We have arrived, we are home...

Aerial view of our beautiful new home. Photo courtesy of Birt’s Real Estate

After ten years of dreaming, four years of searching, and three months of negotiation, we are delighted to share the news that the Gaia Forest Project finally has a home; last month we exchanged contracts on a beautiful organic farm located on Gumbaynggirr country on the New England plateau on the Mid-north coast hinterland of New South Wales.

We are immensely grateful to all those who have supported the vision along the way, with their energy, encouraging words and advice. Without this support we would have given up long ago. Our aspiration is that Gaia Forest becomes a place that many people can call their spiritual home and place of refuge.

The land includes a rare remnant of high-conservation value old-growth rainforest. World-heritage listed, such forests on the Dorrigo Plateau represent a living link to Australia’s Gondwanan past.  Protected by a conservation covenant, the forest is rich in both flora and fauna and home to several threatened species including the endangered Stuttering Frog. Complete with a network of walking trails, permanent creek and small waterfalls, the previous owners have also spent 20 years establishing a thoughtful and extensive permaculture system of organic orchards and gardens. 

All this has only been made possible thanks to the timely welcoming of our newest founding member and investor, Alison Heeley. Tenzin crossed paths with Alison at Plum Village in France last year, and on their respective returns we connected locally and began exploring possibilities for realising an aspiration to build sangha in the local area. Our collaboration this year has included the formation of a Bellingen Plum Village sangha that meets monthly, local Days of Mindfulness, as well as the shared vision to make the Gaia Forest project a reality. To find out more about Alison’s background you can visit her Bio page.

We feel privileged to be taking on stewardship of such ancient and unique Gondwanan rainforest, and are committed to taking good care of this climate refuge for both humans and biodiversity for many years to come.  On a property of this size such a task is not an insignificant one, and we need your support!  To find out more about how you can get involved; for example volunteering, personal retreat or donating to help us develop the project, please contact us. if you don’t already receive it, you can also subscribe to our newsletter to keep up to date with developments as they unfold.  We look forward to hearing from you.