About Us
Mt Oak was established at the 2nd ConFest in 1977 as a new type of collective community challenging the very notion of land ownership, and as a proving ground for pioneering dry-land self-sufficiency techniques such as permaculture, alternative energy and the Keyline system. The 10 year anniversary ConFest was also held at Mt Oak.
There are details of the history of the community since the 1977 Confest on the History page.
The title is now held in trust by the Free Land Association Inc. and the land is managed for biodiversity outcomes by the Mt Oak Community Association Inc.
The Free Land Association has Ngarigo elder representation and Mt Oak recognises traditional rights to the land.
After more than 40 years, though the MOCA members (old and new) may live elsewhere, the original ecological, ownership and consensus principles still apply to the land, while the restoration and stewardship of the rare and threatened ecosystems and species has become a major focus for today's community association and friends.
There are details of the history of the community since the 1977 Confest on the History page.
The title is now held in trust by the Free Land Association Inc. and the land is managed for biodiversity outcomes by the Mt Oak Community Association Inc.
The Free Land Association has Ngarigo elder representation and Mt Oak recognises traditional rights to the land.
After more than 40 years, though the MOCA members (old and new) may live elsewhere, the original ecological, ownership and consensus principles still apply to the land, while the restoration and stewardship of the rare and threatened ecosystems and species has become a major focus for today's community association and friends.
Mt Oak operates on a basis of consensus and that co-operation has resulted in various community agreements. Long-standing ecological agreements are written into the MOCA constitution and inform all human activity on the land. Mt Oak keeps to the original principle that anybody may live on the land providing they respect the collective, ecological, and constitutional agreements.
Mt. Oak Community Ecological Agreements
People occupying free land must respect the needs of that land, particularly its needs for sustenance, vitality and protection, and must act to ensure:
- That the stability and vitality of the soil be maintained and improved
- That the water, the waters and their catchments remain pure; and its use be wisely.
- That the air shall not be polluted; and that measures be taken to buffer, channel and utilise its forces.
- That fire shall be kept under control until extinguished; and that adequate measures be taken to prevent its accidental outbreak.
- That the biomass shall not, by human or other agency, suffer destruction or depletion.
- That the indigenous species and their lifecycles not be under threat and that foreign species be kept under control.
- That no activities of the occupiers cause consequences to the detriment of any aspect of the biosphere.
- That nobody shall hinder or impede the occupiers in their duty to ensure the rehabilitation and protection of the environment.
- That profit from the use of the land be used to improve the land according to its needs.
- That the power acquired due to any relations with the land shall only be used in the interests of the land.
2010 Voluntary Conservation Agreement
The Free Land Association and the Mt Oak Community Association and the NSW Minister for Climate Change and the Environment, in December 2010, signed a perpetual Voluntary Conservation Agreement covering 895 hectares (82%) of the land. This covenant was 6 years in the negotiation process and further protects the natural values of the land. This process formalised the long-standing and far-sighted community ecological agreements formulated over 40 years ago.
