I have been a member and shareholder of Coordination Coop, the entity that owns the communal land at Tuntable Falls since 1973, though have been a non-resident shareholder since 1987.
In the early settlement phase I somehow landed the job of Council liaison person on behalf of the commune.
Here is a little info about that time based on my memories that may be useful.1974: The Councillors from Nimbin Shire Council were quite hostile to our plans for a commune, and instructed the Council to formally advise us that we could not settle the land with multiple dwellings, and that the Zoning did not allow this sort of development.
Following a Coop meeting we agreed to send a reply stating it was our firm intention to create a commune on our land (whether they liked it or not).
This resulted in more outrage from the local Council and a formal order to demolish all the structures we had already built or they would bring the bulldozers .
Some of our members contacted the State Planning Minister to seek support and a possible solution. At the same time I developed a cordial relationship with the Shire’s Building and Health manager Mr Wally Duckering, who became eventually sympathetic towards the Coop’s aims.
I negotiated on behalf of the Coop for us to voluntarily demolish of a small number of structures that we were happy to sacrifice to take the heat off us.
Surprisingly this token gesture had a remarkable effect on Council and things seemed to go much more smoothly after that, especially when we presented our Development Plan showing potential Hamlet sites and which land was to be set aside as Commons, and areas to be managed as forest etc.
Shortly after this the State Planning Minister ( I believe he was Paul Landa) instructed the Council to create a new development zone known as Multiple Occupancy.
So, the efforts of our members resulted in a Statewide new category of development that was then available for many other communities in NSW.The key learning for me through all of this was that we broke the law, (yes), were unrepentant (totally), and were rewarded. We took risks and were prepared to dig in and defend the right to live as we wished. It was a wonderful time of hopes and dreams that has a left a great legacy and it looks like the Coop will be there for the foreseeable future.
Best regards,
Dave Gittus
