Our purpose is to help regenerate the world.
- to grow and propagate regenerative practices
- to build and grow regenerative businesses
- to make a tangible local impact on people, place and planet
Our purpose is to use a natural context to provide immersive experiences, practices, and training on how to be regenerative.
Our permaculture farm will be a destination of interest, focused on immersion in a natural, productive setting to inspire people to reconnect with themselves, each other and the planet.
Mistwood
More details:
Starting Context
The property is located along an old railway line at the end of a ridge that drops into the La Trobe River valley. Like much of Gippsland, it is very hilly. The western side of the property was once totally cleared and has reforested over time with self-seeded Acacia and native cherries, though some of these are now dying off. Due to poor management, these steep forest areas infested with blackberries and weeds we would like to continue supporting this natural rewilding of these areas while retaining 50% food growing and farming.
Overall, the climate data suggests Neerim Junction offers favourable conditions for regenerating our old farm into a permaculture farm. The mean annual rainfall is 1115.9 mm. The highest recorded rainfall was 1392.3 mm in 2020, while the lowest recorded rainfall was 753.6 mm in 1990. The temperate climate shows typical seasonal variation on the cooler side, with the average maximum temperature ranging from 12.0°C in July to 25.2°C in February.
The homestead's water supply system includes a strategic collection and storage setup with tanks capable of holding over 85,000 litres of rainwater, ensuring a dependable source for drinking water. Additionally, the discovery of a healthy dam on the property, despite access challenges due to overgrowth, offers potential for irrigation and livestock water, further enhancing the homestead's water resource management.
The total soil bacterial levels are mostly within the desired range, but the active bacteria are below optimal. Fungal populations, both active and total, are significantly below what we're aiming for, with no active fungal biomass present. Additionally, our protozoa and nematode counts are lower than ideal, with flagellates and total nematodes notably deficient, indicating a lack of nutrient cycling and biological diversity in the soil. Mycorrhizal colonisation, crucial for plant nutrient uptake, is also insufficient for both endo and ecto types.
Proposed Permaculture Farm Areas
We’ve marked out our farm areas for different types of farming, and we've tried to take into account the geography of the land and our intended uses of the land. Much of the property is very steep and not really suitable for market gardens. But there are some areas along the ridge that are flatter. There are some areas that are very steep, and very hard to get a tractor on to which we intend to either reforest or leave as forest, and use these as a nature corridors, as well as our places to explore when people are on the land.
We think there's an opportunity to use the long north west paddock as a food forest by establishing Groves of the trees and fruit trees, interspersed with other sporting plants, and interwoven with a winding track that leads down to the lower circumnavigating track.
Would like to rehabilitate the water catchment, and the dam, and we propose to fence this off from livestock to help and is re-established native vegetation in this riparian zone. Our intention here is to only improve the quality of the water that we capture, but also improve the quality of the water that flows into Hemp Hills Creek. This area is very overgrown at the moment and seek with blackberries along with fallen trees into the dam. The dam itself looks okay but needs a bit of work.
Main Permaculture design aspects
Here are some more details of the main aspects of our permaculture design. These elements are crucial in ensuring the productivity and effectiveness of our farming practices, and fostering the tourism and community activities.
Develop a food forest by selecting suitable trees, ensuring proper spacing, and incorporating native plants for biodiversity, while considering environmental factors and ongoing maintenance for sustainable growth.
We will establish cooperative market gardens, utilizing organic no-till methods. Windbreak trees will be planted to protect the gardens. A central tool shed and storage area will be built for easy access.
In the pasture, we plan to stock a flock of sheep in the top paddock, rotating them through smaller paddocks. We'll upgrade and install ring-lock fencing suitable for sheep with lambs. Our cover crop selections include legumes, grasses, and brassicas. To ensure optimal implementation, we'll practice rotational grazing, prepare the soil, incorporate seeds properly, provide adequate watering, and protect newly sown areas with fencing.
Our homestead and farm centers are designed to foster cooperative farming and permaculture principles. The kitchen garden will be our focal point, while the farm centers will be located away from the house. Additionally, we plan to incorporate somatic therapy into our operations.
The proposed Centre for Regenerative Futures will be a retreat space with panoramic views for collaborative work on sustainable and regenerative strategies. Outdoor gathering spaces will complement the event space at the hilltop.
We propose building sustainable, off-grid B&B cabins and small group cabins in various locations on the farm. These accommodations will be regenerative, stylish, modern, and comfortable, with their own energy, water, and waste systems. Additionally, we envision hosting events and workshops in the event space. Possible locations for the cabins are shown in black.
The proposed plan includes resurfacing the Top Garage Platform, extending the boundary track to the Dam, adding small tracks to the Farm Shed and Market Gardens, and creating access to the Centre for Regenerative Futures.
We aim to rehabilitate the existing dam, improve soil quality through vertical tilling, and consider swales/drains for water management. Additionally, we plan to install a second dam to capture water on the property.