project team

Jagera EcoCommunity is designed by an experienced planning team, led by Peter Cuming, managing director of Sustainable Futures Australia. Peter has been involved in the Permaculture movement in Australia since its early days in the 1980’s, including teaching eco-settlement design. Well known Permaculture figures, Robyn Francis, Geoff Lawton & Robin Clayfield attest to his outstanding landscape, eco-settlement and collaborative design skills. He has taught and mentored influential designers and developers such as Mike Hulme (Witchcliffe Eco-village, WA).

Peter has contributed significantly to eco-village and eco-hamlet design in Western Australia and Northern NSW, including the projects Yallingup Hills (WA), Balingup Community Precinct Plan (WA), Caniaba Village (Lismore City Council), Canyon Ranch (Bali), Round Mountain (Clarence Valley), and Fig Tree Lane (Kempsey, an early community title in NSW).

Peter also developed the national award winning North Coast Rural Settlement Guidelines with Robyn Francis in 1996 which supported cluster planning including eco-villages and hamlets within local & regional plans for towns, villages and rural areas.  These guidelines have been used widely across NSW and shaped Western Australian Rural Settlement Strategy.

Sustainable Futures Australia, founded by Peter Cuming in 1987, has a proven track record in designing and managing a diverse range of innovative projects in environmental planning, design and education. These include urban and regional planning, sustainable city strategies, river, coastal, ecotourism management and conservation plans, sustainability frameworks and training for government. Their website provides details of a wide range of clients, projects & awards.  

consultant team

  • Peter Cuming - project management; environmental planning, concept & landscape design; draft neighbourhood management statement; Development Application & Statement of Environmental Effects reports

  • Fig Forest - flora ecologist

  • Russell Jago - fauna ecologist

  • Peter Thorton - bushfire planning

  • Chris Abbot - land surveys

  • James Foster - environmental engineer, soil contamination studies, integrated water management systems

  • John Webber - landscape architect, concept and landscape plans

  • Digby Hall - ecoarchitect, sustainable building guidelines

  • Dr Elizabeth (Eshana) Bragg - ecopsychologist, neighbourhood community consultation, communications / liaison with community members & supporters, website development

  • Charlie Hewitt - civil engineer, detailed engineering plans

  • Greg Saenger - civil engineer, geotechnical land capability studies

  • Rita Gyorffy - project officer & environmental engineer, alternative energy report

  • Michelle Erwin - road safety audit

  • Geoff Bragg - solar energy system design

  • Wayne Brennan - archaeologist & cross-cultural consultant, Aboriginal cultural due diligence & consultation with Yaegl Traditional Owners

  • Deidre Randall & Shondell Laurie - Yaegl cultural assessment

  • Greg Lucas - barrister, property and commercial law

  • Wroth Wall - solicitor, intentional community law, draft neighbourhood management statement

  • Karen Cooper - conveyancing

  • Brett Connable - sustainable real estate advice

  • Jeff Thomas - weed management & biodiversity enhancement plan

  • John Allen - project construction cost estimator & manager