Eudlo... now on Facebook

Become a fan of Eudlo Village Community on Facebook - see button on the right...

Cheers,
Sonya Wallace
Transition Town Eudlo
Coordinator

Community meeting Jan 11, 2010

As mentioned in a previous post, there was a get together of locals last night to discuss a few ideas for Eudlo and how we might get them started and out into the community.

There are a number of things happening in Eudlo already and we looked at how we might start linking them together and create opportunities for people to meet.

We already have;
A Town Hall association and the lovely Town Hall itself
Transition Town Eudlo
The Tennis Club
The Old Mill Site
Recreational grounds (skate park and play equipment)
The Eudlo Markets
The Rural Fire Service
Local shops - the General Store, hairdresser, beautician and Sweetheart's Cafe
Local Primary School and it's P&C
The Post Office
The Pony Club
The Bike Club
Numberous B&Bs and lots of other home businesses
and Chenrezig Buddhist Institute

We talked about how we might start contributing to Council's Town Planning process, how we could create a Vision and Plan for Eudlo, and ways we could share information and communicate better with each other.

Most importantly, we also talked about how we could retain the character and heritage of Eudlo, the things we love most about it, the reasons we moved here in the first place.

So outcomes were;
looking at how we can create a 'get to know your neighbours' area at the next markets
Setting up a facebook page for Eudlo Village so people can stay up to date with what's happening
and setting up a follow up meeting

For Transition Town Eudlo it's the start of the Energy Descent Action Planning process and we also identified some opportunities for how we might get the Eudlo Food Co-operative up and running.

We'll also hopefully have a talking tent at next markets in March and we might look at having family film nights in the Town Hall too.

And the idea of Eudlo being Carbon Neutral by 2020 was floated too...

Cheers,
Sonya Wallace
Transition Town Eudlo
Coordinator

The Eudlo Energy Descent Action Plan

Transition Town Eudlo and the Eudlo Town Hall Committee are about to begin work on creating a community plan for Eudlo to be delivered to Council.

We aim to work together to create an energy descent action plan (EDAP) - one that puts forward what the community would like to see happen in Eudlo. A plan that factors in climate change mitigation strategies and peak oil preparedness. A plan that helps keep Eudlo unique and retains the things we love about Eudlo.

On January 11 at 7pm in the Eudlo Town Hall, a few of us will be getting together to discuss how we might go about doing this - if you have an interest in putting forward positive, constructive ideas for the town of Eudlo, please come along.

The EDAP will cover things like; local food, water, energy, waste, built environment, transport, health, arts and culture, environment, emergency preparedness and much, much more. You're welcome to be part of this, the Sunshine Coast's first town led EDAP.

Cheers,
Sonya
Transition Town Eudlo
Coordinator

Eudlo Summer Market and our Christmas Break

The Eudlo Summer Market has been and gone for 2009 - here is a photo of our stall just after we'd set up.

First time we've had our lovely new banner on display too - kindly made by Maria - thank you.



There will be no Transition Town Eudlo meeting for January - it's just too hot and too close to Christmas, New Years' and Woodford.

First meeting for 2010 will be on Sunday February 7 at Sweethearts Cafe in Eudlo from 8.30am.

Over the Christmas break there will be the start of community planning to put forward to council for the Eudlo Energy Descent Action Plan, so if any of you would like to be included, please email me on tteudlo@yahoo.com and I'll add you to the mailing list.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year,


Sonya Wallace
Transition Town Eudlo
Coordinator

Eudlo Markets

Transition Town Eudlo will be at the Eudlo Town Markets this Sunday December 13.

Visit our stall for a chat, we'll have herb and self-sufficiency books and permaculture calendars for sale, and we'll be running a worm farming workshop at 10am.

I'll have information about the sustainability workshop I run from home too.

The markets are held in and around the Eudlo Town Hall, easy to find in the main street of Eudlo, and run from 7am to noon.

Food and good coffee available too, do your Christmas shopping locally.

Cheers,
Sonya Wallace
Transition Town Eudlo
Coordinator

Get together this Sunday

Transition Town Eudlo is having its monthly get together this Sunday morning (December 6) at Sweethearts Cafe in Eudlo at 8.30am.

Everyone is welcome, particularly people living locally who are interested in be part of and contributing to the Transition Town movement.

