RAMMED-EARTHSHIP WORKSHOP
CYGNET, TASMANIA
On the lands of the Melukerdee people
20-22 October 2023
20-29 October 2023
Computer rendering of Earthship Cygnet
What to get EXCITED about:
- Experienced, qualified, professional, instructors
- Learn about Earthships: how to get council approval, costs, engineering, design etc
- Be part of a community of like-minded eco-souls
- Food, water and campsite provided
- Practical, hands-on exercises, AND theory, info and Q&A sessions
- Bottle brick making
- Bottle wall building
- Cob - perhaps THE most sustainable construction material there is!
- Light-earth wall construction - like hempcrete but more... earthy!
- Earth rendering
- Earthship greywater planter plumbing - theory and practice
- Learn about rammed earth as an option to tyre walls in Earthship construction (note: rammed earth walls are already built)
- Tyre wall theory (but please note - this is a rammed-earth Earthship so there are no tyres involved in construction).
TICKET PRICES
There are four options (each with a "no camping/lunch" option which means only lunch is provided)
Please note: all participants will need a valid, up-to-date White Card (basic safety training for construction sites). This costs approx $110 through your local Registered Training Organisation and takes about 5-6 hours.
There are four options (each with a "no camping/lunch" option which means only lunch is provided)
- Weekend workshop Friday 20 Oct - Sunday 22 Oct - $695 (no camping/lunch option $675)
- Two weekends 20-22 and 27-29 Oct - $995 (no camping/lunch option $945)
- Whole workshop Friday 20 Oct - Sunday 29 Oct - $1295 (no camping/lunch option $1195)
Please note: all participants will need a valid, up-to-date White Card (basic safety training for construction sites). This costs approx $110 through your local Registered Training Organisation and takes about 5-6 hours.
EARTHSHIPS
For more information about Earthships go to:
- Earthships are super energy and water efficient homes that are typically off-grid but can also be grid connected. This means minimal (or zero!) water and electricity bills plus the empowering feeling of self-sufficiency. Due to their energy and water efficiency these buildings require much smaller off-grid systems than comparable off-grid homes. Earthships are ideal for off-grid locations.
- Earthships are made with natural materials such as earth and straw and up-cycled materials such as tyres and bottles. Other conventional materials as used too: steel, timber, glass, concrete etc - you will learn about all of them.
- An array of amazing and beautiful design features (sun-room, berm and earth-tubes) are integrated ingeniously to ensure that winter sun gets in and summer sun stays out, resulting in glorious indoor living conditions without the need for an air-conditioner.
- A beautiful indoor food producing garden is also part of the typical (non-tropical) Earthship design.
- Earthship construction methods are easy to learn so you can save money by putting in your own labour and only pay the builder to do the stuff you can't do. It is ideal for owner-builders.
- It is difficult to imagine a more resilient house design in terms of bushfire resistance, and self-sufficiency. And you can build much of it yourself.
For more information about Earthships go to:
- Earthship Eco Homes official website: www.earthshipecohomes.com.au/
- Earthship Ironbank official website: www.earthshipironbank.com.au/
- Earthship Biotecture USA official website: www.earthshipglobal.com/
Amy's Earthship Goolwa - photo credits Amy Mackenzie and Martin Freney
Photos from Earthship Inman Valley Workshop 2020 (photo credits: Luke Marshall, Elliott Clarke, Amy Mackenzie, Kim Kamo
Workshop photos from Earthship Ironbank over the years 2013-2017
WORKSHOP
This workshop is designed to introduce you to the Earthship concept and give you some hands-on experience so that you can evaluate how an Earthship may be appropriate for you - if you are thinking of doing something similar one day, or just interested in learning more about the movement, this workshop will be a great way to understand what is involved with owner-building a super sustainable home and running an Earthship workshop.
It will also introduce you to like minded souls and be an entry point into the wonderful world of natural building!
The workshop is intended for reasonably fit and healthy people capable of getting physical on a construction site.
The rammed earth walls and roof are already constructed, giving us some shelter to start the next stage - the light-earth walls (straw in a clay slip) cob walls and bottle walls.
Gain hands-on experience with a range of Earthship construction techniques including:
Q&A Sessions
Opportunities to ask all your Earthship questions and contribute to energising discussions related to the movement with like-minded people.
Free Camping
Camping on site is an important part of the experience and is highly recommended. Camping together on site builds relationships faster and stronger which leads to better teamwork, a better building and a better experience all round! However, if camping is not your thing that is ok too. In this case, try to attend for breakfast and dinner, so you don't miss out on the social aspects.
