Living Systems by Design

Savour Soil Permaculture Design Course 2027

OBSERVE • UNDERSTAND • DESIGN • REGENERATE

Learn to understand living systems and develop the skills to design with them.

16 Weeks | Lockyer Valley | $500 + GST | Limited to 25 Participants

A $2,000 Permaculture Design Course for Just $500 + GST!

Thanks to generous funding from the Helping Hands Network Foundation (HHNF), Savour Soil Permaculture is offering its comprehensive 2027 Permaculture Design Course at a substantially reduced participant fee.

The full course is valued at $2,000, but participants contribute just $500 + GST ($550 total), with the remaining course cost subsidised through HHNF funding.

This is an opportunity to experience 16 weeks of professional permaculture education, practical learning, ecological design and personal development at a fraction of the full cost.

Welcome to Living Systems by Design

What if you could look at a landscape and understand not just what is growing there, but how the soil, water, climate, plants, animals and people are connected?

What if you could use that understanding to create productive, resilient and regenerative systems that work with nature rather than against it?

Welcome to Living Systems by Design, the new Savour Soil Permaculture Design Course for 2027.

We need to create a vision for a better future. We need to change the climate of our minds, rebuild our inner landscapes and develop a positive, solution-focused way of thinking.

We need to reconnect with nature, understand the living systems that support us and learn how to work with them.

But understanding alone is not enough. We also need the knowledge, confidence and practical skills to turn that understanding into meaningful action.

Living Systems by Design brings these two essential elements together: understanding living systems and learning how to design with them.

Over 16 weeks, you will explore permaculture through an integrated learning experience combining ecological understanding, practical activities, real-world examples, collaborative learning and the progressive development of your own permaculture design.

Rather than studying soil, water, plants, climate and other subjects in isolation, you will discover how they interact, influence one another and inform better design decisions.

You won't simply learn about permaculture. You'll learn to observe, think and design like a permaculture designer.

A New Approach to Permaculture Education

The Savour Soil PDC has been developed from years of professional design, consulting, teaching and practical implementation experience.

For 2027, we've taken that experience and developed a more integrated learning approach.

Traditional courses often dedicate entire days to individual subjects, such as soil, water, plants or climate.

While these subjects are essential, nature doesn't operate in separate compartments.

Healthy soil influences water infiltration. Water availability affects plant growth. Plants create microclimates. Animals influence soil fertility. People make management decisions that affect the entire system.

Everything is connected.

Our new course reflects these relationships.

Each learning day combines complementary subjects, practical activities, observations and design exercises. Concepts are revisited throughout the course, allowing participants to develop deeper understanding and apply their knowledge in different situations.

For example, while learning about soil, you may also investigate water movement, plant roots, biological activity and how these relationships influence landscape design.

When exploring climate, you may examine microclimates, observe site conditions, investigate plant selection and consider how buildings, vegetation and landforms influence temperature and moisture.

This integrated approach helps you understand not just the individual components of a landscape, but how they function together as a living system.

Your Learning Journey

The course is built around four interconnected stages:

1. OBSERVE — Read the Landscape

Every good design begins with observation.

Learn how to look beyond the obvious and recognise the patterns, processes and relationships shaping a landscape.

You will explore:

Permaculture ethics and principles.
Observation and pattern recognition.
Landscape reading and site assessment.
Climate, weather and microclimates.
Landforms, slope and aspect.
Soil characteristics and site conditions.
Water movement and natural drainage.
Vegetation, ecosystems and biodiversity.
Understanding people's needs, goals and resources.

Your outcome: Develop the ability to observe, investigate and interpret landscapes before making design decisions.

2. UNDERSTAND — Explore Relationships

Nature is a network of interconnected systems.

Discover how soil, water, plants, animals, climate and people interact to create healthy, productive and resilient landscapes.

You will explore:

Soil biology, structure and fertility.
Nutrient cycling and organic matter.
Water cycles, infiltration and storage.
Ecological succession and regeneration.
Plant communities and beneficial relationships.
Food forests and productive ecosystems.
Biodiversity and ecological health.
Energy flows and resource cycling.
Animal integration and land management.
Human systems and community resilience.

Your outcome: Understand how living systems function and identify opportunities to create beneficial relationships through design.

3. DESIGN — Create Integrated Solutions

Turn your observations and ecological understanding into thoughtful, practical designs.

You will learn a structured design process that takes you from understanding a site through to developing an integrated permaculture design.

