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. Often they appear at events such as Petty's Orchard's fair, Ceres Kingfisher festival or the Rare Breeds Trust.

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

Otways & 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 - We hold monthly meetings at member's homes in Melbourne's Eastern Suburbs (Box Hill to Camberwell) 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- 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 - Covering roughly the area north of the Yarra River, our members come from diverse backgrounds such as urban Brunswick through to very rural St. Andrews, and everything in between. We generally hold monthly meetings at members homes focusing on a special topic. Topics covered so far include everything from water-saving ideas to growing the perfect tomato. We also hold group outings.

Additionally we usually organise and staff the stall at Petty's Orchard Autum Apple Fair. Last year we also helped a fellow local group at the CERES Kingfisher festival

South Eastern Suburbs - The Permaculture Melbourne South Eastern group is in the inner south east, including Oakleigh, Caulfield, Asburton, Waverley. We meet monthly ,usually at each others places, at 6.30 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 -

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. Over the last year, several new groups have formed.