Food
Meals will cater to all dietary requirements (so please indicate your dietary needs on the online registration form). If you need something very specific you can opt out and do your own cooking in the camp kitchen. You will be expected to assist with some washing up from time to time. Drinking water will always be available.
Transport
You will need to provide your own transport, although you may be able to share rides via some organising - a Facebook page will be setup to facilitate this. There will be limited camping space for vans, buses, (but not caravans) etc so please indicate if this is your preferred method of camping on your application form. We will fit in as many as possible!
VENUE(S)
The construction site is near Cygnet in Tasmania. Shops, markets, pubs and restaurants are not far away. It is a large north facing block of land that is approved as a mini eco village.
The camp site is on the same property with basic camp kitchen, portable toilets, shower stalls and hang-out shed space which will double as a classroom for presentations on all things Earthship, natural building, permaculture, community building etc. We will enjoy creating our own mini community in this space, and look forward to it becoming a temporary home for us all!
STUDENTS
We are looking for people interested in Earthships and natural building in general, with the desire and capability for some physical labour. Earthships can be built with machines or with people power. There is no right or wrong way to do it, but one great advantage of people power is that people are powered by a renewable fuel (called food) rather thank stinky, dangerous, non-renewable fossil fuels. And working with people seems to be more fun than working with machines! Are you keen?
This workshop is designed to introduce you to the Earthship concept and give you some hands-on experience so that you can evaluate how an Earthship may be appropriate for you - if you are thinking of doing something similar one day, or just interested in learning more about the movement, this workshop will be a great way to understand what is involved with owner-building a super sustainable home and running an Earthship workshop.
It will also introduce you to like minded souls and be an entry point into the wonderful world of natural building!
The workshop is intended for reasonably fit and healthy people capable of getting physical on a construction site.
The rammed earth walls and roof are already constructed, giving us some shelter to start the next stage - the light-earth walls (straw in a clay slip) cob walls and bottle walls.
Gain hands-on experience with a range of Earthship construction techniques including:
- Learn how to make beautiful bottle bricks from "waste" materials which bring colour and light into your home
- Learn about super sustainable light-earth walls (straw with clay slip) - it's a bit like hempcrete... but better!
- Learn about cob - another super sustainable wall construction material.
- Learn how to evaluate soil type.
- The 6 Earthship design principles
- Council approval
- Structural engineering
- Wastewater system design
- Energy assessment
- Construction timeline
- Costs
Q&A Sessions
Opportunities to ask all your Earthship questions and contribute to energising discussions related to the movement with like-minded people.
Free Camping
Camping on site is an important part of the experience and is highly recommended. Camping together on site builds relationships faster and stronger which leads to better teamwork, a better building and a better experience all round! However, if camping is not your thing that is ok too. In this case, try to attend for breakfast and dinner, so you don't miss out on the social aspects.
Food
Meals will cater to all dietary requirements (so please indicate your dietary needs on the online registration form). If you need something very specific you can opt out and do your own cooking in the camp kitchen. You will be expected to assist with some washing up from time to time. Drinking water will always be available.
Transport
You will need to provide your own transport, although you may be able to share rides via some organising - a Facebook page will be setup to facilitate this. There will be limited camping space for vans, buses, (but not caravans) etc so please indicate if this is your preferred method of camping on your application form. We will fit in as many as possible!
VENUE(S)
The construction site is near Cygnet in Tasmania. Shops, markets, pubs and restaurants are not far away. It is a large north facing block of land that is approved as a mini eco village.
The camp site is on the same property with basic camp kitchen, portable toilets, shower stalls and hang-out shed space which will double as a classroom for presentations on all things Earthship, natural building, permaculture, community building etc. We will enjoy creating our own mini community in this space, and look forward to it becoming a temporary home for us all!
STUDENTS
We are looking for people interested in Earthships and natural building in general, with the desire and capability for some physical labour. Earthships can be built with machines or with people power. There is no right or wrong way to do it, but one great advantage of people power is that people are powered by a renewable fuel (called food) rather thank stinky, dangerous, non-renewable fossil fuels. And working with people seems to be more fun than working with machines! Are you keen?
EDUCATORS
Earl Boyd. Natural building artisan and earthen alchemist; DirtyEarl is a professional natural building contractor and educator currently based in Tasmania, with roots in her homelands of Aotearoa (New Zealand).
