Grafting great fruit trees with Neil Barraclough and Carolyn Gemmell

Ever wanted to graft your own fruit trees? Preserve old varieties, start an orchard on a budget, or grow multiple fruit types on one tree with the help of some expert instruction.

Join us this winter for our first ever grafting workshop with Neil Barraclough and Carolyn Gemmell. Don’t miss this unique opportunity to learn from the experts and take home your own grafted fruit tree.

• Food security and preserving rare and heritage fruit cultivars

• Hands-on skill-building for all skill levels

• Neil will include a talk on growing rootstocks in the community garden as a community resource

Where: Warrnambool Community Garden
When: Sunday, 10th August 2025
Time: 9am to 12:30 pm (includes morning tea)

What to expect:

• Learn from Master Grafter Neil Barraclough (Heritage and Rare Fruit Network), with over 30 years’ experience and Permaculturalist Carolyn Gemmell who will share her passion for preserving rare and heritage apples and pears, and building community food systems

• Three-hour hands-on workshop with plenty of prunings to practice on

• Theory of grafting with a take-home print-out

• One-on-one guidance as you create your own grafted tree

• Take home a grafted tree of your choice (included in price)

• Extra trees available for $8 each. Graft as many extras as you have time for!

• Grafting knives provided for use (available for purchase if you want to try at home)

• Light refreshments included, please let us know any dietary requirements

About the presenters:
Neil Barraclough is a master grafter with decades of experience, passionate about fruit diversity and education.
Carolyn Gemmell is a permaculture designer, teacher, and heritage fruit enthusiast. She manages the Living Library collection with over 150 apple and 35 pear/nashi varieties, and runs the Mudlark Permaculture Urban Demonstration Site in Ararat.

What to bring:

• Warm clothes

• Notepad and pen

• Water bottle

Price:
$35 per person (includes one grafted tree to take home)
Extra trees: $8 each (graft as many as you have time for!)