One of the NSCF goals is to work collectively with First Nations people (especially Yuggera and Turrbal people) towards reparative and empowering action. We have a First Nations Advisory Group which provides advice on the farm’s work, in particular in relation to this goal. Our current First Nations Advisory Group includes Dameila Thompson, Tessa Bobir and Bruce Phillips. We are grateful to all past members of the advisory group, in particular Michael Williams, Derek Sandy, Dominique Chen, Jacob Birch and Odette Best.

In October 2016 a Decolonisation Action Group (DAG), made up of volunteers including staff and Management Committee members, was formed at the Farm. The group worked to build partnerships with First Nations peoples and organisations; to build respect for First Nations culture and understanding of the history of colonisation; and to provide opportunities for First Nations people to learn from our education programs, to be facilitators/ teachers on our education programs, and to gain employment at NSCF. This initial work from the DAG laid the groundwork for the farm to start integrating our work with First Nations people across all of the farm’s activities. 

NSCF organises activities which:

• •  Acknowledge that we are on Yuggera & Turrbal land
• •  Mitigate the harm done by colonisation to the land and its people
• •  Tell the stories of the history of this place and people
• •  Support engagement with First Nations people
• •  Create a space to hear First Nations stories
• •  Create a culturally safe place
• •  Employ First Nations people to show we value diversity, acknowledge inequity and to learn from and value their knowledge and skills
• •  Explore the links between Permaculture and First Nations knowledge and culture.

Here are some of our solidarity initiatives to support our goal of working collectively with First Nations people.

• Food growing: Free allotment garden space for First Nations people; access to bush foods and native plants on site. 
• Market: First Nations businesses get 50% off stallholder fees; new First Nations businesses (under two years old) could be eligible for 1 year free. 
• Education: First Nations people can receive over 45% off youth education programs, 75% off the Permaculture Design Course, plus additional discounts for select workshops.
• Tours: free tours provided to First Nations schools. 
• Nursery: Patrons can contribute to a Pay-it-Forward fund that enables us to provide free plants to First Nations organisations. 

The NSCF community has decided to use the term ‘First Nations’ rather than ‘Indigenous’ because this was the preferred terminology used by the national advocacy group, the First Nations Congress.