Early in her training as a conventional carpenter Earl serendipitously stumbled upon the magic and wonders of traditional & earthen building. The possibilities it could offer the housing crisis along with the many environmental and health benefits sparked her desire to dig further…..and so chasing the revival of these old ways of building she embarked on a journeyman style adventure! Nomadic by nature and with more than 11years experience Earl has been involved with 80+ natural building projects throughout NZ and Australia exploring, creating, playing and teaching various earth timber stone and fibrous techniques.
Working along the natural building spectrum from carpentry to mudbrick, cob, lightearth, hempcrete, watt’n’daub, strawbale to natural finishes in earthen floors, lime and clay plasters and more, her projects range from historic earthen restorations to new home construction and renovations to festival and art projects. As one of Australasia’s leading earth-shippers with builds in VIC, TAS. NSW, S.A. and NZ, Earl’s projects including VIC’s first permitted fire resilient earthship Kinship, Candys Earthship in Narara Eco Village NSW, first NZ permitted earthship Te timatanga (as featured on grand designs) and specialist finish Tadelakt on Earthship Ironbank in S.A.
Living the #muddlife Earl brings her skills, experience, knowledge and enthusiastic passion for all things natural building - from the raw materials and ancient methods to the holistic design intertwining our vast & wild landscapes. From the ways in which we make shelter together as a community, connecting deeply with each other and our surroundings to the beauty, and creativity that is brought to life through our collective hands. Having facilitated over 20 owner builders and instructed on close to 30 educational workshops Earl is driven and motivated to spread the love and share the delights in transformation of local raw materials into earthen architecture, and will be leading the practical elements of the workshop teaching you how to make mud stick, and much more!!
Earl Boyd. Natural building artisan and earthen alchemist; DirtyEarl is a professional natural building contractor and educator currently based in Tasmania, with roots in her homelands of Aotearoa (New Zealand).
Early in her training as a conventional carpenter Earl serendipitously stumbled upon the magic and wonders of traditional & earthen building. The possibilities it could offer the housing crisis along with the many environmental and health benefits sparked her desire to dig further…..and so chasing the revival of these old ways of building she embarked on a journeyman style adventure! Nomadic by nature and with more than 11years experience Earl has been involved with 80+ natural building projects throughout NZ and Australia exploring, creating, playing and teaching various earth timber stone and fibrous techniques.
Working along the natural building spectrum from carpentry to mudbrick, cob, lightearth, hempcrete, watt’n’daub, strawbale to natural finishes in earthen floors, lime and clay plasters and more, her projects range from historic earthen restorations to new home construction and renovations to festival and art projects. As one of Australasia’s leading earth-shippers with builds in VIC, TAS. NSW, S.A. and NZ, Earl’s projects including VIC’s first permitted fire resilient earthship Kinship, Candys Earthship in Narara Eco Village NSW, first NZ permitted earthship Te timatanga (as featured on grand designs) and specialist finish Tadelakt on Earthship Ironbank in S.A.
Living the #muddlife Earl brings her skills, experience, knowledge and enthusiastic passion for all things natural building - from the raw materials and ancient methods to the holistic design intertwining our vast & wild landscapes. From the ways in which we make shelter together as a community, connecting deeply with each other and our surroundings to the beauty, and creativity that is brought to life through our collective hands. Having facilitated over 20 owner builders and instructed on close to 30 educational workshops Earl is driven and motivated to spread the love and share the delights in transformation of local raw materials into earthen architecture, and will be leading the practical elements of the workshop teaching you how to make mud stick, and much more!!
MARTY WILL BE AT THE WORKSHOP FROM 20-24 OCT ONLY.
Martin Freney is one of world's most enthusiastic and prolific Earthship builders, designers and researchers. In fact Michael Reynolds, Earthship god-father, refers to him as "the data guy" because of Marty's research that involves monitoring the thermal performance (temperature, humidity) of Earthships. Marty is the designer and owner-builder of Earthship Ironbank, Australia’s first council approved Earthship which is a wildly popular BnB. When he is not teaching product design and sustainable design at the University of South Australia (part time) he is designing, building and researching Earthships. He has designed numerous Earthships throughout Australia via his sustainable design consultancy Earthship Eco Homes. He has visited Taos, New Mexico, USA - home of the Earthship - twice, once as an intern in 2008 and a second time in 2011 as part of his PhD which investigated the thermal performance of Earthships and their eco footprint compared to other types of housing. He has built Earthships with Earthship Biotecture in the USA, Indonesia and Australia. He recently appeared on the Channel 7 News talking about his research team's latest research on tyre walls - WATCH HERE.
