Mt Oak was established at the second Down to Earth ConFest in December 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.
Views of Confest '77  (from old slides)
Building the first Community House, after the '77 Confest. This A-frame structure burnt down in 1983.
The front and back of the Community House, and the gardens, in 1982. From photos by Sa Swing.
Picture
Poster for the second Confest held on Mt. Oak over New Year of 1988

The dispute over tenure of the land.

 The slideshow below shows the Green Alliance network newsletter devoted to the dispute between MT Oak residents and Jim Cairns, and Research for Survival, in 1988.  (Before the internet we communicated through paper newsletters sent through the mail, which were literally cut and paste, then photocopied! The scan of an original hardcopy, below, shows that.)


The 1986 ABC Four Corners program describing the dispute can be viewed on this link - https://.vimeo.com/189569094. The show has some great views of the Confest and the community at that time.
The orchards planted in the 1980's still flower and fruit in good seasons.
Some of the buildings that have been constructed at Mt. Oak over time. Most of these are derelict now.