If you’re interested in joining Goolawah Co-operative you can apply for membership and if approved, buy a share, if one is available. Members have a right to occupy home improvement sites or lots of approx 5,000 sq.m (1.25 acres), which are grouped together in several ‘hamlets’.

The Co-operative owns all the land on behalf of its members, who do not hold any freehold title for their lots. Your share’s entitlement to a designated lot includes any exisiting improvements (dwellings, dams, gardens, sheds).

• Carefully consider our website information, including membership and costs. Your membership must be approved by the community before you can acquire a share.
• Visit the Co-op, talk to members. After initial contact with our Secretary, visit arrangements can be made, including attendance at community meetings and social events.
• Read ‘Creating a Life Together’ by Diana Leafe Christian.
• Read the rules, by-laws and code of conduct (under Rules), setting out member rights and responsibilities. It is a condition of membership that members agree to abide by them. 

 If you decide to apply, the application process will help you learn more about us and for us to get to know you. Visits to the Co-op and meeting members are also required steps in the process.

Initially you should contact the Secretary (secretary.goolawah@gmail.com), and a Membership Guide will be allocated to answer your questions and help with the membership process if you proceed. Please take into consideration that the membership process can take up to 6 months. 

Initial Share Acquisition

On completion of the membership application process, your application is voted on by the community. If approved, and a member is willing to sell you a share, then you pay a joining fee and share capital directly to the Co-op.

• The purchase of a share, which entitles you to occupy a residential site, is negotiated directly with the member selling and paid directly to them. Recent sales for sites with dwellings have been in the range $200,000 to $250,000. Currently there are no blank sites without dwellings for sale.
• Share capital of $7,000 is paid by the buyer directly to the Co-op and is recorded on the share transfer form and share certificate.
• The joining fee is the sum total of all annual levies per share since the Co-op’s inception in 2000, and in the last quarter of financial year 2021/22 is $9,596. The Treasurer will inform you of the exact joining fee at the time of your application.
• Share transfer – once eligibility for membership is approved and payments made, the community formally ratifies your share transfer. The Co-op’s official share register is then updated and a new share certificate issued to you.

Ongoing Costs of Membership 

To maintain active membership annual levies/charges decided by the Co-op must be paid, and are subject to change:

Membership Levy:  $800 in 2023/2024 financial year for single or joint members.

Annual Work Levy: volunteer 18 hrs of your time to the community or pay $180 levy per share.

Infrastructure Levy:  $1450 in 2023/2024 per share (for upcoming roadworks).

Other Levies/Charges: if the community incurs costs on your behalf (e.g. fire hazard reduction work on your site) these costs will be charged to you.

Building Costs

If you purchase a share with a blank site to build on, you should budget for these costs:

• Dwelling structures must meet Australian Standards and receive Council approval. Contract building costs are similar to suburban constructions.

• When a Development Application for construction is approved by Kempsey Shire Council, it levies a one-off Section 94 Contribution (for public amenities like local roads and recreation areas) on top of DA fees. S94 fees are determined by the number of bedrooms (approx $3,700 for one bedroom in 2021) and are CPI-linked.

• The Co-operative is off-the-grid. Water collection and onsite sewage management systems (including compost toilet) must meet approved standards ($3,000+), and a stand-alone solar power system (typical costs $10-20,000, depending on your energy needs) is necessary.