Marty will be leading the theory elements of the workshop, teaching you about the fundamentals of sustainable housing and answering all your Earthship questions. Marty has taught in a university for 20 years and has much to share. His qualifications are:
Martin Freney is one of world's most enthusiastic and prolific Earthship builders, designers and researchers. In fact Michael Reynolds, Earthship god-father, refers to him as "the data guy" because of Marty's research that involves monitoring the thermal performance (temperature, humidity) of Earthships. Marty is the designer and owner-builder of Earthship Ironbank, Australia’s first council approved Earthship which is a wildly popular BnB. When he is not teaching product design and sustainable design at the University of South Australia (part time) he is designing, building and researching Earthships. He has designed numerous Earthships throughout Australia via his sustainable design consultancy Earthship Eco Homes. He has visited Taos, New Mexico, USA - home of the Earthship - twice, once as an intern in 2008 and a second time in 2011 as part of his PhD which investigated the thermal performance of Earthships and their eco footprint compared to other types of housing. He has built Earthships with Earthship Biotecture in the USA, Indonesia and Australia. He recently appeared on the Channel 7 News talking about his research team's latest research on tyre walls - WATCH HERE.
Marty will be leading the theory elements of the workshop, teaching you about the fundamentals of sustainable housing and answering all your Earthship questions. Marty has taught in a university for 20 years and has much to share. His qualifications are:
- Doctor of Philosophy - PhD in Earthship Architecture
- Diploma of Building Design
- Bachelor of Design - Industrial Design
- Certificate 4 - Building and Construction
- Permaculture Design Certificate
HOST & ORGANISER
Matt and Kate are your courageous hosts who are inviting you to come and be a part of their rammed-Earthship project. They have divided a large block of north facing land (using Strata Title law) and are on track to realise their vision of creating a mini-eco-village with a shared community permaculture food forest. Come and learn how they got council approval and how they got to where they are!
DESIGN
The "Rammed-Earthship" is designed to be highly bushfire resilient, energy and water efficient and super sustainable. It is expected to have zero heating and cooling bill due to extreme quantities of thermal mass, insulation and, of course, all the usual Earthship features - sunroom (greenhouse), berm (earth mound) and earthtubes (underground ventilation pipes). Read more about it HERE.
Matt and Kate are your courageous hosts who are inviting you to come and be a part of their rammed-Earthship project. They have divided a large block of north facing land (using Strata Title law) and are on track to realise their vision of creating a mini-eco-village with a shared community permaculture food forest. Come and learn how they got council approval and how they got to where they are!
DESIGN
The "Rammed-Earthship" is designed to be highly bushfire resilient, energy and water efficient and super sustainable. It is expected to have zero heating and cooling bill due to extreme quantities of thermal mass, insulation and, of course, all the usual Earthship features - sunroom (greenhouse), berm (earth mound) and earthtubes (underground ventilation pipes). Read more about it HERE.
WHAT TO BRING
EXAMPLES OF SAFETY GEAR - CLICK HERE
SAFETY GEAR, WORK CLOTHES & TOOLS
CAMPING
Camping facilities include:
OTHER THINGS TO BRING
THE SCHEDULE
Fri 20 Oct
2:00pm - arrive anytime from 2pm to setup campsite
4:30pm - group welcome (drinks and nibbles) and site induction
7:00pm – DINNER
8:00pm - Introductory Earthship Presentation and discussion
Typical Day
7:30am - BREAKFAST
8:00am - Theory session
9:00am - Onsite Meeting and Safety Talk & warm up exercises
9:30am - Construction session
12:30pm - LUNCH
1:30pm - Construction session
4:30 pm - Free time for beach swims, exploration, rest, showers, dance, art, music etc
7:00pm – DINNER
8:00pm – Varied and optional evening activities; campfire, music, games etc
EXAMPLES OF SAFETY GEAR - CLICK HERE
SAFETY GEAR, WORK CLOTHES & TOOLS
- Work boots - preferably steel cap safety boots
- Gloves (ninja gloves AND rubber safety gloves are recommended)
- Work clothes
- Sun screen
- Sun glasses (and/or safety glasses)
- Hat
- Rain jacket
- Water bottle
- Change of clothes/shoes
- Camping gear (see below)
- High-vis vest or shirt.
