The $8.9 million eco development was unanimously approved by Port Stephens Council and touted as a hub for the renewal of agriculture and rural village life.

Development spokeswoman Lucie Bruvel had a few community members on board late last year, but was yet to buy the property on Green Wattle Creek Road.

After approval was given, the group used crowd funding and peer-to-peer lending to avoid the banks and buy the $1.36 million land parcel.

“I was wanting that to happen,” Ms Bruvel said.

“A lot of preparation had gone in to get the approval.

“In a way, this year will be less stressful, but there is still a lot of work to do.”

The site changed hands on March 11 and work has started to prepare the farmland for its first crop.

“We have been ploughing then resting the land and we need to set up the wind break and do soil work,” she said.

“Fertility of the soil is everything.”

The hope is to work with Dungog hemp farmers to grow the product on the Butterwick site, as well as using it in the construction of some of the community’s houses.

Construction of the first six homes will start in the next 12 months, with some prefabricated and some to be built from scratch.

The community building has been fitted out and work has started to restore an old building to make it into a music hall.

Of the 29 planned dwellings, 17 have been taken by a mix of people keen for a rural lifestyle.

“We have all types of people including a local teacher. We just had an emergency medical doctor join,” Ms Bruvel said.

“We have a GP, musicians, gardeners, but we need more farmers.”

In a way, Ms Bruvel is the first settler in the new community as she already lives in the existing homestead on the property.

She grew up a stone’s throw from the site, which was known as Shepherds and used to ride horses across the farmland.

“It is a little secluded valley, but so close to town,” Ms Bruvel said.

“I think that has really drawn people in.”

The amount of interest shown and number of people signing on early to live in Shepherds Ground came as a relief for her.

Ms Bruvel spent most of her savings to have all the investigations and plans done for the development application and has worked on the project for three years without an income.

These next 12 months will not only be the cornerstone of the community, but also the new life Ms Bruvel has chosen.