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PERMACULTURE SERIES
Featured Courses
Permaculture Living Course
Permaculture Design Course
What is Permaculture?
Popularly seen as a ‘cool’ form of organic gardening, permaculture could be better described as a design system for resilient living and land use based on universal ethics and ecological design principles. Although the primary focus of permaculture has been the redesign of gardening, farming, animal husbandry and forestry, the same ethics and principles apply to design of buildings, tools and technology.
Applying permaculture ethics and principles in our gardens and homes inevitably leads us towards redesigning our ways of living so as to be more in tune with local surpluses and limits.
Permaculture is also a global movement of individuals, groups and networks working to create the world we want, by providing for our needs and organising our lives in harmony with nature. The movement is active in the most privileged and the most destitute communities and countries. Permaculture may be Australia’s most significant export for humanity facing a world of limits.
from David Holmgren’s book RetroSuburbia
In this video, produced by The Food Forest, in 2010, David reflects on how permaculture can be used as a template for survival and abundance
Latest Writings
Vale Joan Webster OAM
How much can one person achieve in a lifetime? Without an army of followers and assistants to help, any contribution or dent in the larger society and environment will surely be modest. Doing so without some collateral damage to those in your wake is almost impossible. Being a woman in a man’s world is a
Shades of Green: Finding a middle path through the Forest
While a diversity of broader and more immediate issues also compete for my attention, it was serendipitous when a local colleague, similarly passionate and active in ecological forestry, gave me this book to read. While many people (including authors and publishers) give me books to read, reflect on and/or review, I am not the greatest or fastest reader and many times I do little more than scan-read bits before passing on. However Chrissy Sharp’s posthumously published Shades of Green (2022) struck an immediate chord.
Vale Dave Griffiths: Central Victorian pioneer tree planter
Back in the 1980s when fellow permaculture enthusiasts were beginning to try their hand at design consultancy, I would mention some of the substantial impediments with the analogy of imagining how architects would work if there was nobody skilled in all the different building trades.
From our online PDC participants...
I feel so inspired to continue learning about and practicing Permaculture at home and in my community.
~ Sarah
The online format has allowed us to learn with people from all around the world...
~ Jess
Investing in this PDC has been some of the most rewarding and important time and energy I have ever spent.
~ Megan
Live Online - Permaculture Design Course
With David Holmgren, Beck Lowe & Guests
Featured Videos
Changing Habits for Self-Reliance and Resilience
David Holmgren — Sustainable Living Festival 2018
David Holmgren — Decolonise Your Lawn
About Holmgren Design
David Holmgren is the co-originator of the permaculture concept following publication of Permaculture One, co-authored with Bill Mollison in 1978. David is globally recognised as a leading ecological thinker.
Melliodora is a small specialist publisher dedicated to producing a limited range of books and other media by David Holmgren and other authors. Our titles aim to support individuals in their personal permaculture journeys.
Melliodora is a 8700m² (2¼ acre) property situated on Dja Dja Wurrung Country in Central Victoria. It is one of the best documented and well known permaculture demonstration sites in the world.
Latest News
Marine permaculture: Design principles for productive seascapes
Permaculture is an approach that has proven itself on land as a way to blend farming with healthy ecosystems. What if it could do the same on water?
Do With Su
I am very excited about the launch of Do with Su on the Holmgren Hub. It is a culmination of a long process for my partner in love and livelihood to share her skills, passion and wisdom with a wider audience.
2024 Australian Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander scholarship
Are you an Australian Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander? You are warmly invited to apply for a scholarship for one of the upcoming Online PDCs – the course that runs from 8 February to 27 June 2024 or the course that runs from 16 July to 26 November 2024. Gadigal Elder Uncle Charles Davison and
From the Archive
Vale Joan Webster OAM
How much can one person achieve in a lifetime? Without an army of followers and assistants to help, any contribution or dent in the larger society and environment will surely...
Read MoreShades of Green: Finding a middle path through the Forest
While a diversity of broader and more immediate issues also compete for my attention, it was serendipitous when a local colleague, similarly passionate and active in ecological forestry, gave me...
Read MoreVale Ross Mars: Persistent Permaculture
Ross Mars, permaculture pioneer of Western Australia, died peacefully on the 9th November from Motor Neurone Disease at home in Mundaring WA surrounded by his family.
Read MoreDictator Dave’s National Water Plan, and more modest musings
During the height of the millennial drought, I was peripherally involved in one of the side skirmishes of the “Water Wars” playing out across rural and urban Australia. Some of...
Read MorePhil Gall: Permaculture Pioneer
There is no one who deserves the accolade of “permaculture pioneer” more than Phil Gall who died recently with his family around him in a Melbourne nursing home.
Read More