Co-housing project growing at Makahuri
Community of 14 people has plans to expand to 14 dwellings
Six years ago, I visited a former Catholic girls’ school, in Te Horo, called Marycrest, which Drew MacKenzie and Anthony Ryan had bought. The long-abandoned dilapidated site comprised seven large buildings, which needed a lot of work done to them, as well as a lot of ecologically and historically important land.
The couple wasn’t sure what to do with the property apart from changing it back to its original name Makahuri.
Despite the work needed, there was something special about the 14.6 hectare property, which had them excited.
So what has happened since then? Quite a lot actually.
Drew invited me to Makahuri last week, chiefly to help publicise an impending garage sale, but also to talk about what has been happening since my last visit.
The main thing is it has become a co-housing environment which comprises a number of people living in harmony.
It all started when people started arriving and looking for housing options.
The first people to live at Makahuri, apart from Drew and Anthony, were John and Yvonne Norfolk.
The Norfolks were keen to help do up the buildings and would soon live permanently on-site in part of a former residential block.
Co-housing was something I had never heard of, but the more I read, the more it fitted with what we were doing.
“It’s really nice to be part of a community,” Yvonne said.
More and more people came, looking for housing but something a bit different, so Drew and Anthony looked at various options and settled on co-housing.
“Co-housing was something I had never heard of, but the more I read, the more it fitted with what we were doing,” Drew said.
“It started in Denmark, in the 1960s, and it’s quite a popular thing around the world now, where, like a body corp, everyone owns their own place, but you have a sort of kaupapa or agreement, with how you are going to live, and with a bit more support than your average body corp. What we liken it to is being in a village.”
Residents, in various parts of the buildings, live by a simple vision
Drew MacKenzie
statement: ‘It is a sustainable, safe, creative and harmonious co-housing community. It is a place of beauty where the mauri, forest, land, people and animals are honoured and respected by all.’
They look out for each other, look after the land, make decisions based on consensus, and more.
“Because we’re all reasonably likeminded, most things are fairly easy, and the whole notion of consensus decision making is you leave yourself at the door, and come in with what’s best for the community.”
And often someone’s idea gets better because of other people’s input.
Currently there are six households comprising 14 people living on site across all age brackets, with Layla Painter, 6, the youngest.
Work is under way converting another former residential block into four apartments.
“Ultimately what we want to end up with is 14 individual dwellings,” Drew said.
The environment hasn’t been for
some people, who have left, which the village has learnt from.
Aside from chatting face to face, residents use a Facebook messenger group for wider communication, with sub-groups formed, so phones aren’t pinging a lot.
There are communal gardens, regular working bees, to various groups such as reading, yoga, Te Reo, gardening, games and so on.
Some people have roles, such as being in charge of recycling or the vegetable garden, but mostly people get stuck in whenever a need arises.
One of the highlights is the Friday morning tea at the Norfolks where coffee and muffins are enjoyed.
A former chapel has been converted into a large communal space which is ideal for gatherings.
A resource consent, which will be in stages, is ready to formalise the cohousing concept.
Local iwi as well as neighbours will be asked for their input first before it is taken to council for approval.
In the meantime, everyone is getting ready for the garage sale because there’s quite a bit of stuff to sell.
The garage sale is also a chance to raise funds for a ride-on lawnmower and an excellent way to engage with the community.
The Makahuri garage sale is on Saturday November 5, starting at 8am, with tours of the property (with a maximum of 10 people) at 10am, 11.30am and 1pm. Koha appreciated.
The address is 701 State Highway 1, within the 50km/h zone between Peka Peka and Te Horo. There will be a flag on the letterbox.