We'll also discuss our stall at the Eudlo Summer Market on Dec 13.

Cheers,
Sonya Wallace
Transition Town Eudlo Coordinator

Transition Town Training February 2010

Transition Sunshine Coast is running a Transition Towns workshop on 6 and 7 February (begins on the evening of the 5th) at the Bamboo Forest at Eumundi on the Sunshine Coast.

The two-day intensive workshop is for people interested in starting or joining a Transition Town initiative.

Learn how to go about it in a way that will create a successful, long-term initiative. Benefit from others' experience and discover how to become part of this rapidly evolving network of people creating real change in our communities.



The Bamboo Forest at Eumundi offers a great space for learning and networking with comfortable accommodation options nearby if needed.

This popular and proven Transition Town course is one not to be missed.

Spend time immersed in learning about Transition Towns and how others are Transitioning to a better future with like-minded people.



We kick the course off on the evening of Friday February 5 with a shared organic meal as we get to know each other a little better, then its straight into two full days of intensive learning, sharing, activities, games and discussion at the end of which you will leave with a toolbox of new skills, a list of contacts and most importantly a plan of action tailored to meet your particular needs.

If you are interested and would like to find out more - email Sonya at info@seac.net.au for a flier.



Cheers,
Sonya Wallace
Transition Sunshine Coast
Transition Town Eudlo

Feeling Seedy on a Sunday

Following yesterday's get together there definately seems to be enough interest in holding a seed saving day in Eudlo - our first official Seedy Sunday.

It would involve people bringing seed from their own gardens and then we all chip in to get it cleaned, processed, packaged, labelled and then shared among the group.

There will probably be a small fee per person, just to cover the costs of seed envelopes and plastic bags.



If you're interested in coming along and learning by doing - you're more than welcome. Email tteudlo@yahoo.com and I'll add you to the mailing list.

Cheers,
Sonya
Transition Town Eudlo
Coordinator

Meeting this Sunday

A reminder that Transition Town Eudlo is getting together this Sunday 8.30-10am at Sweetheart's Cafe in Eudlo.

Cheers,
Sonya

Transition Town Nambour anyone?

Transition Town Eudlo isn't limited to people living in Eudlo, in fact people come from far and wide to see what all the fuss is about this thing they call 'Transition Towns'.

People who live in neighbouring areas come along regularly to get a feel for what it's like and to see if they'd like to start a Transition Town in their own town.

We have people from Palmwoods, Mooloolah, Ilkley and Keil Mountain regularly attending and contributing to what's going on in Eudlo.

Others come because they're not sure if there is enough interest in their own home town to get one started yet.

Which leads me into (finally) this post...

Over time there have been people who've asked, "Is there a Transition Town in Nambour?", to date there hasn't been and unfortunately, these individuals haven't turned up on the same day.

So I'm putting the idea out there - would some Nambour folk like to start Transition Town Nambour?

I'm happy to help and you're still very welcome at the Eudlo meetings - but if there is enough interest in Nambour itself, and I suspect there would be, why not take the plunge and jump right in?

It fits very nicely with the whole revitalisation of Nambour after the loss of the sugar mill in town too. I think local council would be supportive of the idea as part of that whole project.

Contact me at tteudlo@yahoo.com or come along to the next Eudlo meeting on November 1 and meet face to face.

Cheers,
Sonya
Transition Town Eudlo

November meeting

The next get together for Transition Town Eudlo is Sunday November 1st.

We meet at 8.30am at Sweethearts Cafe in Eudlo.

It's an open meeting, whoever turns up on the day turns up. If someone from one of the groups (see the list on the right) is there they might give an update on what's happening, otherwise it's a time to get together, welcome new people and generally chat about transitioning and all that means.



Cheers,
Sonya
Transition Town Eudlo
Coordinator

Beekeepers' Collective update

The Eudlo Beekeepers' Collective has acquired a two frame hand driven honey extractor, some hive tools, gloves and veils.



We also have The Bee Book - as recommended by, and available from the DPI.



Things are moving forward, slowly but surely.

Cheers,
Sonya
The Eudlo Beekeepers' Collective

Eudlo Seed Savers

We're pleased to announce the start of the Eudlo Seed Savers Group. Officially kicked off at this morning's meeting, the group will work within the national seed saving network to promote seed saving, plant propagation and non-hybrid, organic, open pollinated seed saving.




