A 16-week Permaculture Design Course, led by local permaculture experts, Beck Lowe and Ian Lillington, will be running in Castlemaine this February.
Now in it’s 15th year, the internationally recognised course aims to help participants design a life that works for them, the community and the planet.
As living costs rise, designing energy-efficient homes, learning how to grow your own food and to live frugally can be a huge money saver.
The course uses a combination of classroom-based sessions and local site visits to help participants learn how to increase household resilience, grow food where they live, design gardens, farms and buildings and lower their carbon footprint.
Tutors Bec and Ian each have more than 20 years’ experience teaching permaculture around the world, but their teaching methods also derive from their daily lived experiences.
“My partner and I live on an acre of land on the edge of Campbells Creek and permaculture is a hugely important component of my everyday life,” Ian said.
“Permaculture is more than gardening, it’s about sustainable design, and throughout the course we teach participants simple design techniques that can be applied on a large or small scale to homeowners or people who are renting.
“Our classes are fairly informal and we run the course during school friendly hours to make sure it’s accessible – we’ve even had babies come along before.”
One student who recently completed the course said at first they thought they would just be learning about growing veggies and land care.
“But I learned so much more,” the student said.
“This course, through the amazing efforts of our tutors and the wonderful people who welcome students into their homes and farms for field trips, has opened up an entirely new way of looking at the world.
“I now want to pursue life focusing on the three key ethics: earth care, people care and fair share.
“To say this course has changed my life would be an understatement. The sense of community that has been built with my fellow students has been so humbling and I look forward to many years of continued friendship with my permie crew.
“I couldn’t recommend this course more highly.”
The Permaculture Design Course runs from February 9 through to June 14 every Friday from 9.15am – 3.15pm. Cost is $1250 full/$990 concession.
For more information contact Ian Lillington 0478 297 057 or Beck Lowe 0409 661 311 – lead tutors for the Castlemaine Permaculture Hub – or click here
