Is David Holmgren on Facebook?
Is David Holmgren on Facebook? The simple answer to this question is no. The reasons are complex and relate to his ambiguous relationship to new technologies through the decades. David has been inspired hearing about the thriving RetroSuburbia Community Facebook group and is very pleased that it is enabling people to share their stories, make […]
The 2018 Venie Holmgren Environmental Poetry Prize
We are thrilled to announce the launch of the 2018 Venie Holmgren Environmental Poetry Prize. The specifics are as follows: Major prize: AUD$1000 All entries must be received by 11.59 pm EST, Friday July 20 2018. The shortlist and winner will be announced during the Daylesford Words in Winter festival, August 17 – 26, 2018. […]
David reviews Heartwood by Rowan Reid
Heartwood: the art and science of growing trees for conservation and profit by Rowan Reid Heartwood by Rowan Reid is a heartfelt story by one of the pioneers of blending forestry and farming in this country over the last 30 years. His story is told through chapters focused on tree species planted on his farm […]
Charles Massy Canberra launch speech
Charles Massy (Call of the Reed Warbler) launched RetroSuburbia in Canberra last week at the 2018 ACT Permaculture Festival. Here is his wonderfully received launch speech: It is both a pleasure & an honour to help launch David Holmgren’s new book here in Canberra: a book by a person I regard as one of the […]
The Melbourne Model
The Age recently published an article entitled, Melbourne’s liveability choice: soar like Manhattan or sprawl like LA The article quoted Infrastructure Australia’s three scenarios for Melbourne in 2046. The LA model: More than one million extra people – or 40 per cent of projected population growth to 2046 – will live on the city’s edge […]
RetroSuburbia: out in the world
After four years in the making, RetroSuburbia is finally out there in the world. Weighing in at 1.8kg and 592 full colour pages, she is an absolute beauty, and the whole team here couldn’t be prouder. In fact, we are excited beyond words. Here are some photos from Saturday’s book launch at the National Sustainable […]
RetroSuburbia crowd support campaign
To offset the cost of printing David’s forthcoming book in Australia, we are excited to announce that we have just launched a crowd support campaign. RetroSuburbia: the downshifter’s guide to a resilient future will be self-published by David’s micro-publishing house, Melliodora Publishing, which has published David’s previous books plus a handful of other titles including […]
2018 Advanced Permaculture Planning + Design Process
Have you completed a PDC but feel there is more you’d like to learn? Are you interested in design principles and ethics but are not quite sure how to integrate the processes into your thinking, designing and decision making? On this four-day residential course, tutors David Holmgren and Dan Palmer will take you through various […]
The 2017 Venie Prize Winners
Firstly, thank you to the 141 entrants in the 2017 Venie Holmgren Environmental Poetry Prize. Each and every poem that was entered was a pleasure to read. A big thank you also goes to Fiona Hile + Ross Gillett for judging the Prize and for coming along to Sunday’s Words in Winter event where the […]
2018 Ashram Permaculture Design Course
Permaculture Design Course Friday 23 February – Saturday 10 March 2018 Are you looking to create a more sustainable lifestyle? Meet like-minded people? Retrofit your house, your community and your life? Become less dependent on big business and supermarkets? Design a resilient system in the face of growing uncertainties? The course A PDC […]