There was also a lot of interest in local bulk buying groups that already exist - whether organic meat, biodynamic milk shares or community supported agriculture, there is already a lot happening that we can tap into.




Our next meeting will be on Sunday November 1 at 8.30am at Sweetheart's Cafe in Eudlo. If you are interested in being involved or finding out what is happening in Eudlo, please come along. We also welcome visitors and guests from neighbouring communities:

Nambour
Palmwoods
Kiel Mountain
Mooloolah
Buderim
and beyond

Cheers,
Sonya Wallace
Transition Town Eudlo
Coordinator

Get together this Sunday

Hi,

Transition Town Eudlo is having a get together this Sunday morning (Oct 4) at 8.30am at Sweetheart's Cafe in town.

We discuss;
our new seed saving group
Permablitz Team
the Food Co-operative
Steam Team
The Beekeepers Collective
Waste Busters
Transport Solutions
Permaculture Eudlo
Eudlo Seasonal Markets - next one is in December
Solar oven group
EGG (Eudlo Growers' Group) (coming soon)
Highlanders' Goat Dairy (coming soon)
Community Harvest Project (coming soon)

Cheers,
Sonya Wallace
Transition Town Eudlo
Coordinator

A little taste of Eudlo

A little bit about our town of Eudlo. The picture above is by local artist, Kristen Tiver Cutlack. We bought this card at the local markets which are held every three months in and around the Eudlo Town Hall - next one is on December 13. We have the photo in our profile to the right.

Our town has about 850 people living in and around it. We have a primary school, general store, coffee shop, hairdresser, tennis courts, rural fire service and a train station with a direct line to Brisbane.

We also have the Chenrezig Buddhist Institute just out of town too. The first Tibetan Buddhist Centre in the Western world and still one of the largest. Chenrezig is open to the public for teaching, meditation which has the Big Love cafe too. Visit their website at www.chenrezig.com.au to check schedules and make sure they are open before you visit.



Chenrezig is home to many Buddhist nuns and monks.



Here is a photo of the Gompa.



We also have a local Swiss Cheese Maker - Fromart - in town too.

Most people who live in Eudlo have acreage, while homes in town are average sized blocks.

We are located in the foothills of the Blackall Range half way between Palmwoods and Mooloolah. If you haven't been here before it's worth the drive and you can enjoy a coffee and a meal at Sweethearts Cafe and visit Chenrezig - they are open to the public between Wednesdays and Sundays.

As I said, our next Market Day is on the 13th of December starting at 7am - drop in and say hi!

Cheers,
Sonya
Transition Town Eudlo
Coordinator

In memory of Yukari

Our little community of Eudlo recently lost one of its driving forces and an inspirational leader, my dear friend, Yukari Desjardins (that's her on the right, me on the left in the photo above taken in June this year at our local World Environment Day celebrations). Photo courtesy of our local paper the Sunshine Valley News.

Yukari passed away suddenly late last month in Japan and her death has left a huge gap in many people's lives, most of all her young family and husband.

We had many things planned to do together such as starting the Eudlo food co-operative, running permaculture courses, studying for our Diploma of Permaculture together and much, much more.

She will be greatly missed. But we can take a lesson from how she lived her much too short life.

I thought I'd publish a copy of what was handed out at her memorial service last weekend, which by the way was absolutely packed with people whose lives she had touched and influenced. She was involved in so many things; school gardens, permaculture, transition towns, cooking, healing, health, teaching, dancing, and working within her community to improve things and to more toward a more caring world.

Yukari had had so much to offer the Transition Network. I was particularly interested in how she came to permaculture following the Kobe earthquake in the late 90's. This experience led her to permaculture and then onto Transition Towns - she knew what it was like to wake up one morning and have all services (water, electricity, gas, food) cut off and she also knew how important community was to surviving these events.

Fortunately, her story is recorded in the 2010 Permaculture Diary if you are interested in reading about what she learned.

So here it is - Yukari's guide to the best game of Earth - life.

To create peace, health, prosperity and justice universally on Earth by the year 2012.

