Fat, sweet bananas are currently plentiful in the food forest behind Georgie’s home, so the bent yellow fruit dominates the family’s menu this week: sliced, squashed, on cereal, in cakes and with yogurt.
This is the way of those who live deliberately and close to the earth – eat seasonally from a carefully tended garden and delight in the cornucopia of fruit and vegetables it produces.
Georgie, 26, and her husband Jeremy, 28, have lived off the grid in the Sunshine Coast hinterland for four years in a home they crafted themselves. Their modified shipping container dwelling is flush with harvested rainwater and powered by the sun. It is simple, practical and offers them all the shelter and safety they need as they raise their two little children.
About two per cent of Australian homes are off-grid, meaning they are not connected to or served by public utilities such as electricity, gas or water.
“It is a life we both choose and it is a life we both want,” Georgie says. “We are a young family and we own our own home. How many people our age can say that? We create our own reality and are making our own way. It is the achievement of a dream for us and we are openly, actively happy about it.”
While both Georgie and Jeremy were interested in sustainability, it was the COVID-19 pandemic that set their transition to off-grid living fully in motion. The boom in Sunshine Coast real estate delivered their landlord an offer too good to refuse, meaning they would have to leave their rented granny flat. At the same time, the federal government allowed a drawdown on personal superannuation, giving them the lump sum needed to convert a shipping container into a home.
The couple already had a six-month-old baby and Jeremy worked around the clock to complete the build, searching out every resource he could and finding a wealth of knowledge. A land owner with a community conscience found via a social media page offered them the perfect place to site their dream home.
Jeremy says he was always one to ‘give it a go’, but the extent of his experience of working with his hands until that point was to craft an outdoor table for a school assessment.
“But when you consider people have been building things for thousands of years – and that we have thinking minds hungry to work things out – if you are willing to learn, it doesn’t take long to be able to put things together,” he says. “One thing I have learnt is that once you start committing to this and you put it out there, you attract others with skills, knowledge and similar motivations.”
The family lives on more than 20 hectares, sharing it with five other similarly-minded families who live in off-grid tiny homes. The property owner had opened their land to others four years ago, asking in exchange that residents share in the care of the community gardens and land upkeep. They might be neighbours, but Georgie says the community is also their chosen family and they are there for each other in the ways tightest kin are.
They have regular community meetings and talk to each other in the way neighbours used to. Exchanges of goods and talent include Georgie running art classes and neighbours watching her children, aged two and four. “It really works very well,” Georgie says. “All of the families here are all about trying to keep our footprint super small and living a life that is peaceful and purposeful.”
Some of the daily tasks off-grid life requires include dealing with waste disposal and composting toilets, energy storage and food preparation. Jeremy previously worked as a lifeguard, but his work now involves helping others transition off the grid.
“It is about finding a quality of life, whatever that looks like for you,” Jeremy says. “For me, that means meaningful time with my wife and children, cooking over a fire and observing the natural world.”
Both Jeremy and Georgie say owning their own home offered a deep sense of security, a sense of calm and peace.
“It took me a long time to adjust and feel the calm that comes with being free of financial hardship,” Jeremy says. “We are so used to feeling stress and worry, and it was definitely a shift with the dawning that I don’t need to carry that anymore, that it is going to be okay.”
In the heart of beautiful Conondale, nestled away from the hustle and bustle of modern life, Denis Martin has spent the past four decades living off the grid. For most, the idea of being without the conveniences of mainstream electricity, running water and continuous connection might seem daunting. But for Denis, it’s not only a lifestyle; it’s a choice he wouldn’t trade for anything.
“I’ve been on solar power for 40-odd years – before it was trendy. But then I’ve always been a bit of a hippy,” Denis says with a grin. “I wouldn’t go back to being on the grid.”
For Denis, living off-grid is not about isolation, it’s about independence. It’s a life that allows him to avoid power bills, sidestep power cuts during storms and live sustainably by managing his energy use, farming and even his own water supply.
Of course, living this way is often perceived as a challenging existence, but for Denis, it’s all about careful planning and being in tune with nature. His solar power system, which includes batteries to store energy for cloudy days, is the backbone of his self-sufficient lifestyle.
“We run a full fridge here in the house, a fridge over there in the shed, a chest freezer, washing machine – everything works as usual,” he explains. “The only thing we can’t use are things that draw a big, instant load, like electric kettles or air fryers.”
Although Denis admits that technical details aren’t his strong suit, he’s clear about the process: by mid-morning, his batteries are fully charged and excess energy is dumped instead of being stored for later use.
“It just works,” he says. “We don’t get power cuts. When there’s a thunderstorm and everyone around us is without power, I can still turn on all my outside lights.”
A large part of Denis’ self-sufficiency comes from his commitment to organic farming. His vegetable garden thrives in the cooler months and features everything from sweet corn to a variety of fruits and vegetables. “I’ve always been a gardener. I grow heaps more than I can use, and I give it away,” Denis says.
Beyond vegetables, Denis also manages a herd of more than 70 cattle, along with some sheep that he breeds for meat. “I do holistic farm management,” he says, explaining how he rotates his cattle between 36 paddocks to avoid overgrazing.
Denis’ life is a testament to the benefits of living simply and sustainably. He isn’t just maintaining a lifestyle; he’s actively engaged in managing the environment around him.
“People don’t consider conserving electricity,” he says. “But here, I have to. It’s just part of life. It teaches you how to be mindful of everything, from how much power you’re using to how you manage your water and food.”
Denis’ attachment to his off-grid existence is rooted in a history that’s both personal and practical. He purchased the land that would become his home decades ago, and while he initially faced the daunting challenge of setting up a solar power system, the decision was one of necessity.
“To bring power from the nearest grid connection would have cost $22,000. But I set up solar instead for about $12,000 through a government scheme,” he says.
Since then, his system has evolved. He’s replaced the batteries and is now using gel batteries, which require minimal maintenance.
At 70 years old, Denis doesn’t show any signs of slowing down. His life on the property is full of hands-on work and a sense of satisfaction that comes from being in control of his environment.
“It’s not like mowing a little square of lawn, there’s a lot more to it. But even at my age, I still find the work quite easy,” he says.
Denis’ lifestyle has not only shaped his own way of life but also the lives of his three children, who grew up on the property and thrived in an environment that taught them self-sufficiency and resilience.
“They learned to appreciate the land and the hard work that comes with it,” he says proudly. “We lived in a shed for a few years while I built the house. It wasn’t always easy, but it made them stronger.”
“They all turned out well – successful in their careers and life. I really think growing up here, with all the responsibilities and hard work, gave them a foundation for handling the challenges of adult life.”
While they have gone on to have their own successful careers, his children still cherish the time spent on the land.
“They love coming back here,” Denis says with a smile. “They appreciate it now more than ever. It’s something they can’t get anywhere else.”
Living off the grid isn’t just about power systems and farming. It’s about a way of life that allows Denis to connect with nature and live a life that’s free from the constraints of modern society.
“I couldn’t go back to living in suburbia,” he says, shaking his head. “I love the space, the freedom. I can’t imagine being surrounded by people all the time. It’s just too much.”
Freedom, sustainability and a sense of connection to the land – for Denis, these are the greatest benefits of all.