Members and Directors Profiles
Who are we? What are our inspirations? What are we passionate about? Please read on......
Bob Goodsell ~Foundation Member and Director
Chaitanya D. Freitag ~Foundation Member and Director
Danniel Shervey ~Foundation Member and Director
Deborah Alder ~Former Foundation Member and Director
Rafeek Walter Bonvecchio ~Independent Director
Shiralee R. Betuel ~Foundation Member and Director
Svargo K. Freitag ~Foundation Member and Director
Bob Goodsell ~ Foundation Member, Director & Chairman
Bob Goodsell’s interest in the land began at an early age, as he spent his early childhood on a mixed farm near Warrick in Queensland. Bob’s awareness that our actions have an impact on the environment grew during his teen years in Hervey Bay. Regular family holidays on Fraser Island led to the development of a close attachment to its wild beauty, which inspired him to participate in a successful campaign to stop sand mining there. As a member of the Fraser Island Defence Organisation (FIDO) Bob became a driver for researchers, conservationists and the union officials who put into place a green ban on the movement of sand-mining equipment.
In his early twenties Bob became interested in sustainability in the social context and started to question the strengths and weaknesses of the traditional family and social structure. In 1981 he became a founding director of one of the first legally-structured land co-ops of its type, at Kin-Kin in Queensland, which focused on the sharing and conservation of resources. During this time Bob learned the value of forming co-operative interpersonal relationships and putting formal structures into place from the outset. He is committed to following this through with the Kanjini Co-op.
Bob’s continuing passion for green issues and human rights took him to South Australia where he was involved in the Anti-Uranium and Indigenous Land Rights Campaigns. This taught Bob that collaborative effort is more effective when there is a strong, shared vision and clear goals.
Family ties prompted a change of direction and a move to Port Douglas in Tropical North Queensland. Here he was part of the setting up and running of the family business in the local building industry, supplying alternatives to the depleting rainforest timbers. During this time he married and became the father of two children.
Later Bob moved into the design and building of recycled timber homes for the tropics. He maintains a deep interest in the practical, technological aspects of sustainability and is strongly motivated by the challenge of problem solving.
Over the years Bob has maintained an involvement in the local community, taking key roles in the police consultative committee, the kindergarten association, the community association and the shire Indigenous employment group.
Why I joined Kanjini Co-Op?
The vision and governance model of the Kanjini Co-op fit well with what I have been working towards through my life. Lessening my ecological footprint requires sharing of resources and this is a great opportunity to collaborate with others. I like the way that the co-op is set up with pre-defined rules and that a lot of thought is being put into planning. At this stage of the development of the co-op I am enjoying the creative challenge. Back to Top
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Chaitanya D. Freitag~ Foundation Member and Director
Born 1983 in Evelyn Central on the Atherton Tablelands, Chai went to alternative schools in Byron Bay, Devon (UK), Portland & Cascade Valley (USA) and in Mexico.
Chai has lived in communal situations for most of his life and likes the company of people.
After his schooling, Chai returned to Cairns in Australia and now works as a tiler.
Chai is a handyman and keen gardener and loves fishing.
Why I joined Kanjini Co-Op?
I want to support my dad and I like doing things with other people.
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Danniel Shervey~ Foundation Member and Director
Danniel John Shervey was born in Kingaroy, Queensland on the 1st of October 1966. Being a child in the Flower Power era filled him with a strong sense of Love and Oneness with the world although his parents came out of the war era and the country Queensland strictness and denial that came with it. He does life differently. He has worked mostly as a labourer with some corporate management experience, but prefers healing work as his passion in life. He is constantly challenging himself in his beliefs and values in an effort to be all that he can be. He has 2 children, a 4yr old Daughter and 1yr old Son, to 2 different women and has very close and loving relationships with both women and children. He has lived in community situations on several occasions and has taken the best aspects of each one so that eventually he will know what is the 'best' circumstance for his type of community.
Why I joined Kanjini Co-Op?
I support the principles of Kanjini and personally wish all involved in Kanjini Co-Op every success, happiness and Joy. Back to Top
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Deborah Alder ~ Former Foundation Member
Kanjini Co-Op says farewell, many thanks for all the input and happy adventures in Melbourne where Deb has moved to be with family.
Why I joined Kanjini Co-Op?
I joined Kanjini Co-Op because I believe that I can achieve that goal by living in a vibrant, cohesive community, which produces organic food and generates the energy sufficient for everyone’s needs, which strives to be a model for harmonious, sustainable living. The Kanjini corporate structure and concept is consistent with my philosophy of ‘freedom not licence’. My personal Vision includes building a Wholistic Healing Centre for meditation, massage, Healing Hands, Naturopathy, Homeopathy, and a variety of other healing disciplines. I would also support a Visual and Performing Arts Complex for the purpose of self expression, entertainment and expressive therapies. Living together in Peace, Love and Light.
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Rafeek Walter Bonvecchio ~ Independent Director
Rafeek Walter Bonvecchio was born in Italy the 25th of September 1959. He studied electrical machines first, and music after at the university and also played music in different bands.
In 1982, a week after he got his passport, he left for his first trip to India (during the next 20 years he visited 14 -15 times ), where he had many life changing experiences. He lived in communal situations for most of his life, because he likes people’s company.
In May 2000 he arrived for the first time in Australia to fulfil a dream: to busk at the Olympic games in September 2000 in Sydney! On the way back to Europe, he met Amura and from 2003 they decided to live in the Cairns area ( Kuranda, then Port Douglas and now Cairns).
