About us

Shane Sylvanspring

 

 

 

 

Shane brings a vast array of services to assist and bring your project to life:

 

ECOVILLAGE PROJECTS

 

Major Ecovillage Projects Shane has been part of creating:

 

• Bunjil Ecovillage - Community Manager, Designer and Planner, Flowerdale, VIC 2007 - 2009.

 

• Bruns Ecovillage - Ecovillage designer, educator and project manager, Brunswick Heads, NSW 2017 - 2019.

 

• Balaya Buyul Community - Co-founder, Designer, Project Manager and Town Planner. Main Arm NSW 2019 - 2024.

 

• Afterlee Ecovillage - Co-founder, Designer, Project Manager and Town Planner, Afterlee NSW 2021 - ongoing

 

ECOVILLAGE CONSULTATION AND EDUCATION

 

• Co-teacher of Ecovillage Design courses in Malaysia, Greece and Fiji.

 

• Developed, taught and managed week long ecovillage courses, mediation and facilitation programs for Homeland Community NSW and Agari Community VIC.

 

• Developed, managed and taught 2x year long intensive courses for members of two ecovillage projects with over 180 participants.

 

• Provided facilitation and consultation for half a dozen communities in areas of Formation, Town Planning, Design, Membership and Community Dynamics at various stages of their growth.

 

• Dozens of ecovillage workshops at conferences, fesitivals and standalone days. 

 

• Guest speaker and teacher in Permaculture Design Courses around social permaculture and community.

 

• Proficient in teaching Ecovillage Design Education (EDE) to a wide range of audiences, workplaces or your specific community.

 

COMMUNITY and ECOVILLAGE EXPERIENCE

 

International

 

• Studied Ecovillage Design Education (EDE) and lived in Findhorn Ecovillage, SCOTLAND for a number of months.

 

• Volunteered in Damanhur Ecovillage, ITALY

 

• Studied in Tamera Ecovillage, PORTUGAL

 

• Volunteered in ZEGG community, GERMANY

 

• Visited various ecovillages and communities in SPAIN, FRANCE, CANADA and SWITZERLAND.

 

Australia

 

• Core member of New Earth Sancturary Community, VIC.

 

• Non member resident of Moora Moora Community Co-operative, VIC.

 

• Volunteer and vists to many communities on eastern seaboard inlcuding Tasman Ecovillage TAS, Crystal Waters Ecovillage QLD, Bundagen NSW, Dharmanada NSW and Narara Ecovillage, NSW.

 

• Currently resides  in Balaya Buyul Community, NSW.

 

 

 

TOWN PLANNING and MAJOR DEVELOPMENT APPLICATIONS

 

Government:

 

13 years Town Planning in both Statutory and Strategic planning roles in addition to roles in Cultural Heritage, Planning Enforcement and Environment.

 

Experienced with assessing large rezonings, developments and writing various planning policies and planning schemes in half a dozen local governments in both VICTORIA and QUEENSLAND. 

 

Private: 

 

• Planning Permit for an Ecotourist facility and farm in FLOWERDALE, VIC.

 

• Co-found, Town Planning advice and various planning applications for Conscious Grounds, MYOCUM NSW.

 

• Two large Landsharing Development Applications for Balaya Buyul Community and Afterlee Ecovillage, NORTHERN RIVERS NSW.

 

• Dozens of DA's all over NSW for dwellings, community facilities, retrospecitve and other buildings and uses.

 

• Planning Advice to community in GOLD COAST, QLD.

 

Qualifications:

 

• Bachelor of Social Science and Environment - RMIT UNIVERISTY.

 

• Ecovillage Design Education Trainer - GAIA EDUCATION - SCOTLAND.

 

• Other certificates such as Permaculture Design Certificate, Mediation and Conflict Resolution, Dynamic Group Facilitation, Sociocracy basics, Earthbuilding at the CAL Earth Institute California USA.