- NOTE: Any other PPE that you need will be supplied
- tape measure
- sharpie pen
- pencil
- notebook
- tool belt*
- multi tool*
- knife*
CAMPING
Camping facilities include:
- toilets
- outdoor, covered, kitchen with water and electricity for phone charging
- 4G phone services
- shower stalls for hanging solar shower bags in (BYO solar shower bag)
- beach is close for a cleansing plunge
- community space for facilitating Q&A sessions and offering creative workshops
OTHER THINGS TO BRING
- eating stuff: cutlery, plate, bowl, mug
- tent or swag
- ground sheet (tarp to go under swag or tent)
- tent pegs and hammer
- warm sleeping bag
- warm clothes
- beach stuff (bathers, beach towel, Frisbee)
- air mattress
- yoga mat
- pillow
- towel
- toiletries
- torch and/or head torch
- solar phone charger
- mosquito repellent
- solar shower bag
- midnight snacks
- musical instruments
- camping chair
- any other glamping essentials such as coffee tables and LED lights
THE SCHEDULE
Fri 20 Oct
2:00pm - arrive anytime from 2pm to setup campsite
4:30pm - group welcome (drinks and nibbles) and site induction
7:00pm – DINNER
8:00pm - Introductory Earthship Presentation and discussion
Typical Day
7:30am - BREAKFAST
8:00am - Theory session
9:00am - Onsite Meeting and Safety Talk & warm up exercises
9:30am - Construction session
12:30pm - LUNCH
1:30pm - Construction session
4:30 pm - Free time for beach swims, exploration, rest, showers, dance, art, music etc
7:00pm – DINNER
8:00pm – Varied and optional evening activities; campfire, music, games etc
TERMS AND CONDITIONS - PLEASE READ!
- No refund requests. Please be sure you have made all the necessary arrangements to your life before you apply and make payment. Your payment is not refundable, unless the organisers cancel the event.
- The event will be cancelled, and you will receive a full refund, in the event of lack of interest (less than 15 enrolments), bushfire, pandemic shut-down/border closures/quarantine, or other calamity.
- Under no circumstances will your travel expenses be refunded. Do not book any flights etc until the workshop has been confirmed on 18 September 2023.
- Your place in the workshop/masterclass is held on receipt of non-refundable $150 deposit. Your place is finalised on receipt of full payment which is due by 29 September 2023.
- Participants who are unable to comply with instructions regarding the safe and the orderly running of the workshop/masterclass will NOT be allowed to participate any further in the activities (including camping) and will forfeit their payment for the workshop (no refund).
- It is a requirement that you have a valid/current White Card or equivalent e.g. from another State (safety training from a registered RTO) and you will need to provide evidence of this before entering the construction site. This is your responsibility.
- Sexual, racial, religious, or any type of harassment will not be tolerated.
- If you are under 18 years of age, you must have your parent/guardian's permission (ask them to send an email).
- All participants must complete the online application form and agree to these terms and conditions. These terms and conditions are duplicated in the online application form.
REGISTRATION AND TICKETS
STEP 1 - ONLINE APPLICATION FORM
Please fill out the online application form by clicking on the APPLY NOW button. We need your contact details and would like to understand a little bit about who are, what you like to eat, what type of vehicle you are bringing, why you want to attend the workshop etc. You also need to accept the terms and conditions that are listed above.
STEP 1 - ONLINE APPLICATION FORM
Please fill out the online application form by clicking on the APPLY NOW button. We need your contact details and would like to understand a little bit about who are, what you like to eat, what type of vehicle you are bringing, why you want to attend the workshop etc. You also need to accept the terms and conditions that are listed above.
STEP 2 - PURCHASE TICKET
We will respond to all applications via email with more info. If your application is successful, you will receive payment instructions via email. Please pay promptly, so you don't lose your place. Your place is confirmed upon FULL payment.
We will respond to all applications via email with more info. If your application is successful, you will receive payment instructions via email. Please pay promptly, so you don't lose your place. Your place is confirmed upon FULL payment.
STEP 3 - GET READY!
Put the dates in the diary, check your camping gear, make plans, and get ready mentally and physically... you're in for an adventure! And please, help us spread the word about this workshop - tell your friends!
Put the dates in the diary, check your camping gear, make plans, and get ready mentally and physically... you're in for an adventure! And please, help us spread the word about this workshop - tell your friends!