I grew up near Toowoomba, Qld, on a small bush block with adjisted cattle and a Permaculture inspired mixed orchard planted by my father. I began to take a true interest in Permaculture while studying Veterinary Science in Brisbane, spending spare time studying Mollison, turning my rented bit of lawn into a productive polyculture, and helping to establish a Permaculture garden at the uni.
I then spent 6 months as a part time intern at the Seedsavers Network centre at Byron Bay, where Michel and Jude Fanton deeply inspired me to play my part in taking responsibility for our collective future.
Most of the time since 2003 I've spent in Forster, supporting my family with vet work while contributing to my local community. I connected with local farmers and gardeners to establish Great Lakes Seedsavers, still a thriving group, worked on starting up Forster Community Garden, first on the steering committee and then managing the intial setup and plantings, and spent two and a half years as a Catchment Officer for Great Lakes Council, working on moving Council's rural extension work into an Agroecology inspired, Participatory Action Learning based Sustainable Farming Program. As chair of Great Lakes Community Resources, I supported, and developed garden concept plans for, a community gardening and sustainability project "The Green" at the Tuncurry Waste Management site.
I took a six month "break" in 2010/11 working at Finca La Donaira in Andalucia, helping this large and complex property move onto a more sustainable footing.
Back in Forster, I'm presently doctoring animals on a part time, casual basis while managing two urban intensive yard-scale Permaculture projects, and offering group workshops and consultation services, independently and in partnership with other local practitioners.