property. There is a shared community garden. Fat Beets Food Hub helps with distributing surplus produce.
Mains electricity and non-potable water are available at all lots. A sewer connection is available to all lots except lots 206 and 207 which are down hill from the sewage line and will need composting toilets, a macerator pump or some other creative solution. Fixed wireless NBN is available in the local area.
Our water is harvested from the roofs of the buildings, and pumped from the creek, the dam and the bore depending on availability. There is no town water supply in Nubeena. Dams supply water for agriculture. Potable water is provided in multiple locations on common ground and dwellings in the Pods tend to have their own rainwater tank for potable use.
Yes, you are encouraged to do so. We are also investigating community energy systems such as micro grids.
Composting toilets are encouraged subject to Council approval.
The medium density and layout of the pods naturally creates a strong sense of community and existing community buildings provide opportunities to gather as a community. In terms of privacy, we encourage you to build this into the design of your home. As well, many of the lots provide ample opportunity for making private open space within the lot. For example, the lots in Pod C could include a private garden looking out into the trees. Community involvement and interaction, whilst encouraged, is entirely voluntary.
Conflict provides an opportunity to access the wisdom of the group and an opportunity for personal growth. We are committed to learning and practising ‘Non-violent’ or ‘Compassionate’ communication and we have conflict resolution procedures in our Body Corporate by-laws. Good group process (transparent and inclusive decision-making) and community glue (activities that contribute to group cohesion) both contribute to creating a harmonious community.
Owners, residents and other stakeholders are all encouraged to join Tasman Ecovillage Association (TEVA) so the whole community has input into decision making. TEVA can consult the community and make recommendations to the Body Corporate. Meetings are held regularly and we aim for consensus in our decision-making. When consensus cannot be reached we can vote when a decision is needed.
The lots have been kept deliberately small to encourage dwellings with a smaller footprint, to promote social interaction and to maximise space for food production and community facilities. The lots allow for a reasonable size dwelling and some surrounding personal space. By sharing resources and facilities we don’t need larger homes that are costly in terms of the environment and our hip pocket.
We actively seek to reduce our collective footprint. We recycle what we can internally and compost as much of our organic waste as possible. We live in small, energy-efficient homes that have small environmental footprints. We aim to share resources wherever possible. We grow some of our food organically on-site. We can walk or cycle to local services and share transport whenever possible. We are working towards generating renewable energy for our homes. We practice shared decision-making processes and we create opportunities to work, play and eat together to make our daily lives easier and generally more wonderful!
A circle signifies unity and oneness, as well as the nature of life cycles. We think this symbolism and aesthetics is a good foundation for a community ecovillage. It’s good to think outside the square!
Traditional perimeter fencing of residential lots is discouraged but fencing may be necessary to keep children or pets from wandering or to keep the native animals out of your home garden. If you do need to fence, consider living fences and hedges as alternatives to traditional fencing.
You can garden on your own lot and you can create a garden with your neighbours within your pod. There are already some established community gardens and we encourage you to become involved in their care.
Unless they are certified service animals, cats or dogs are not permitted to live at the ecovillage. Other pets are allowed under certain conditions. The Pet Policy forms part of the by-laws and is available on request.
Some employment is available within the broader community on the Peninsula in administration, teaching, tourism, aged/health care, hospitality and farming. Given the availability of the National Broadband Network (NBN) in Nubeena, you can also work remotely, run a business from home, or perhaps work part-time in the city. Remember, too, that if your living costs are lower, you don’t need to earn as much!
The CDF was established to provide funds for constructing community facilities and upgrading infrastructure to bring it more into line with our Vision. CDF contributions come from a percentage of the initial sale of each lot from the developer and from a percentage of Body Corporate fees. Regular repairs and maintenance costs come from a separate body corporate administrative fund and a sinking fund.
Body Corporate levies are $2700 per year (2% of which goes to the Community Development Fund). Body Corporate fees also cover building insurance including all common and private buildings. The Body Corporate levy is discounted by 50% for up to 12 months after the initial sale for vacant lots. Council rates are around $650 per year on an unimproved lot (based on a lot valued at $55,000) and around $1275 per year on an improved lot (based on a lot valued at $55,000 and a house valued at $150,000) and TasWater charge about $430 per year while the lot is vacant and then about $705 per year when you connect to the sewer. Land tax is due on vacant land or on a property that is not your primary residence and is a percentage of the value of the land. For example, land tax on a $59,000 lot is $100 per year.
Last updated: 6th April 2023
Demand for rental accommodation in the local area is high and it is likely that housing you own in the village - either directly or through a self-managed super fund - could easily be rented for short or long-term accommodation. Tenants are encouraged to participate in community life and those staying longer than six months are expected to apply for TEVA Membership.
Yes! Residents are provided with a code to access the door key.
Each lot has at least one car space on common ground in a common car parking area adjacent to each pod. Overflow parking is provided for visitors.
Long-term rental accommodation is sometimes available and we are working on creating some short stay accommodation.
Tassielink operates a daily bus service to and from Hobart from Monday to Saturday. The Nubeena district school, bank, supermarket, post office, doctor, chemist and cafe are a 5 minute walk from the village. It helps to have access to a car when living in rural Tasmania.
We occasionally advertise Open Days on our website when we welcome visitors to the village and invite them to enjoy a taste of our village life. Outside of these days, please contact us well in advance of any planned visit so we can make sure someone is available to show you around.