Moora Moora Co-operative Community

Mission: To live as a community whose members actively participate in its decision-making and organisation, its work and social life; a community which is socially, environmentally and economically responsible, and which has a broader educational aim.

From www.ic.org/directory/moora-moora-co-operative-community/:

Moora Moora is a co-operative residential community made up of a diverse group of about 50 adults and 30 children. We deliberately choose to live together in six small hamlets located on a beautiful co-operatively owned 245 hectare property situated at an altitude of 700 metres on Mt Toolebewong.

The community is situated near the township of Healesville, approximately 67 km, about 90 minutes by car, to the east of the city of Melbourne.

VISITORS

Moora Moora is private property. It is open to visitors only on our open days which are held on the first Sunday of every month at 1.30pm, except on days of Total Fire Ban. On these days you can join a tour of the property, meet some of the members and residents of the community and discuss Moora Moora and how we work together to manage our community and property.

Please meet at the Octagon (visible from the front gate) at 1.30pm sharp, or tours may have already left. Wear warm country clothes and please don't bring your pets - our property is a haven for wild life.

If you have never been to Moora Moora before, the monthly visitors day is a good way to start learning about us and our lifestyles. Bookings are not necessary, but if you have questions about our visitors day, please e-mail Sandra Cock at sandra@mooramoora.org.au.

After attending a visitors day, it is possible to join us at our community work day, also held on the first Sunday of every month. We work together on the maintenance and development of our shared land and facilities. Because this is a planned day of community work activities, if you would like to come, it is essential that you contact our Works Coordinator Jeremy (jeremy@shub.info) in advance.

It is sometimes possible for international and interstate visitors to stay at Moora Moora to make their visit more relaxed. To enquire about this, please send an e-mail to info@mooramoora.org.au.

BECOMING A MEMBER

The process of becoming a member of Moora Moora involves a number of steps and takes between six months and two years. We encourage potential members to visit regularly to allow a deeper understanding of the various aspects of the community.

Those interested in pursing membership become a Friend of Moora Moora, with a payment of a $200 interest-free refundable loan which supports the community. They are encouraged to attend our Co-op Workdays, Directors’ and Community Meetings, our weekly café and social events and to participate in cluster workdays. Such participation is essential in getting to know Moora Moora and our people and to become known in turn.

After this, a Friend may apply to become a non-member resident, if accommodation is available. Living in a cluster as a non-member resident provides a trial in experiencing life as a member of our intentional community, with all the advantages, obligations and at times difficulties that ensue.

Ultimately, the non-member resident may nominate for membership, a process which takes some months and ensures the Friend is a good fit for Moora Moora.

FINANCIAL COMMITMENT

Each member of Moora Moora holds a separate shareholding in the co-operative and has a separate financial/economic obligation to the community.

Members sharing houses are required to have one basic shareholding. Individual members living in a house to themselves are required to have one and a half basic shareholdings.

The cost of a basic shareholding is around $17,500 (as at Dec 2015), an amount which is indexed and increases each quarter. Quarterly payments of around $400 are required to cover maintenance and other costs of running the community.

In addition to this, members will need to buy a home. (See http://mooramoora.org.au/membership-97236/houses-for-sale).

Members are required to contribute a minimum of 60 hours of labour a year, but members can expect to have to spend four or more hours a week in various community activities.

RUNNING THE CO-OP

Moora Moora is a registered co-operative and operates under the Co-operatives National Law. Business meetings of the community are held monthly and are open to members, non-member residents, Friends and sometimes visitors.

Decisions are made by consensus of those members present. The co-op is administered on a day-to-day basis by seven directors, together with a number of committees (eg Works, Land, Finance, Membership).

The co-op appoints members to roles as co-ordinators or managers, who implement committee decisions. Positions include works co-ordinator, land manager and treasurer.

A service of the Data Commons Co-op. The project has been supported by Equal Exchange, the Cooperative Charitable Trust, the USDA, and many others - thank you! Tech volunteers over the years include: Benjamin Bradley with support from GAIA Host. Ben Mauer with support from Quilted. Paul Fitzpatrick. Ronin Tech Collective, Brattleboro Tech Collective, Sligo Computer Services. Jason Lemieux. Default map tiles courtesy of MapQuest. Default map data (c) OpenStreetMap contributors, CC-BY-SA.