And of these a number are enduring past one generation. As post-industrial becomes increasingly fragmented, impersonal and instrumental on a global scale, small but increasing numbers of people choose to drop out, into small, personalised communities more in harmony with ecological values. Australian intentional communities are varied. Size ranges from four or five adults to about 160 permanent residents. Religion is central to some communities and hardly tolerated in others.
Many communities are rural, and others are in the cities or suburbs.
A few have explicit political ideologies, some are avowedly non-political and many are indifferent to national politics. Some have shared wealth, and most are based on private ownership. But Bill Metcalf found some important similarities. All place important on the ecology, and most combine these two principles into a central concern which may be called 'eco-spirituality'. All intentional communities find the dynamics of interpersonal relationships presents one of their biggest challenges.