You will explore:

Creating goals and developing a vision.
Site assessment and information gathering.
Base mapping and landscape analysis.
Zones and sectors.
The scale of permanence.
Land Management Units (LMUs).
Patterns and relationships in design.
Water harvesting and management.
Productive gardens and food forest design.
Access, infrastructure and energy planning.
Integrating plants, animals and people.
Developing and evaluating design concepts.
Communicating your design effectively.

Your outcome: Develop the confidence and skills to create practical, integrated permaculture designs suited to real places and real people.

4. REGENERATE — Put Learning into Practice

A design is only the beginning.

Learn how to turn ideas into practical action and create landscapes that improve over time.

You will explore:

Soil restoration and regeneration.
Composting and biological soil management.
Water management and efficient irrigation.
Plant propagation and establishment.
Productive landscape development.
Practical implementation techniques.
Staged implementation planning.
Resource and budget considerations.
Monitoring and adaptive management.
Long-term landscape stewardship.

Your outcome: Understand how to implement, manage and adapt permaculture designs to support healthy, productive and regenerative systems.

These four stages are woven throughout the course rather than taught as separate blocks, connecting observation, ecological understanding, design and practical application.

Learn by Doing

Permaculture is best understood when we put it into practice.

Throughout the 16 weeks, you will participate in a wide range of learning experiences, including:

Interactive presentations and demonstrations.
Hands-on practical activities.
Soil investigations and assessments.
Composting and soil improvement exercises.
Site observations and landscape assessments.
Mapping and design activities.
Water management and landscape investigations.
Plant propagation and productive growing systems.
Food forest and integrated planting exercises.
Site visits and real-world case studies.
Facilitated group discussions and activities.
Collaborative problem-solving and design exercises.
Individual design development and feedback.

Practical activities are integrated throughout the course rather than being confined to separate practical days.

This allows you to connect what you learn in the classroom with what you observe and experience in the landscape.

Develop Your Own Permaculture Design

One of the defining features of the Savour Soil PDC is that you begin learning the design process from the very beginning of the course.

Rather than waiting until the final weeks to complete a design exercise, you will progressively develop your own permaculture design as your understanding grows.

You will learn how to:

Identify needs, goals and opportunities.
Create a clear vision for a property or project.
Observe and assess the existing landscape.
Gather and organise relevant information.
Understand ecological and human relationships.
Apply permaculture ethics and principles.
Develop practical and integrated design solutions.
Evaluate your ideas and refine your design.
Prepare staged implementation and management strategies.
Present and communicate your completed design.

By the end of the course, you will have experienced a structured ecological design process that can be applied to backyards, farms, rural properties, community spaces and other landscapes.

Our goal is not simply to help you complete a design project. It is to help you become a more capable, confident and thoughtful designer.

Learn from Experience, Not Just Theory

The course is led by Michael Wardle from Savour Soil Permaculture, drawing on more than a decade of professional experience in permaculture design, education, consulting and practical implementation.

Savour Soil has worked with private landowners, community organisations, educational institutions and productive landscapes across South East Queensland and beyond.

Throughout the course, you'll explore real projects, practical challenges, design decisions and implementation experiences.

You'll discover not only what has worked, but why it worked, what challenges were encountered and what can be learned from those experiences.

We believe that permaculture is not about following a fixed recipe.

Every landscape is different. Every person has different needs, resources and abilities.

A successful design must respond to those differences.

Our aim is to help you develop the observation skills, ecological understanding and design thinking needed to make informed decisions appropriate to your own circumstances.

More Than a Course - A Learning Community

One of the greatest benefits of learning over 16 weeks is having time to develop relationships, exchange ideas and learn from one another.

You'll join a community of people interested in creating healthier landscapes, growing food, improving resilience and contributing to positive change.

The extended format provides time to absorb information, revisit ideas, ask questions, practise skills and develop your design project.

You'll experience a combination of individual learning, group activities, practical work, shared discussions and collaborative problem-solving.

We encourage curiosity, creativity, questioning and a willingness to explore different approaches.

And importantly, we believe learning should be enjoyable.

Expect plenty of conversation, discovery, hands-on experiences and a sense of fun along the way.

What Is Included in Your Course Fee?

Thanks to funding from the Helping Hands Network Foundation, participants receive the comprehensive Savour Soil PDC learning experience and the extensive educational resource package offered in previous courses.

Your 16-Week Learning Experience

16 weeks of dynamic, interactive facilitation.
Integrated theoretical and practical learning.
Hands-on activities, demonstrations and field exercises.
Site observations and real-world case studies.
A structured ecological design process.
Progressive development of your own permaculture design.
Group activities and collaborative learning.
Opportunities for questions, discussions and individual guidance.

