Lose yourself and find yourself at Auraville
A maze in its simplest form is a place where you can lose yourself and find yourself again. In a wider sense, while a large and beautiful hedge maze may be the centrepiece of Auraville, Norfolk Island’s humble garden sanctuary, but the maze itself is not the only place that offers visitors the opportunity to lose and find themselves.
Auraville is located in the picturesque old Melanesian Mission area near Anson Bay. It is not simply a beautiful Norfolk Island property, but a labour of love, sustainability, and inspiration. Owned by Grant Summerscales and his partner Natasha, this seven-acre property is part of a larger family block steeped in agricultural history. With a vision rooted in self-sufficiency and community, Auraville has evolved over the past two decades into a sanctuary where visitors can reconnect with nature, appreciate the beauty of the land, and witness the simple yet profound joys of growing your own food.
A vision born from tradition
Grant was born into a Norfolk Island farming family and grew up witnessing the self-sufficient lifestyle of the island’s elders, many of whom maintained gardens and orchards. Inspired by the contentment they found in their labour, Grant developed a vision to create a self-sustaining space where he could demonstrate the island’s traditional agricultural practices while promoting food security and sustainability. He began his journey toward this dream in 2002, steadily transforming the property into a thriving farm and garden.
Over the years, Grant’s passion for traditional farming practices has only deepened, despite the challenges posed by Norfolk Island’s unpredictable climate. He learned from minor setbacks and mistakes, such as planting in the wrong areas, but his resolve to lead by example never wavered. The foundation of Auraville lies in the Norfolk ethos of sharing abundance and preserving the island’s agricultural roots.
Natasha, too, shares a deep connection with the island’s history. As a direct descendant of the mutineers of the Bounty, she has fond memories of growing up surrounded by gardens and orchards tended by her family. Her grandparents and great-aunt exemplified the island tradition of growing what you could, when you could—a “seasonal way of being” that Grant and Natasha are committed to preserving.
Creating Auraville’s maze
One of the unique and exciting features of Auraville has been its hedge maze – the only one on Norfolk Island. It is a testament to Grant’s creativity and desire to offer something special for both locals and visitors. Planting for the maze began around 2005, after several dry summers delayed its development. Grant used ‘Pohutukawa’, also known as New Zealand ‘Christmas bush’, as the hedge material, and it took six to seven years for the maze to grow and fully take shape.
Today, Auraville boasts two mazes: one for adults, and one for children. The larger maze covers around 1,300 square meters and requires approximately 20 hours to trim, a process that happens four times a year. The children’s maze, though smaller, requires twice as much trimming due to its tighter layout and more frequent maintenance needs. These mazes, alongside the extensive gardens and orchards, are part of the continuous upkeep that Grant and Natasha lovingly tend to, ensuring that Auraville remains both productive and inviting.
A sanctuary for visitors
Auraville isn’t just a farm or a garden however; it’s a sanctuary. Grant and Natasha have carefully cultivated the property to be a space where visitors can relax, unwind, and find time to take a breath or two. The gardens, orchards, and mazes provide an immersive environment where adults can reflect and children can explore. Auraville also serves as a reminder of the importance of food security, with around 130–140 varieties of fruits and edible plants growing on the property. Grant’s belief is simple, “the more you can grow, the more you can eat, preserve, sell, or share.”
The property’s lush gardens offer visitors a chance to reconnect with the earth. Grant and Natasha aim to make Auraville a magical place, continuously updating and expanding the selection of plants and creative features. From fruit trees to unique garden spaces, Auraville is a work in progress, always evolving, always enchanting.
Visiting Auraville
Since opening to the public in 2009, Auraville has become a popular destination for both locals and tourists, offering a glimpse into Norfolk Island’s agricultural heritage and the beauty of self-sustained living. The property is open daily during daylight hours, with entry based on an honesty system. Visitors are asked to donate $5 per adult and $2 per child. All donations go directly into maintaining the property and continuing its development.
For Grant and Natasha, Auraville represents not only a dream realised, but a way forward for the community and its visitors. By demonstrating how to live off the land, they hope to inspire others to take small steps toward sustainability, food security, and a healthier way of life.In this serene and carefully cultivated space, visitors can indeed simply lose themselves in the maze, or in the wider beauty of nature – and in doing so, perhaps find a deeper connection to themselves and the world around them.
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Image Credit: Norfolk Island Tourism
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Article content disclaimer: Article first published in Discover Norfolk, Volume 07 Issue 02, 2024. Please note that details of specific travel, accommodation and touring options may be outdated. References to people, places and businesses, including operating days and times may be have changed. References to Government structure and Government businesses/entities may no longer be applicable. Please check directly with businesses and/or Government websites directly rather than relying on any information contained in this article before you make travel arrangements.
