Past First Nations Collaborative Work

Activities in the 2023-24 Financial Year

We were delighted to have a number of First Nations presenters involved with our education programs. In particular, Bruce Phillips from Murri Tukka started running bush foods workshops, taking over from farm founder Dick Copeman. 

We held a session for farm staff led by Gamiliaroi woman Dominique Chen, in the lead up to the launch of the Growing on Country online course. This resource was designed by the team at Yuruwan to support anyone involved in growing food who wants to be an ally to First Nations people. We are again grateful for the grant that we received from Bank Australia to help kickstart this important project. 

For the first time, our Winter Solstice Festival had a ‘Connect to Country’ stage, featuring an amazing group of First Nations presenters including Jacob Birch, Tanika Orr and Chris Jordan. We also started the festival with a powerful Welcome to Country from Derek Sandy, featured other amazing First Nations performers and continued the tradition of providing free tickets for First Nations people to the event and Dominique Chen was part of a panel discussion on permaculture education.

‘Remembering History, Celebrating First Nations Survival’ gathering for the farm community was held on Thursday January 25th, in acknowledgement of January 26th (Invasion Day / Survival Day). 

We are grateful to our First Nations Advisory Group who helped guide the farm’s work over this period – Derek Sandy, Dameila Thompson, Dominique Chen and Jacob Birch.  

Activities in 2022

• • • 4 Grow Share Yarn gatherings facilitated by Dominique Chen .
    • The Farm’s PDC had its first First Nations person graduate and a second very close to finishing.     
    • We received a Bank Australia grant for Dominique Chen to develop an on line training resource to accompany regenerative agriculture and permaculture courses in Australia. It will give participants an opportunity to explore ways to practically and meaningfully engage with First Nations people, protocols, and perspectives, towards a more equitable and respectful, land-based future.  
    • First Nations content appeared widely at the 2022 Winter Solstice Festival including Barkindji woman and hip-hop artist Baarka, as the headline act. We were extremely fortunate to have Bruce Pascoe present on the topic Native grains and food sovereignty.  
    • City Farm Nursery launched the pay-it-forward Native Plant programme to support First Nations communities to re-generate land in a way that heals country and supports communities’ knowledge and connection with native plant food and medicine. 
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Activities in 2021

• We provided a free tour for year five students from the Murri School.
• We awarded part-scholarship places to 3 First Nations participants on our Permaculture Design Course.
• We involved First Nations performers at our solstice and equinox events.
• We welcomed Dominique Chen and Jacob Birch to join our First Nations Advisory Group .
• In March we provided a free workshop to First Nations participants – ‘Foodways, Our ways, Always: First Nations Urban Food Growing and Food Usage’ – with the support of a grant from Bank Australia.
• In April we hosted a ‘Decolonising Food Forum’ at the Australasian Permaculture Convergence with First Nations presenters Dominique Chen, Gerry Turpin and Jacob Birch.
• We changed the FNAG terms of reference to increase the number of members from 4 to 6.
• Held the inaugural Grow, Share, Yarn session run by and for First Nations People.
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Activities in 2020

• We held fire-side discussions about decolonisation, white privilege and other related issues.
• Emily McConochie, who was our First Nations Engagement Co-ordinator, ran a public workshop on ‘Remembering our Radical Roots’ in the lead-up to Invasion Day.
• We held a First Nations themed Night Market, with performances from Ethan Enoch, Balairi and a native foods workshop.
• We provided discounted places for teachers from the Murri School to attend our School Gardening workshop.
• We provided a free tour for year 5 students from the Murri School.
• We held meetings with our First Nations Advisory Group (FNAG) and give thanks to our FNAG members for 2020 – Michael Williams, Odette Best, Derek Sandy – for their wisdom and guidance to the farm in our First Nations engagement and decolonising work at the farm.
• We took steps towards ‘decolonising’ our DAG meetings by holding them around the fire.
• We decided to offer half price discounts for First Nations people to attend our Introduction to Permaculture weekend workshop.
• We had First Nations performers at our Summer Solstice event.

Activities in 2019

• We hosted a forum for the Yolgnu Nations Aboriginal Corporation.
• We held two evening events for the public: Libby Connors discussing her book ‘Warrior’ about the resistance warrior Dundali; and Ray Kerkhove discussing his book ‘Aboriginal Campsites of Greater Brisbane’.
• We provided the Murri School with a free tour for the year five students and a discounted tour for the prep students.
• Our Permaculture Design Course students did their garden designs at the Murri School.
• Our first Permaculture Design Course part-scholarship for a First Nations person was taken up.
• A group from NSCF attended the Myall Creek Massacre commemoration, and reported back to the wider farm community at a presentation.
• We held a forum at our Winter Solstice Festival on ‘Decolonising the Diet’ with 2 members of our First Nations Advisory Group.
• We secured a grant to employ a First Nations Engagement Coordinator for 5 months to develop some pilot programs and build relationships with First Nations community members and organisations.
• A session on ‘Decolonisation 101’ was run by our First Nations Engagement Coordinator for the NSCF community.
• We held a forum at our Winter Solstice Festival on ‘Decolonising the Diet’ with 2 members of our First Nations Advisory Group.

Activities in 2018

• We created a new Education Discounts policy which includes providing a half price place for First Nations people in each of our Permaculture Design Courses.
• A public screening of the film Stingray Sisters was held to mark NAIDOC week.
• We participated in the Family Fun Day at Musgrave Park during NAIDOC Week.
• A series of 4 cultural awareness workshops for staff & volunteers was facilitated by Michael Williams.
• First Nations information and storytelling was included in the Earth Kids program.
• NSCF First Nations Advisory Group was formed.

Activities in 2017

• A screening of the film ‘Putuparri and the Rainmakers’ for staff and volunteers.
• Thursday talks by Michael Williams exploring First Nations culture, knowledge & perspectives.
• In May, a group trip to Cherbourg to visit the Ration Shed Museum was followed by a camp at the Bunya Mountains.
• An Aboriginal Flag raising ceremony was held during Reconciliation Week to celebrate 50 years since the 1967 Referendum.
• A Decolonisation Action Plan for NSCF was developed.
• A Harmony Day dinner celebrating all the cultures at the farm was held.