The philosophy of Wayne Parrott - Founder

Fountainhead exists to show a practical solutions based philosophy in action. Sustainable housing, sustainable living, organics, permaculture, healthy mind and other disciplines will be studied, examined and the best ideas applied to our primary production and our Eco Health Spa. Fountainhead will be a learning centre, a sustainable business and a hell of a lot of fun. Sustainable everything to me is obvious.

Fountainhead is my attempt to make sense of life thus far. I believe finding fault, gossip, criticising and generally negative emotions to be destructive. Firstly to the person practising them, and secondly to those around them. The alternative is a clear goal, a convicted attitude and total dedication to the outcome. Lessons from any errors along the way will provide their own impetus to ensure they are not repeated. I was brought up between two opposing philosophies neither of which I found worked in reality. My mother being brought up in a left wing Irish working class family in Redfern, Sydney and my father from a much newer, (1950's) middle class entrepreneurial, liberal voting family. I saw mainly weakness in both systems and decided to develop my own.

There are over six billion individual views in this world. However, reality will test each of these views. This is my version, so by definition can be no one else's. Happiness is not winning the lottery, but smiling in the middle of a bastard of a day. Success is according to your own goals and measures. Most people will accept the idea of many variations and views of the world but the key, is not only coping with these differences but celebrating them. In a rural environment we often have indigenous families, landowners stretching back a few generations and city "refugees". Each group often is frightened by the inevitable change that continues to occur. By working together with tolerance of such differing views we hold most hope of creating a sustainable future.

Neurosis makes for such inaccurate maps to model our lives upon. Look at neurosis as rules and models made by another and for another, but not for you to embrace. Develop your own ideals. Evil is impotent. Human beings are rarely evil. They are often ignorant, nearly always neurotic, locked in paradigms that don't always work and mostly scared. Most follow the path of least resistance which I believe is hard wired naturally and often referred to as common sense. When someones else's least resistance path does not agree with your least resistance path, we feel angry or hurt and sometimes fear.

If someone is off the path, educate them, don't ridicule them or gossip behind their back. This behaviour will only belittle yourself. Ask yourself, what is the good of your knowledge if you do not use it to improve things. The best solutions are found in education. Most cost effective, best key available. Not school but education. All knowledge that moves us forward comes from measurable, tangible discoveries. No "I think" or "I feel" have moved us one inch. Only, "I know". Life is only proven when measured; objective rather than subjective. Truth is found in objective thought.

We are what we do. Some people are trustworthy, others are not. No body I have met is always honest. I wish I was. Still, honesty and justice are my highest values. Fear is the real killer. Killer of lives; killer of ideals; and killer of dreams. I fear no man. I only fear myself not living up to my own standard. Fountainhead will embody these philosophies. That is just today. Wait till you see tomorrow

Reading List

I am often asked which books did I read along the way to help create my character. My answer is that thinking your own thoughts is the critical job one needs to do to create character. As Socrates said, "To find yourself, think for yourself".

This said I am more than happy to pass much credit to the following authors and philosophers:

Ayn Rand: Greatest influence thus far. Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged greatest works. Ethics and the most accurate map of the world yet. What a woman she must have been.

Victor Hugo: Toilers of the Sea and Les Miserables. Wonderful deep view of humanity. Rich and warm.

Bill Mollison: Permaculture Designers Manual. The book I would take if I could only take one.

M Scott Peck: The Road Less Travelled. Love, fear & self discipline. Master these and the rest is easy.

Education: Anything by Maria Montessori. Childbirth, Sheila Kitzinger-superb woman.

Trouble with change: Who moved my Cheese, Spencer Johnson.

Motivation: Jonathan Livingston Seagull, Bach. The first book of Philosophy, or anything by Jim Rohn.

Money: Richest Man in Babylon, Glasson.

I plan to publish my own first written thoughts next year in a book about Self Esteem. It will be called, "Kicking Arse", A Beginners Guide to Self Esteem.

I am sometimes asked to describe ourselves before a Guest has had the chance to visit. When I was a boy my family used to visit Australian Bush Pubs for vacation. This is the type of service I wish to emulate at Fountainhead. The type of service that would welcome me to enter the kitchen in the night if I needed refreshment.

Fountainhead Vision

The idea of Fountainhead is a simple one.
It will be a place where all will be welcome to come and find knowledge & happiness.
Fountainhead will teach that Nature's greatest work to date is indeed mankind.
It will be a place where people come to reflect, upgrade belief systems and forge new directions.
Fountainhead will stand in opposition to fear always.
It will be a place of change.
Fountainhead will be a place where facilitators & pupils discover greater ways of education and understanding.
Here the older generation can recapture the spirit of their youth and the younger generation can anticipate the challenge of the future.
Fountainhead will show the wonders of Man and of Nature, interacting for all to see and understand.
We will always aim for the highest level of congruency.
Fountainhead will be based on Nature's lessons as well as the ideals, dreams and within the objective realty that has created Humankind.
We will create a unique place that demonstrates and dramatises these dreams and facts and send them forth as a source of inspiration and courage to all the world.
It will be a place where our highest values are sought out, recognised and celebrated.
Fountainhead will teach plenty, not scarcity.
Fountainhead will be a health retreat, a farm, a place of hospitality, a community centre and a show piece of beauty and magic.
It will contain the accomplishments, hopes, joys and innovations of the world that we live in.
Fountainhead will remind us of how to make those wonders and ideals part of every day life.
Lastly, Fountainhead will be completely Sustainable so that it can do all those things and more, tomorrow.

Yours Faithfully,
Wayne Parrott
QBE

Wayne has now passed the day to day running of Fountainhead to key staff and new associates. He still personally works hands on with the "Kick the Blues" depression retreat. Wayne is building his family home on Fountainhead in Maleny at the moment.

'INSPIRATION'