Permaculture 10 week Workshops - 2024

Join us at the award-winning Randwick Sustainability Hub each Friday afternoon and learn skills under expert guidance in a friendly setting.

We run 10 week permaculture courses designed to get you up to speed in growing a productive fruit, veg garden and/or native habitat garden in the city, whether you are in an apartment or have a backyard. The courses are hands on and you'll get to put your skills into practise in the garden each afternoon. These courses are free for PermaBee, community garden and environment group volunteers.

• May 3 - Food Forestry
• July 26 - Native Habitat
• October 18 - Veggie growing
  

For more details on each course, see below.

PERMABEE GARDENING PROGRAM

Before the afternoon workshops, you are welcome to come gardening with us Friday mornings from 9:00am to 12:30pm and help us plant, weed, and compost. We share a cosy morning tea together and socialise and at the end of each day, you'll share in the bounty of any harvest! You will work as a team and gain expert guidance. Over the course of a year, there is the opportunity to learn specialist skills like pruning, grafting and seed saving. PermaBees work in the purpose built fruit and veg permaculture gardens and native habitat and bush tucker gardens at Randwick Sustainability Hub.

For more information click here.

Food Forestry (Fruit growing)

Fridays, 1:30-4:00pm
Starts May 3 (10 Weeks)

The ultimate productive garden, a food forest mimics a natural forest ecosystem. One that produces nutrient rich, delicious fruit, nuts, herbs and vegetables, as well as flowers, honey, timber, eggs and more. On top of this, food forests are home to a wide diversity of critters above and below the ground, a thriving web of life. And you are a central part of the whole wonderful natural thing.

Over the ten weeks you will learn how to design, create and nurture a food forest in your backyard, how to identify a range of plants and look after them. This is a very practical course where we will be out in the garden for plenty of hands on learning, to compliment the theory and knowledge you’ll absorb inside.

• Permaculture Principles - Observation and what is a Food Forest?
• Design Planning – Process, mud maps, sector analysis and zones
• Soil Management - An ecological approach
• Succession and Evolution - Complexity in a food forest
• Propagation - Cutting and grafting
• Pest Management - An ecological approach
• Water- Enhancing the small water cycle
• Maintenance - How to care for your plants
• Harvest - Collecting and preserving your bounty
• Community building- presenting designs, growing connections

Gardening on the Wildside (Native habitat and bush tucker)

Fridays, 1:30-4:00pm
Starts July 26  (10 Weeks)

Discover the captivating world of creating garden homes for a variety of native creatures. Learn how to transform your garden into a haven for native bees, frogs, insects, birds, blue tongue lizards, and more, using low maintenance techniques that mimic nature. Immerse yourself in the beauty of native Australian plants while providing habitats that can bring hours of joy and fascination.

Join us for an engaging journey where you'll delve into various aspects of creating these magical garden homes. Gain unique cultural insights from experts like Peter Cooley from Indigigrow. Delve into the captivating world of native bees with Gavin Smith, an expert from the Sydney Bee Club. Explore the realm of native birds alongside expert Renee Ferster Levy. Uncover the secrets of frogs and lizards with the guidance of Emily Strautin from Randwick Council.

From preparing the soil to the design process, your expert facilitators Narelle Happ and Linda Johnson will guide you through each step of creating these extraordinary habitats. Learn the art of nursery and propagation techniques from Dave Bateman, a knowledgeable expert from Randwick Community Nursery. Discover the joy of planting out your garden and witness the wonders that unfold. Finally, gain valuable insights on ongoing management to ensure the longevity and vitality of your new garden homes.

Embrace the opportunity to harmonize with nature, to create thriving ecosystems in your own backyard, and to enjoy the wonders of Australia's native flora and fauna. This immersive journey promises to be both educational and delightful, leaving you with the knowledge and inspiration to create your very own enchanting garden homes for these fascinating creatures.

• Introduction
• Eastern Suburbs Banksia Scrub, an indigenous perspective - with expert Peter Cooley, Indigigrow
• Native Bees - with expert Gavin Smith, Sydney Bee Club
• Native Birds - with expert Renee Ferster Levy
• Frogs and Lizards - with expert Emily Strautin, Randwick Council
• Nursery and Propagation - with expert Dave Bateman, Randwick Community Nursery
• Site Analysis & Design
• Soil
• Planting Out
  
• Ongoing Management

Growing Big in Small Spaces (Veggie growing)

Fridays, 1:30-4:00pm

Starts Oct 18  (10 Weeks)

Small spaces can yield big results when productive gardens are designed according to permaculture principles. With many of us limited in space, this practical course will help you grow more than you thought possible. 

Over the ten weeks you will learn to identify many plants and what role they play in the garden as well as create a well thought out plan for your garden. This is a very practical course where we will be out in the garden quite a bit!

• Introduction to Permaculture
• Design planning
• Soil and zero waste
• The plant kingdom
• Propagation
• Water conservation
  
• Small Spaces
• Pest management and the animal kingdom
• Preserving the harvest
• Harvest and presentation

WORKSHOP PROGRAM on YOUTUBE

Recordings of past topics can be found on Council's youtube channel under the PermaBee playlist.

GROW IT LOCAL

Randwick Council is a proud supporter of the Grow it Local program that helps connect you with other people in your area that are growing, sharing and eating locally. Check it out!