Experiential Education Programme January Permaculture Design Certificate Course Crystal Waters Permaculture Village, Australia .

Crystal Waters has been operating as a training centre for about 9 years. Our facilities are steadily improving and there is talk of a second bunkhouse being constructed for low cost accommodation. There is a need to upgrade the teaching space and an exciting plan is being developed to achieve this. A rammed earth facility with sweeping views over the Upper Mary Valley is on the drawing board. People see our climate and the environmental factors of our beautiful setting as our strengths.

Many note the value of being able to use and observe appropriate technology on their doorstep as a big advantage. We locals view Crystal Waters as a place where the spirituality of the land and previous cultures is very strong and this spirit can be life changing.

All who come to Crystal Waters have a great time. Not only do you escape from the cold northern winter, but you get to experience another English speaking culture with a similar colonial past. In addition, the region surrounding Crystal Waters contains an amazing array of places to see, things to do and tropical foods to tempt you.

Not forgetting the primary reason for visiting our part of the world - to undertake an interesting, absorbing and practical course on permaculture. The course offers many many things.

Quotes from recent PLU students support this. We think you'll agree that the student comments speak for themselves...

Students comments from January 2000 Course:

Thank you for providing me with the opportunity to explore Crystal Waters - the community, the values, the wildlife and myself….This is an experience of a lifetime, one I could never forget. I am sad to leave but glad to have so much to take with me. I will spread all I learned and be sure to let you know how it has gone.

Thank you so much for helping to make my stay here such a wonderful, enlightening experience. I was able to explore and experience both personally and academically.

I didn’t know I could learn so much and have so much fun in such a short time.

Everyone was awesome and so willing to share what they know with us.

I loved the full moon walk. It was the best experience for me mentally and emotionally. I will never forget it.

This trip was way different to my lifestyle at home and PLU. But I learned a lot and I want to share it with everyone. I also grew as a person.

Great arrangement, variety. I really enjoyed it.

The program was organized so awesome.

This program met my expectations in every way, way beyond my expectation. This program enabled me to learn a lot about Permaculture, what it is and how to do it, learn a lot about myself, to learn about group work, and learn more about people.

This experience has taught me so much about life, self confidence. It is so worthwhile.

My expectations were way over than met. I was challenged by being surrounded by students with different - way different - ideals, but I learned so much from everyone. Intellectually I gained sooo much and loved every minute of it.

I learned so much about gardening, mulch, how the soil works, and so much more that I want to implement in my future life. I can’t say enough how this course has totally affected me and changed me. I love it - the info I learned - sooo much.

Max all round is amusing and wonderful. The people were charming and working with them was a joy.

There is a lot more academic content to this course than Ecology - like community studies, communication/group work. I learned so much I can’t even begin to pinpoint subjects.

Max is one of the greatest individuals I have met - I wish I would have been able to work with him more. He has so much wisdom.

This program went beyond my expectations. I have been able to confirm my eco beliefs and made them stronger. This course has my mind stimulated - given me so much energy and has created motivation for me to take and spread the knowledge to my home.

It has given me more academic basis for environmental issues which I hope will place me in a career that I am excited about.

I liked the smiles on everyone’s faces when we arrived. I liked the moonlight walk and just hanging out with the guys.

This was more than I ever expected and I learned more about the environment and a lot about myself.

It definitely met my expectations and plus I benefited more than I expected to. I learned more about myself.

The program and the people exceeded my expectations. I benefited not only by learning about Permaculture and living in balance with the environment but from the social and cultural aspect of living in another country.

I am now able to include this experience with permaculture onto my resume for environmental studies which is a great asset to me.

The strengths of this program are the people and the experience those who teach have. These people don’t just tell you how to do something but show you because they do it every day.

This program exceeded my expectations by leaps and bounds. I gained awareness of how much our daily lifestyles affect the environment. I met people I want to stay in touch with for the rest of my life.

It made me more aware of my strengths, some of which I was hardly aware of before. It also expanded my range of interests by exposing me to situations which were new and challenging.

There are no weaknesses. This program is absolutely amazing.

Students comments from Previous Courses:

I feel I have new knowledge and abilities that I can use for the rest of my life.

When we first arrived everyone was afraid of all the bugs, spiders and snakes. Now people just casually remove these friends and send them on their way.

This experience has changed my life.

I have grown personally in that now I kind of know better what I want to do with my life!

The experience has strengthened me as a person.

I learned about myself, groups in general, and how to work with them.

I became more aware of myself and of differences between people.

This experience has challenged me to grow both personally and intellectually.

I realised that I am here to change my own lifestyle.

The people and lifestyle at Crystal Waters gave me insight into the way we live in America and realise the way we should and can change.

I’ve grown emotionally, mentally and spiritually.

From all accounts participants seem to agree that a permaculture/eco-village course gives them the best exposure to problems and solutions they have ever experienced. The long term effect on people’s lives seems to be well above what one would expect from a two week course. Courses seem to have the additional value of raising the appreciation of the participants own culture and their ‘own ways’, and thus lifting self esteem and self worth.

Co-ordinated by the Global Ecovillage Network Oceania & Asia Inc. (GENOA) Crystal Waters, MS 16, Maleny, Queensland, Australia 4552 E-mail GENOA