Portfolio
Check Out What I've Been Working On
Bowden Rd
A project close to my heart for a young family.
A young, busy couple with their first home and two small children.
The backyard had been neglected over the years by previous owners and they wanted a space for all the family members. A space for the kids to be able to explore and play, a pond and water features for dad, and a simple but stylish entertaining area for mum.And of course, a space to grow food!
BEFORE
AFTER
Gordon St Permaculture Garden
A Garden for the community
Created with the support of Byron Region Community College, Mullumbimby with funding from a grant by the FRRR, this garden was created as a space for the community to connect, learn and grow together.
30 x 18m space in the heart of Mullumbimby, it was built by present & past students and in collaboration with other community groups such as Shedding Community Workshop.
It is a guided educational experience with signposts throughout demonstrating applied permaculture principles throughout.
By using upcycled, found & natural materials (permaculture principle don't create waste) we were able to build an 8mm bamboo yurt for workshops and community gatherings, a beautiful greenhouse with vintage windows, a street library, raised wicking beds, keyhole garden beds, water habitats, seating/ relaxing areas, water catchment and an outdoor kitchen and seed saving area. All of this on a shoestring budget showing what a little bit of ingenuity and imagination can do.
It is a place where anyone from the community can come and be inspired, take home ideas and hope for a positive future and is designed to demonstrate that change doesn't have to be scary, it in fact can be a joyful, empowering and connecting experience.
St Joseph's Public School
Connecting kids with nature
This was a really fun design that got a bunch of the school community involved. They wanted a small orchard style food forest that was manageable so kids could pick food for their breaks as they pleased as well as an outdoor classroom and an interactive space the kids could explore natural environments.
Yamble Drive
A food paradise in Northern Rivers
A permaculture paradise nestled in the heart of the Northern Rivers. We took a sad, typically landscaped backyard on a heavy slope and turned it into a food bowl for this family of three. We implemented swales & terracing to help slow, spread & sink water during big rain events and wicking beds made from recycled IBCs for dry times. The planting is a mixture of fruit trees, annual veggies and native plants for habitat and there is a beautiful herb spiral to top this design off. This was a team effort, with significant input and help from the landowners in implementation and design ideas.
East Timor
International Permaculture Design Garden
In 2019, I embarked on a transformative journey to East Timor, collaborating with local organizations to revitalize an old Portuguese colonial-era fort into a permaculture learning and food production hub. Despite challenges like language barriers, water scarcity, and initial skepticism of my methods, we aimed to support local farmers and reduce the community's four-hour treks for food, all while addressing the lingering impacts of historical deforestation and climate change. Within three months, alongside three dedicated locals, we began to turn vision into reality.
Firefly Food Forest
My CHILDHOOD Home
Firefly Food Forest is a particularly special project as I created the forest on my childhood farm. It was the first time that I was able to freely experiment with design, permaculture systems, and soil improvement plans.
I took a heavy clay, compacted part of the front paddock that had been left to the weeds for many years and created what is still becoming a lush, fertile, slightly wild, food forest and garden for my beautiful mum who is now the caretaker of the space and finding her joy and healing in the garden.
