Garden Insights + Share Table

Garden Insights - Bella Vita: Debbie & Brodie's Micro-Homestead

Sunday 4 October 2026

2.00 pm - 4.30 pm

Villa 458, Palm Lake Resort, Hogg Street, Cranley, Q 4350

This event is organised by Permaculture Toowoomba Inc.

Bookings are Essential

Bookings are essential so that we have contact details and know how many will be attending.

Bella Vita: A Tiny Garden

Come and explore Debbie and Brodie Bassingthwaighte’s evolving permaculture garden in Cranley, Toowoomba.

Less than 12 months old, this tiny 380m² micro-homestead is already home to more than 350 different plant varieties, along with native bees, frogs, lizards, birds and plenty of life. It’s an experiment in how much abundance, biodiversity and connection with nature can be created in a very small space.

What We’ll Do

We’ll meet in the small park that backs onto Debbie and Brodie’s garden. The Share Table and Afternoon Tea will be set up here, along with some shade and space for chairs.

Debbie will begin by sharing the evolving permaculture design she has created for Bella Vita, and the thinking behind the way the garden has been developed.

We’ll then explore the garden in small groups, with Debbie sharing what they’re growing and some of the ideas, experiments and lessons that are emerging along the way.

Because the garden is tiny, we won’t all fit into it at once. While groups take their turn exploring, there’ll be plenty of time to relax, chat with other members, browse the Share Table and enjoy an afternoon together.

What We’ll See

Front garden filled with drought-tolerant flowers and large pots of Mediterranean fruit trees, olives and herbs.
Root crop alley running along the side of the villa, with large pots of sweet potatoes, oca, yams, yacon, jicama and other unusual root and tuber crops.
Kitchen garden making use of multiple layers and every available niche, with raised planters, hanging baskets, trellises and terracotta pots.
Raised gardens of annual herbs and vegetables, bordered with edible perennials that provide year-round food, interest and structure.
More than 50 dwarf fruit and nut trees and shrubs, including some fascinating varieties, underplanted with culinary and medicinal herbs.
An Asian-inspired area featuring gingers and other subtropical plants.
A tiny tea garden.
A bush tucker corner celebrating Australian native edibles.
Wildlife habitat, including a frog hotel, lizard lounge, and bog and water plants.
Three hives of Tetragonula carbonaria, their beautiful native stingless bees.
A small propagation area, compost bins, worm farm, rainwater tank and garden shed.

The Story Behind the Garden

Debbie and Brodie moved with Monty, their gorgeous cavoodle, to their new home in February 2025. Bella Vita is a two-bedroom villa on a tiny 380m² block within a 50+ lifestyle resort, surrounded by shared facilities and a wonderfully supportive community.

Rather than rushing to transform the garden, they spent their first 12 months patiently observing. They watched the movement of the sun and shade, wind and water, noted changing climate patterns and microclimates, and paid attention to the wildlife visiting the property and the ways they naturally used the space.

These observations became the foundation for a permaculture design for a biodiverse micro-homestead, designed to grow an abundance of food while nurturing connection with nature.

The name Bella Vita, Italian for “beautiful life”, celebrates the simple pleasures that make life rich:

time shared with loved ones,
the wonder found in everyday moments, and
the joy of living with intention and purpose.

The garden is still very much a work in progress. There will be successes, surprises, experiments and a few failures along the way.

Debbie and Brodie look forward to sharing the story of its evolution and exploring what’s possible when we work creatively with the space we have.

Afternoon Tea (provided)

A light afternoon tea will be provided (including Gluten Free and Vegan options).

What to Bring

KeepCup or similar for your drink at afternoon tea (we're trying to minimise waste)
Chair
Water Bottle
Sun protection
Clothes and footwear suitable for outdoor weather conditions
Donations of surplus produce for the Share Table

Share Table

Do you have surplus?

We encourage you to bring your surplus produce, plants, seeds, books, craft supplies, and resources to share with others at our events.

Some ideas of what you could bring include – fruit, vegetables, herbs, eggs, honey, milk, jams, pickles, preserves, jars, ferments, starters, SCOBYs, seeds, plants, seedlings, cuttings, tubers, pots, tools, gardening magazines, permaculture books, recipes, patterns, manure, coffee grounds, compost additives, worms, mealworms, wool, fabric, craft supplies, soap, natural cleaning products, plastic alternatives, produce bags – the list is extensive.

Please bring whatever you can and then take home whatever you need within our culture of generosity and free sharing

Parking

Parking is very limited, so please car pool wherever possible.

Palm Lake Resort is a gated community with restricted access. Please enter via gate 3 off Hogg Street, which will be open during the afternoon.

Parking is not permitted on any of the roads within the resort, so please park in a designated visitor car park and walk to Remembrance Park located behind Villa 458.

Alternatively, parking is available outside the resort along Hogg Street. It's an easy walk from there.

A map with full details will be sent to attendees following registration.

Please note: The speed limit with the resort is strictly 10 km per hour and is a shared zone for pedestrians, buggies and cars.

Access

This garden has limited access for wheel chairs, walking frames and strollers if needed. The garden is small and flat, but the side entry path has loose pebbles without a solid base.

Children are always welcome with very close adult supervision for their safety.

We hope we see you there!

Cost

Financial Members of Permaculture Toowoomba Inc. - Free
First-time Visitors to a Permaculture Toowoomba Inc. Event - $10 per person
Non-Members - $20 per person
Children attending with an Adult - Free (but please book so we know the total numbers)

Membership

Annual Membership of Permaculture Toowoomba Inc. is due by 31 December each year. It's only $50 per person or $40 for a second or subsequent adult living in the same home.

If you join now, membership only $30 for a part year ($25 for second adult) and is valid until the end of 2026.

Members can attend all events and workshops during the year at no cost. You can pay your membership at checkout when you book to attend this event.

Please complete a Membership form which will be available at the event for anyone wishing to join, or available here for download at http://www.permaculturetoowoomba.com.au/membership/

Contact the host of Garden Insights - Bella Vita: Debbie & Brodie's Micro-Homestead