What is Commonplace Vasse?
Commonplace books (or commonplaces) are a way to compile knowledge, usually by writing information into books. They have been kept since antiquity. Commonplace: locus communis in latin, means "a general or common topic", such as a statement of proverbial wisdom. Commonplace Vasse takes on this essence in the form of place and community. It is a home away from home, a living room and library transported in time, a garden of beauty and fruitfulness, a community of fellowship. It is the elevation of your soul and spirit to that of which is good and beautiful.
Commonplace Vasse is a closed door member-based initiative set on the Southstoke private farm estate in one of the most beautiful places in the world. Five minutes from calm, pristine turquoise beaches and Busselton city centre, yet secluded on 40 acres completely away from the world.
A place to be immersed.
"The Commons", as a general term, are the cultural and natural resources accessible to all members of a society, including natural materials such as air, water, and a habitable Earth. These resources are held in common even when owned privately or publicly. Commons can also be understood as natural resources that groups of people (communities, user groups) manage for individual and collective benefit. Characteristically, this involves a variety of informal norms and values (social practice) employed for a governance mechanism. Commons can also be defined as a social practice of governing a resource not by state or market but by a community of users that self-governs the resource through institutions that it creates.
At Commonplace Vasse, we have a number of "Commons" available for our community to become members of.
The Community Commons are self-managed, self-funded and self-coordinated by the members.
The Commonplace Vasse is where they all converge together.
It won't take you long walking around The Common Grounds to notice all our spaces are named after the Literary Greats and classics -- our Kindy Space is in called the 100 Acre Woods, our Junior Primary Space is in the Swallows and Amazons Garden, our Conservatory Gardens are called after Gulliver's Travels, with old boots hiding in garden beds, reminiscent of past stories lived, travelled and told. Every space has a story. Our lives, our history our culture has a story. Our library is filled with Shakespeare and Plato (and plenty of. other things!). You'll see pockets of reverence pointing to the beauty that shaped the world, the hearts and imaginations of our western culture as we know it today. We delight in our classical history: the beauty and goodness that was created over the Millenia of the modern age, striving to capture God's perfection. There is much to be said about wisdom sought in old books and tea, an unplugged way of life, and deep appreciation for the foundations of culture, upon which we exist.
The Commonplace Vasse is 'not another retreat space' or venue in the South West. Like all things of beauty and goodness through the ages, it too has a story.
Southstoke Farmshop
AVAILABLE TO OUR MEMBERS RIGHT NOW:
Organic Chicken Meat + Fresh Eggs
from chickens that are exceptional free range, regenerative + organic wild-foraged on the land.
Award winning Olive Oil
Wild-crafted, organic Olive Oil (only 1 point away from the Gold Medal!) + table olives coming soon.
Fresh Fruit
pears, pomegranites + quinces
*quinces will be made into jellies and jams, soon to be available too
Cows Milk
fresh raw dairy from a loving cow that gets to stay with her bobby cow and live a happy, healthy stress-free life - coming soon *offered as bath-milk only.
Traditional Italian Sausage
happy, healthy pigs, processed traditionally into the tastiest chorizo-style sausages coming this winter.
Work + Stay
opportunities for international worldschooling families to stay, learn + contribute to Australian culture, community and experiences
opportunities for devotional practice through art, to gift offerings to the community in exchange
short-stay opportunities to learn + contribute on the land with your hands - traditional knowledge + farming wisdom
Check out our HipCamp website to check current camping availability. Members can book directly via Commonplace Connect (our members portal) to receive discounted rates.
please email us if you are interested in stay + work opportunities.
stay@commonplacevasse.com.
SPACES + SUBLEASES
We are currently open to the possibility of sub-leasing spaces at Commonplace for private use. We have many containers / sheds, etc, that could be converted into a perfect pottery studio, office, massage rooms and more. The land is rich in resources and we are open to partnering with the right people to do good and create beauty with them.
From time to time, we are also open to letting the land for larger events -- such as multi-day camps, weddings or other private events of scale, up to a few times a year.
Please contact us if this is something you'd like to explore.
connect: hello@commonplacevasse.com