Rafeek participated in many Kanjini meetings while the Co-Op was taking shape, but not yet having the money to join as a Full Member, he has taken a position as an Independent Director. Rafeek has contributed to Kanjini Co-Op in many ways, with his vast experiences of cooperative living, his exuberance, unwavering support and by offering sound advice always with the Kanjini Co-Op Vision in mind.
After nearly 4 years working at the Butterflies Sanctuary in Kuranda, he now works as a tour guide.- Rafeek is a musician, a handyman, car repairer, gardener, and is specialised on building retaining walls.
The main motto for Rafeek is : Celebrate your Life.
Why I joined Kanjini Co-Op?
I joined Kanjini Co-Op because I believe that the best and happiest way to live is to share and cooperate.
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Shiralee R. Betuel ~ Foundation Member and Director
Born in 1959 to a Tasmanian Mother and Mauritian Father, Shiralee enjoyed her youth living in various styles of communities and share houses in the 70's in Tasmania, NSW and QLD. The skills she acquired during this time included spinning and weaving natural fibres plus dyeing with natural plant based dyes she created. Leaving Tasmania at age 21; she travelled and worked in Europe, Asia and New Zealand for three years, as an Artist Model, Fruit Harvester and Barmaid as well as in the Designer Knitwear industry. Shiralee also lived and worked in various spiritually based communities. During the 80's she was caretaker of established tropical fruit and nut orchards in Far North QLD, gaining vast experience in tropical living.
She started organic gardening at 5 years of age and has over 40 years experience in horticulture and agriculture, food plants, rare and tropical fruits and palms. Shiralee has developed, owned and managed several businesses. She started the first sprout company in Cairns in the late 80’s (Tropical Sprouts)
She started collecting rare palms in the early 80’s and while home schooling her eldest daughter she created a Rare Palm business. Shiralee was injured in a workplace accident which left her with permanent back damage and reconsidering her future. Whilst slowly rehabilitating herself, Shiralee gained her Diploma of Applied Science in 1995 (Agriculture, Horticulture, WPH&S, Business Management, Financial Planning and Administration). She also self-studied a wide range of Healing Modalities (Homoeopathy, Traditional Chinese Medicine, Herbalism, Massage and Meditation practises). With her positive attitude and determination she managed to regain her mobility and she now lives a rewarding and varied life again, within her physical capabilities.
As a community minded person she has volunteered and worked as Secretary, Bookkeeper and in Administration in various community organisations such as Lifeline and Cairns PCYC. She has also worked in the DPI (Tas) and in the Qld Industrial Hemp industry as well as in Organic Food Stores. She currently is employed by Didjshop.com (Svargo's business)
She is blessed as the mother of 2 adult daughters both working in their creative pursuits as gourmet chef and clothing designer/ creator. Shiralee has been a Vegan and a Vegetarian and is now an Omnivore.
Her hobbies and interests are gardening, enjoying world music, dancing, sewing, weaving, painting silk and creating permaculture gardens. Shiralee enjoys sharing time with friends having fun, meditating and creating delicious meals from her garden. Her personal vision is to encourage, by example, living sustainably and harmoniously with others.
Why I joined Kanjini Co-Op?
Kanjini Co-Op provides a structure that is equitable and inclusive for all members. The Kanjini Mission and extensive Vision excites me about creating a sustainable future.
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Svargo K. Freitag ~ Foundation Member and Director
Born 1956 in Germany, Svargo grew up next to a farm milking cows for his morning milk and helping his parents grow most of their veggies and fruits themselves.
During the last few years of his thirteen years of schooling, Svargo was the representative for over 1000 students, a job shared with two of his best friends.
Svargo started travelling to the Mediterranean and Arabic countries during school holidays.
As a conscientious objector he worked with handicapped children, co-facilitated workshops for non-competitive games and became actively involved in the European anti-nuclear and peace movements.
After finishing his social service Svargo left Germany and travelled for years through Arab countries, India, Sri Lanka and Nepal.
Working as a freelance journalist he covered the Israel/Arab conflict, Saddam Hussein's early nuclear ambitions and the American hostage crisis in Tehran.
During his travels he also studied ancient civilisations and visited archaeological sites in Syria, Jordan, Iraq ,Pakistan and India.
Visiting development projects he gained theoretical and hands on experience on windmills, solar, desalination, biogas and other alternative technologies.
He also lived in ashrams and communities including Auroville and Puna and had a house in the Himalayas for over one year.
While in India Svargo participated in and learnt to facilitate many different types of meditation and therapy.
Svargo came to Australia in 1982 and worked on commercial farms on the Atherton Tablelands growing strawberries, peaches, mushrooms and managing a citrus and mango orchard.
He also worked in the building and tourist industries.
In 1988 he bought an eleven acre property in Koah near Kuranda, built a house and a veggie garden, planted fruit trees and constructed a dam. He shared this property with friends and visitors and during the twenty years he lived there he was hardly ever alone.
Despite the electricity going along two boundaries of the property, he decided to not connect, but to run the property on 100% solar electricity.
In about 1992 he started a didgeridoo wholesale business and started retailing in 2000 on didjshop.com.
Through this ethical business he created a global didgeridoo community consisting of thousands of members.
Svargo has three adult children (Chai is one of them).
Why I joined Kanjini Co-Op?
I want to help create and live in Kanjini Co-Op because I am convinced that the current segregation of our society into smaller and smaller units is at the heart of humanity's problems. Living and sharing with many people makes first and foremost for more fun, but also for less work, less expenses, and a smaller environmental impact.
While I already have a fairly low carbon footprint, by joining Kanjini Co-Op I can reduce it much further.
For years I have informed politicians about and urged them to act on peak oil and climate change.
I now wish to focus on living the solutions and show that they are not just possible, but that they are an affordable, healthier, more fulfilling and more enjoyable way of life.
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