1. Speak the truth
2. Acknowledge the truth when others speak it
3. Come from love and respect
4. Leave the trail better than you found it
5. Expect miracles
6. Do what gives you joy and create joy in what you do
7. Be generous with who you are and what you have
8. Be a good friend and teammate
9. Clean up your messes, learn the lessons and move on
10. If you have an idea for how to improve the game, share it!

Forgive
Appreciate
Celebrate
Respect

Thank you for being who you are and LOVE...
Yukari



I hope we can carry on with Yukari's vision for Eudlo and create the type of community she wanted to be part of.

Sonya Wallace
Transition Town Eudlo

What we're up to

Transition Town Eudlo has a few projects underway - and you're welcome to get involved. We'd appreciate your help no matter how much time and energy you can put in - it all helps.

EUDLO SEED SAVERS NETWORK
We have the start of a seed saving group happening in Eudlo. A few people had done the Seed Savers workshop and others are already seed saving. We have registed with the official Australian Seed Saving Network and we'll learn as we go. Now is a bumper time in the vegie garden with lots of plants setting seed, so a great time to start seed saving.

EUDLO BEE KEEPERS COLLECTIVE
A few of locals headed off to Conondale last weekend to learn about bee keeping - so there is a great opportunity to for a Bee Keepers Collective. We can all have our own hives, but share in the major purchases such as an electric honey extractor... discussions are continuing.

EUDLO FOOD CO-OP
The Eudlo Food Co-op is on the backburner at the moment... sadly one of the key people involved in this great idea passed away suddenly and the job of starting the co-op seems a little overwhelming at the moment... more on this later when energies are right.

EUDLO STEAM TEAM
The steam team are still meeting regularly exploring how we might be able to use small-scale decentralised steam engines to provide energy in the future.

We're also working on waste solutions (managing putrecible waste on-site at home rather than it going to landfill), water solutions (best practice waterless composting toilets) and much more.

Our next meeting is on the morning of Sunday October 4 at 8.30am at Sweethearts' Cafe.

See you there,
Sonya Wallace
Transition Town Eudlo
Coordinator

Upcoming events for spring

The next Eudlo Seasonal Market is on September 6 - celebrating the arrival of Spring - although it already feels like summer here!

The markets are proving popular with locals and visitors - and are held in and around the Eudlo Town Hall. Sweethearts Cafe will be open as will the Eudlo General Store.

Transition Town Eudlo's next meeting coincides with the markets, so we won't be meeting at Sweethearts, instead we are busy trying to russle up a stall at the market, so hopefully you can see us there.

OCTOBER
The Transition Town Eudlo get together for October will be on the 4th at Sweethearts Cafe at 8.30-9.30am. We usually get a lot of visitors there, so it's much more social than a formal meeting. You're welcome to come along and meet some of the locals, but it is more about information than action. Our sub-groups meet seperately to work on projects.

NOVEMBER
November meeting will be on Sunday November 1.

Events for May and June

If you're interested in learning more about how you can personally prepare for peak oil and climate change and how to work with others in your community, there are some workshops and events coming up in May and June you might be interested in.

May 23 or 30 - beginners' guide to growing your own food - course held at Eudlo
June 6 - beginners' guide to compost and worm farms - at Eudlo
June 13 & 20 - Introduction to Permaculture - held at Eudlo and includes a section on Transition Towns
June 14 - Eudlo Winter Markets at the Town Hall - starts 8am
June 28 - World Environment Day a the local university - Transition Towns will be there.

Cheers,
Sonya
Transition Town Eudlo Coordinator

Transition Talk...

Things are developing here and nodes are starting to form.

If you are interested in any of the following, please let us know by emailing raintreeorganics[at]yahoo[dot]com[dot]au we are looking for people with an interest in these areas, either a passion or expertise to help get Transition Town Eudlo off and running.

Our next meeting is the first Sunday in June

Food Co-operative - taking part in the running of the new Eudlo Food Co-op
Seed Saving - join the seed saving group
Waste - working on local waste solutions for Eudlo - compost toilets, worm farming, reducing waste etc
Energy - interested in being part of the energy group - help set the agenda for energy resilience in Eudlo
Steam Team - interested in steam engines? So are others, let's get our collective genius together and come up with some solutions.

Cheers,
Sonya
Transition Town Eudlo
Coordinator