Local groups are the lifeblood of how Permaculture Melbourne carries out it's activities and provides services to the members. Without your local group in becomes hard to be involved beyond reading your bi-monthly slice of PIE

Local groups are all different, reflecting the difference between locations and peoples. Some hold interesting and challenging monthly meetings. Others get together less frequently, but for larger events. One has even established a very successful farmers market. Several Local Groups run stalls at local fairs and festivals to promote Permaculture and their local group activities.

Existing Groups

So look up your local group, contact them, and go along to their next event !

Otways and Coast Permaculture group

Location: Victoria's Otways & south west Coast

Otways & Coast Permaculture Group (OCPG) is under the umbrella of Permaculture Melbourne Inc. It is also part of Southwest Victoria Community Garden and Permaculture Network which is linked in with the rganisation "Cultivating Community Inc." and Australian City Farms and Community Gardens Network.

OCPG was formerly Apollo Bay & Districts Permaculture Group, started by Fern Rainbow (nee: Ockerby)  in 2004.

The Otways & Coast bioregion roughly follows the boundaries of the traditional owners of the land, the Gadabanud and Gulijan people. The Katabanud country stretches east from the Gellibrand river at > Princetown along the coast to Panicalac creek then inland to Birregurra and follows the Barwon river back to Barramunga and then over the ridge to the upper Gellibrand river and back down to Princetown.(*) Energy expenditure and usage, as well as flora & fauna habitat also plays a part in defining a bioregion. In a permaculture sense, as bioregions are life regions, people and human culture are a very important part of defining a bioregion. As Bill Mollison writes in ch.14.5 of the permaculture designers manual, "The acid test of a bioregion is that it is recognised as such by its inhabitants".

OCPG meets on a monthly basis, usually the first Monday of each month. Activities are varied and often spring from these monthly meetings.
(*) Thanks to John Clarke for the information on Gatabunud and tribal boundaries.

Eastern Suburbs Permaculture Group

Location: Melbourne's Eastern Suburbs - from Box Hill to Camberwell

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We hold monthly meetings at member's homes in Melbourne's Eastern Suburbs on the first Sunday of the month from 1 pm to whenever the food runs out. Guest speakers present on topics such as worm farming, chicken keeping, heritage seeds and beekeeping. Members bring a plate to share and excess produce from their gardens.
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Mountain District Permaculture Group

Location: Dandenong Ranges, from Ferntree Gully to Macclesfield to Gembrook.

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We hold monthly meetings at various venues in the hills above Melbourne from Ferntree Gully to Macclesfield to Gembrook and all in between. The 3 rd Thursday evening of every month. Guest speakers throughout the year and from November through till March, we enjoy farm/property walks.

We have our own Bi-Monthly newsletter for our local group and our Members enjoy a free library of books and videos on Permaculture and related subjects. Our group has organised field trips to interesting places all over Victoria.

North East Ranges Permaculture Group

Location: Melbourne's North East including Watsonia, Montmorency, Donvale and Eltham through to more rural Diamond Creek, Hurstbridge, Cottlesbridge, Warrandyte and St. Andrews.

Our members come from urban blocks in Watsonia, Montmorency, Donvale and Eltham through to more rural Diamond Creek, Hurstbridge, Cottlesbridge, Warrandyte and St. Andrews.

Topics range from budding, preserving and bottling, saving energy – solar power and hot water, seed-saving, making vinegar, herbs, retrofitting houses and ethical buying.

We also have a stall at the Hurstbridge Farmer’s market on the first Sunday of each month. We would love to meet you and talk all things Permie.

South Eastern Suburbs Permaculture Group

Location: Melbourne's, inner South Eastern Suburbs, including Oakleigh, Caulfield, Asburton and the Waverley area.

We meet monthly, usually at each others places, at 6.30 pm to have dinner bring surplus produce, seeds and seedlings to share and talk about topics related to Permaculture.

We might get an expert to teach pruning, discuss a members new garden and help each other with the design. Also we will be doing working bees in each others gardens again

Yarra Valley Permaculture Group

Location: Yarra Valley section of the Shire of Yarra Ranges, from McMahon's Creek in the east to Yarra Glen in the west, extending to Glenburn in the north and Cockatoo and Monbulk in the south.

The Yarra Valley PG was established in Healesville in 1992.  Regular meetings are held and activities include:

• site visits to properties of interest,

• plant and seed swap days,

• grafting and pruning days,

• educational presentations,

• video/DVD screenings,

• occasional public events held jointly with other community groups and,

•  promotional stalls at local fairs and festivals.

All members and visitors are very welcome at our events.

A regular newsletter is produced with local news, upcoming events, a photo gallery, articles on topics of interest, personal stories, recipes and more.

A major project of the YVPG is the Organic Farmers Market at the Healesville Railway Station, run in conjunction with the Yarra Valley Tourist Railway. The market was established in 2004 to improve local food security by providing an outlet for local organically-grown produce, encouraging sustainable small-scale enterprises, a fresh food supply for the local community and a venue for growers and consumers to meet. The annual birthday of the Market is celebrated at the Autumn Equinox with an Autumnfest where regular stallholders are joined by various Permaculture groups and other community environment groups. The Market operates from 8 am to 1 pm every Saturday except pubic holidays. The Market's motto is "Think Global, Eat Local - keep your dollars in the Yarra Valley"

In 2008 the group auspiced a successful application for funding from the Shire of Yarra Ranges for a Community Harvest Project, conceived and managed by Kerry Dawborn from YVPG and Michelle Jones from the Hills Organic Box Scheme. This project aims to connect people interested in growing, buying and consuming locally-grown food through a series of local clusters that meet and undertake activities to advance local food security. See the Community Harvest website for further information.

In 2009 YVPG joined the Upper Yarra Community Environment Park at Wesburn, to assist in the development of the Park as a showcase of sustainable living in a rural environment. Members had input to the Master Planning process during 2009, are serving on the Committee of Management and various sub-committees and in voluntary support roles. An annual Yarra Valley PDC is now being run there by the YVPG’s Education Team, to support the Park.

YVPG members participate in various Shire policy development forums and during 2008-10 assisted with planning for the Healesville Community Gardens.

Permaculture Out West

Location: Melbourne's Western Suburbs

Website: www.pow.org.au

This group aims to hold regular Permablitzes, promote permaculture at festivals etc.

For Regional Contacts CLICK HERE

All of the above groups can be contacted regarding membership and activities. If there is no active local group near you, start one ! Permaculture Melbourne has a program to assist the establishment of local groups, including mentoring and financial assistance.