Your Educational Resources

Recorded Course Sessions - Valued at $550

Access recordings of the past learning sessions to revisit information, reinforce your understanding and continue learning beyond the classroom.

Fundamentals of Food Forestry Online Course - Valued at $300

Explore the foundations of productive food forest systems, including plant relationships, ecological functions and the development of resilient perennial landscapes.

Inkscape for Permaculture Design Online Training - Valued at $200

Learn how to use Inkscape as a practical tool for developing and presenting permaculture designs.

Permaculture Design Companion Template - Valued at $200

A structured resource to support your design process, organise information and guide you through the stages of developing a permaculture design.

Comprehensive Savour Soil PDC Course Notes

Extensive reference notes and educational materials to support your learning throughout the course and provide an ongoing resource afterwards.

Essence of Permaculture

An introduction to the ethics, principles and foundations of permaculture thinking.

Additional Learning Resources

Access to an extensive collection of online educational materials, worksheets, design resources and supporting information.

Your Own Savour Soil Tote Bag

A practical course companion.

Community, Connections and Fun

An opportunity to learn alongside others, share experiences and develop lasting connections.

The four individually valued online resources and design tools alone represent $1,250 in educational resources, included as part of your course package.

What Previous Educators Have Said

Robin Clayfield - Earthcare Education + Dynamic Groups

"If you're looking to do a PDC over an extended period with a master of the industry, the Savour Soil PDC will set you up for a lifetime of Permaculture design and living. He really looks after participants and guides every step of the journey in a thorough, inspiring and caring way. The structure, flow, diverse learning methods and materials are carefully designed for optimal and lasting learning and implementation. I thoroughly recommend it."

Dan Palmer - VEG, Making Permaculture Stronger, Holistic Decision Making

"I commend Michael Wardle on the creation of this brilliant resource, which integrates some of the best thinking in permaculture design with his many years of experience as a professional permaculture designer and educator. I hope that many people benefit from this accessible, step-by-step sequence which provides a robust scaffold for high quality permaculture design"

Course Details

Course: Living Systems by Design — Permaculture Design Course 2027

Presented by: Savour Soil Permaculture

Funding Partner: Helping Hands Network Foundation (HHNF)

Location: Lockyer Valley, South East Queensland

Duration: 16 weeks

Course Dates: February 21st to June 13th 2027

Session Times: 8:30am to 5pm

Maximum Participants: 25

Course Fees

Full Course Value: $2,000

Your Fee: $500 + GST ($550 total)

The remaining course cost is subsidised through funding provided by the Helping Hands Network Foundation.

There are only 25 places available, helping us maintain an interactive learning environment with opportunities for practical activities, group learning and individual guidance.

Who Is This Course For?

Living Systems by Design is suitable for people from a wide range of backgrounds and experience levels.

Whether you're completely new to permaculture or already have practical experience, the course provides an opportunity to develop your understanding and design capabilities.

You may be:

A homeowner wanting to create a productive, resilient garden.
A rural landowner interested in improving your property.
A gardener wanting to better understand ecological systems.
A farmer or land manager exploring regenerative practices.
A community gardener or organiser.
An educator interested in sustainability and practical learning.
Someone considering further study or professional work in permaculture.
Simply someone wanting to reconnect with nature and make a positive difference.

You don't need previous permaculture experience.

All you need is curiosity, a willingness to learn and an interest in creating healthier relationships between people and the natural world.

Why Join Living Systems by Design?

We live in a time when our relationships with land, food, water, ecosystems and communities are increasingly important.

There are challenges ahead, but there are also opportunities to create meaningful change.

Permaculture provides a way to understand the systems around us, recognise possibilities and develop practical solutions.

Living Systems by Design offers the time, guidance, knowledge and practical experience to begin that journey.

This course is about more than learning techniques.

It's about developing a new way of seeing the world.

It's about understanding relationships rather than isolated problems.

It's about developing the confidence to make informed design decisions.

And it's about turning knowledge into positive action.

Observe the landscape. Understand the relationships. Design with purpose. Regenerate through action.

Join us for Living Systems by Design — Savour Soil Permaculture Design Course 2027.

16 weeks of learning, practical experience, ecological design and community.

Full Course Value: $2,000

Your Contribution: Just $500 + GST

Limited to 25 Participants

Proudly developed and delivered by Savour Soil Permaculture, with funding support from the Helping Hands Network Foundation.

Living Systems by Design Savour Soil Permaculture Design Course 2027

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