Our Sustainability Values
We’ve designed a creative space where beauty and sustainability meet.
Located in a truly beautiful part of the world, we care deeply about our environmental impact. Take a look at how we’ve created this stunning space without compromising on sustainability or the natural surroundings of the studio.
Recycling and composting.
We include compostable coffee pods and tea bags as part of your hire and encourage you to place these in the compost bin provided - along with any food waste and other compostable items - to be returned to the earth. A recycling bin is also available in the kitchen.
You will find a modern compost toilet in the bathroom (behind the arched wall pictured). It is well ventilated and we provide natural, odour neutralising hemp fibres to place in the toilet after each use. It’s clean, simple and truly sustainable!
We also use compostable bin liners and sanitary bags, recycled paper products from Who Gives A Crap and eco-friendly cleaning methods. For events, we will supply compostable bamboo plates and cutlery.
Water.
Living and working on a rural property that only has access to rainwater makes us acutely aware of how precious this resource is. We collect the water for the studio from the roof into a large tank when it rains. It is carefully filtered so it’s safe for drinking from the kitchen.
The modern compost toilet ensures we’re not using much-need water for flushing. All greywater from the dishwasher and kitchen & bathroom basins is piped straight back onto our gardens creating a full circle of water sustainability.
Design and Energy.
The entire shed has been insulated - in some cases double-insulated - to maintain optimum temperature throughout the building. We chose to create the studio on the southern side so it’s comfortable year-round for our clients. In the height of Summer, speed-controlled Airius fans (pictured) in the studio reduce the air temperature by up to 6 degrees.
While painted plasterboard proved to be the most practical and cost-effective solution for walls and ceilings, we chose to line the ceilings in some areas - including the bathroom - with natural reed which provides wonderful acoustic and aesthetic properties. We also chose natural micro-cement and a recycled timber shelf for the bathroom.
You will find a selection of handcrafted, natural fibre rugs and decorative items throughout the space which are from our Fair Trade business The Dharma Door.
The natural environment.
Our property was once a part of the Big Scrub rainforest which was a large continuous expanse of lowland subtropical rainforest in the northern rivers region prior to farming and development. We have a small patch of remnant rainforest that we are currently regenerating. Remnant areas are rich in diversity, supporting many species of flora and fauna and we are aiming to provide a healthy habitat for these species to flourish.
Other parts of the property are mix of old growth trees, newer landscaped areas of sub-tropical and native plants, majestic tall bamboo, citrus and food trees. We’ve included meandering pathways through the gardens which you are welcome to use as a backdrop for your shoot.
Throughout the year we see a diverse range of animals pass through the property including an array of beautiful birdlife from owls to black cockatoos, resident echidnas and bandicoots, local wallabies, possums, the occasional koala, large monitor lizards and a variety of snakes. For this reason, we encourage carpooling whenever possible to reduce the amount of traffic and noise on our quiet country road.
