ABOUT US
“Our family is dedicated to inspire, educate and empower people to live more sustainably. We passionately share our knowledge, experience, ideas and inventions. For us sharing is caring.”
Meet the Spur family: Roman – sustainable design engineer, Jana – full time mum, and daughters Lada, Zlata & Meda. We are originally from the Czech Republic where we were brought up to use common sense and apply the 5R’s Mantra (Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Repair) in day-to-day practice. We enjoy living frugally and fulfilling our sustainable living dream, creating a world in which we want to live. We endeavour to constantly inspire, educate and empower people to live more sustainably and to make a difference. We have considerable knowledge, experience, ideas and inventions to share and offer visitors. We hope that you will be inspired to create your own Utopia.
Our Sustainable living Story
Spurtopia – Small kingdom of happiness
We arrived in Australia in 2009 and lived in a rented unit in Brisbane city centre. There we converted a shared backyard into a productive, year round, edible garden and produced more food that we could eat. We had chickens, honey bees, worm-farms, fruit trees and an abundance of vegetables. We developed lots of practical ideas for sustainable living and helped to create a healthy community and happy neighborhood. This naturally attracted people throughout Brisbane and further afield to come and visit us for open days, workshops and other events. Multiple public appearances on TV, radio, magazines and newspapers and social media inspired people from all around Australia. After 7 years we had to move on due to a planned redevelopment of the property. As the saying goes, ‘Every ending is a new beginning.’
Spurtopia – Cottage
We arrived in Australia in 2009 and lived in a rented unit in Brisbane city centre. There we converted a shared backyard into a productive, year round, edible garden and produced more food that we could eat. We had chickens, honey bees, worm-farms, fruit trees and an abundance of vegetables. We developed lots of practical ideas for sustainable living and helped to create a healthy community and happy neighborhood. This naturally attracted people throughout Brisbane and further afield to come and visit us for open days, workshops and other events. Multiple public appearances on TV, radio, magazines and newspapers and social media inspired people from all around Australia. After 7 years we had to move on due to a planned redevelopment of the property. As the saying goes, ‘Every ending is a new beginning.’
Spurtopia Homestead – A Sustainable Paradise
We arrived in Australia in 2009 and lived in a rented unit in Brisbane city centre. There we converted a shared backyard into a productive, year round, edible garden and produced more food that we could eat. We had chickens, honey bees, worm-farms, fruit trees and an abundance of vegetables. We developed lots of practical ideas for sustainable living and helped to create a healthy community and happy neighborhood. This naturally attracted people throughout Brisbane and further afield to come and visit us for open days, workshops and other events. Multiple public appearances on TV, radio, magazines and newspapers and social media inspired people from all around Australia. After 7 years we had to move on due to a planned redevelopment of the property. As the saying goes, ‘Every ending is a new beginning.’
Awards
Have your say
A quick description of Spurtopia would be this: They love what they do and they do what they love. Their passion is like a flame that spreads fast and doesn’t cost anything. Thank you Roman Jana Lada and keep inspiring.
Rado Trenciansky
It’s amazing what good energy can create. Roman and Jana are inspirational.
Anne Kovachevich
Went and visited the house yesterday. It’s AMAZING. If you want to know something about gardening in the city you need to go check this out!
Belinda Williams
Amazing amount of knowledge shared and gratefully accepted. So many ideas all tried and tested and very successful – recommend these workshops to everyone. This couple are a great asset to Brisbane and the rest of Australia.
Sherryl Slapp
Never seen anyone this passionate about healthy happy life style! Well done Roman, Jana and Lada.
Sarka Vrajova
A beautiful, generous family “putting their good where it will do the most!” Very inspiring and uplifting!
Barbara Burger
These guys are amazing we should all be doing this.
Ann Field
Thank you for being a great source of inspiration to us and many others.
Narelle
Thank You Roman! I’ve just been to take a look at your site and YOU are amazing!! My goodness. Can’t wait to come to one of your workshops and to get to know you a bit better.Arlanda Rayne
Thank you for such a great insight into your awesome well established garden (Spurtopia). You’re definitely doing a great job and amazed me with some of your ideas and knowledge as the garden not only features recycled product but also delivers a whole new word to ( green living )…From the water tank heating system right through to the plant growing techniques and even walking out the driveway upon leaving I was still shocked how much you have saved. Thank you for both yourself and Jana’s hospitality and welcoming me into your world.
Ben Surfield
How inspirational. This couple are living the dream of many people these days.
Judy Marshall
Thank you very much for sharing your vision. You are both inspirational in the way you live your lives. All the best in your new location.
Julie Linwood
Firstly, I would like to say how much I love your story and lifestyle tips. I have found it all very inspirational. I have started by vegie garden using broccoli boxes and an old laundry tub. I have planted snow peas, zucchini, tomato and eggplant which all seem to be doing well. When I saw your story on Gardening Australia last year with Jerry it changed my life. I have so much to learn!!!!
Helen Steadman
I wanted tell you that you really inspired me. A year or so ago I discovered permaculture and it has completely changed my life, I have since quit my job in the city to start a business (Eco-Tasty Organics) where I design and build sustainable edible gardens from balconies to rural. You have also shown me how easy it is be more self reliant in small spaces. Your ideas are awesome and simple and I’ll be making a solar oven very soon. It’s really not that hard you just need to get off your ass and do it which is what you have encouraged me to do.
Brendan Taylor
You guys are really amazing and I share your story with delight and enthusiasm in every situation I can….even in Bunnings!
I pray that God will bless the works of your hands throughout the coming year and that He will provide all of your needs in abundance. He made everything perfect and humankind has stuffed it up however with people like you (and me of course ha ha) people will realize the damage done and change their lifestyles to renew our environment and world….it’s the only one we’ve got!
I will do everything I can to promote your work as if we don’t care about our planet we don’t care about it’s inhabitants….including us.
Keep up the amazing work.Ros Wafer
Many of you may have seen Roman, Jana and baby Lada on Gardening Australia last year. They’re an innovative and charming couple who live in Brisbane and who are living sustainably in a rental property in the suburbs. They are growing vegetables in self-made wicking beds, harvesting water and living a simple life. They’re generously sharing their knowledge with the locals and have started doing workshops. Like me, they’re hoping to inspire many more people to live this way. Roman and Jana have just started a website so do yourself a favour and check it out – SpurTopia. There are a lot of photos and interesting information there. It will be interesting to watch it develop.
Rhonda Hetzel- Down to Earth
What an abundance of passion for life! I was thoroughly blown away by your talk at Redcliffe (What’s cooking in the gardens). Am feeling so motivated right now!! Love your natural exuberance & love for your family – thank you!! Neil Brymner
Thank you so much to the Spur family today for sharing their easy yet innovative tips on sustainable living at the Rocks Riverside Park Community Garden Open Day. The passion was evident and infectious.
Kristine Hancock
Thank you Roman for your energetic, open and inspirational talk! Tina Price