In the far south west of New South Wales, in a town called Dareton, there was a small group of people who lived on a vineyard and citrus grove. They called themselves a community and the community was called Santosha. They lived a simple life working on the farm and the family who founded the community played host to the many travellers who came to visit and stay at Santosha. Santosha was an exercise in spirit. It had a religious background but bore no denomination. It openly invited the inward search yet set no guidepost for the searchers. It was humble in its deeds yet ambitious in its quest.Santosha was always destined to instigate something bigger, for its heart bid for a more accessible and embracing expression, so in the Summer of 1976 two of its kind set forth on a journey that would touch and change the lives of many and would open the way for the birth of Homeland.
The two journeymen, Michael and Bruce, carried with them the prayer and hope that they would be guided to a property somewhere on the eastern seaboard of northern New South Wales. They had little idea of what lay ahead and were open to where their journey may end. It was an adventure of brave proportions for they had no money to buy, but they bore an enormous faith, that proclaimed "if the right place is an acre of sand on a lonely peninsular and it cost a million bucks, then that is where we will build the new centre".
Michael and Bruce stopped on their way north and made connection with a Sydney based group who worked out of a bookshop / tea-room called the New Awareness Centre. New Awareness was a meeting place for city folk where workshops and classes were held on many themes. Topics were broadly blanketed under the title "New Age Consciousness" and its bookshop bore the writings of religions, alternative lifestyles, health and well being, and basically anything related to the exploration of the spiritual, mental and physical human being.Terrance Plowright had come to Australia from Findhorn, a famous community in Northern Scotland, to start the New Awareness centre and he, Michael and Bruce had much in common, particularly the vision of a Findhorn Australia. Michael and Bruce only stayed overnight in Sydney, yet a bond had been forged between the two groups, Santosha and New Awareness. The true significance of the bond would only reveal itself when the Santoshians returned from their pilgrimage north.
In the following weeks the two travellers were directed by instinct and circumstance, staying briefly in some places and lingering longer in others, always being moved by the adventure itself. It wasn't until the beginning of the second week, with many miles behind them, that their search found them descending the Dorrigo plateau into the Bellinger Valley. Michael and Bruce both knew that it was here in this valley, 60 km south west of Coffs Harbour, their journey would end, it was here they would find the property they were searching for.Two days on, and Michael and Bruce were heading home, behind them they had left confirmation with a Bellingen Real Estate agent that the Cleaver farm at Thora, a 346 acre dairy property, would be purchased by them. They had no money but held a promise to themselves "if the place was right then the money would be found".
Arriving in Sydney, they found the New Awareness people preparing to attend the first Down to Earth festival, the Santoshians were invited to join them, the invitation was accepted and together they set off for the festival venue, the Cotter Dam, Canberra. Michael and Bruce joined the workshop program, participating in and also conducting their own discussions. Their talks centred on the piece of land they had promised to buy and their aspirations to have a working, spiritually-based community evolve there. The enthusiasm they stirred was encouraging and the bond between New Awareness and Santosha was deepening. The week concluded with best wishes being extended to and from both parties. No agreements or promises were exchanged but Michael, Bruce and Terrance all knew the events of the past fortnight held its own conclusions; the marriage of New Awareness and Santosha was inevitable.
Within two weeks the inevitable had taken its course and an agreement to pool resources had taken control and priority. It was now early January, 1977 and a promise to be secure on the property by April 1st took charge of all their dealings - the group had three months to raise $65,000.00. Money was donated, loaned rescued and secured from every resource possible. People's faith and generosity was tested and expressed, headaches came and went and nail biting became a pastime. As the date drew near it appeared that all would be well, but it wasn't until the very date, April the 1st, that the property was signed, sealed and delivered. The three months ended with the Group holding a three day Seminar in Sydney, "Man, Nature and the New Age". It became a celebration, a giving thanks for all that had been received and sacrificed. It was also a proclamation of things to come. It concluded the labour pains and delivered the birth of a new challenge, a centre with high ideals and an open heart. It echoed the need in many to see a dream come true. So with barely a week of April past, the first pilgrims arrived at Thora, Homeland had become a reality.
