Sustainable Living courses available in Byron Bay and Mullumbimby

Do you dream of living more sustainably? Gain the hands-on skills and knowledge to make that dream a reality.

Learn to reduce your footprint on the planet in an affordable way, engage positively with your surroundings and help your community gain the benefits of sustainability too.

Choose from our nationally-recognised Permaculture certificate courses to one-day workshops and short courses.

Develop your interests in sustainability by enrolling, today.

Natural Building Introduction

Come along to learn about various earthen building materials such as straw bales, cob, mud bricks & light earth, and learn how to use them in your project. This introduction course will be a combination of class time and hands on time. Please come wearing clothes that can get muddy! What to bring A pen & paper Refreshments Important information Once your enrolment is completed you will receive a confirmation email. This email will be your receipt and inform you of the dates, time... [More]

This course has no current classes. Please Join the waiting list.

Backyard Food Production

Growing your own herbs and vegetables can be a rewarding and exciting experience. This course provides you with a mix of practical information and hands-on experience to achieve great results. During this 8 week course, you will become part of a small team who will be the custodians of our backyard vegetable garden plot at our purpose designed 1-acre permaculture site located at Mullumbimby Community Gardens (MCG). We will follow the seasons of a north coast vegetable garden.... [More]

Assessments are made against units of competency.

• Engage in short and simple spoken exchanges at work (FSKOCM002)
• Estimate, measure and calculate with routine metric measurements for work (FSKNUM015)
• Read and respond to routine workplace information (FSKRDG010)

This course has no current classes. Please Join the waiting list.

Bamboo Basics Part 1

Join us for one of the most comprehensive bamboo courses available in Australia. Split into 2 parts and held at the Mullumbimby Community Gardens, it is recommended students enrol in Part 1 and 2 to gain the full benefits of this hands on, rigorous bamboo course. Bamboo Basics Part 1: An introduction to bamboo. In this short course you will learn how to harvest good quality bamboo and treat it for longevity. It will also cover how to grow different species of bamboo and how to... [More]

Assessments are made against units of competency.

• Use digital technology for short and basic workplace tasks (FSKDIG001)

This course has no current classes. Please Join the waiting list.

Bamboo Basics Part 2

Join us for one of the most comprehensive bamboo courses available in Australia. Split into 2 parts and held at the Mullumbimby Community Gardens, it is recommended students enrol in Part 1 and 2 to gain the full benefits of this hands on, rigorous bamboo course. Bamboo Basics Part 2: Builds on the skills learnt in Bamboo Basics Part 1. You will delve deeper into the 1001 multifunctional uses for this incredible renewable resource and master the basics of designing to build with... [More]

Assessments are made against units of competency.

• Read and respond to short and simple workplace signs and symbols (FSKRDG002)
• Participate in familiar spoken interactions at work (FSKOCM003)
• Write short and simple workplace information (FSKWTG003)

This course has no current classes. Please Join the waiting list.

Permaculture Teacher Training

Want to inspire others to learn about permaculture? Join us for a seven(and a half) day intensive teacher training that’s been designed to empower you to become an effective and creative permaculture teacher. During this course, we will cover a sequence of steps to help you learn how to communicate clearly and confidently when teaching permaculture to others. Suitable for people of all abilities, these skills are also transferable for teaching/facilitating in other disciplines. We... [More]

This course has no current classes. Please Join the waiting list.

Native Plant Identification and Wild Foods

Join us for an introduction into the wonderful world of plant identification and become familiar with some of our local rainforest species and unique wild foods. In the spirit of fun and inquiry, we will cover some basic and intermediate level botanic terminology, identify rainforest species, plant families, and discover what edible fruits, shoots and roots are available in this area. We will delve deeper into the nuances of plant ID and the interconnectedness of plant Families,... [More]

This course has no current classes. Please Join the waiting list.

Solitary Native Bees

Native bees are fascinating creatures that are important pollinators and are vital to increasing fruit and vegetable yield. Unlike European and Native stingless bees, Solitary bees do not live in hives.  They construct singular nests in earth, reeds, rolled leaves and stems like bamboo or lantana. Their fragile habitat is under threat and we can create havens in our gardens for them by growing year round nectar producing flowers, plants that provide building materials for their... [More]

This course has no current classes. Please Join the waiting list.

Native Animals for Natural Pest Management

Did you know that native animals like birds, frogs, lizards, and dragon flies are much better than humans at catching insects like grasshoppers and caterpillars that eat our valuable garden produce. And they love doing it!! But how do we attract them to our gardens and more importantly persuade them to stay? Come and learn how to create a safe habitat and food sources for animals in your backyard to support native species that are under threat. We’ll cover land and water habitats,... [More]

This course has no current classes. Please Join the waiting list.

AHC42116 - Certificate IV in Permaculture

Come on the journey to grow your permaculture know-how right in the green heart of Northern NSW! Permaculture is a richly rewarding career, where you can immerse yourself in sustainable living and organic farming practices. It can provide you with opportunities to work in community development locally and internationally, aid projects, integrated food production or design for sustainable living. This Certificate IV Qualification aims to expand your existing knowledge of... [More]

Assessments are made against units of competency from the Certificate IV in Permaculture AHC42116.

• Provide advice on permaculture principles and practices (AHCPER401)
• Design harvesting and storage systems for permaculture products (AHCPER407)
• Manage a permaculture seed bank (AHCPER409)
• Identify and analyse bioregional characteristics and resources (AHCPER406)
• Manage organic soil improvement (AHCORG403)
• Recommend approaches for sustainable community and bioregional development (AHCPER410)
• Design an urban permaculture system (AHCPER403)
• Operate within a sustainable community and bioregional development program (AHCPER411)
• Plan and implement permaculture works (AHCPER404)
• Select appropriate technology for a permaculture system (AHCPER405)
• Evaluate suitability of species as solutions for permaculture applications (AHCPER413)
• Cost a project (AHCBUS407)

This course has no current classes. Please Join the waiting list.

Wicking Bed Workshop

Join us in this hands-on immersive one-day Wicking Bed Workshop. Discover the secrets of efficient and sustainable gardening as you learn how to create a self-watering garden bed that conserves water and promotes healthy plant growth.  Our experienced instructor will guide you through the step-by-step process of building and maintaining a wicking bed, including selecting materials, proper irrigation techniques, and optimizing soil health. Leave equipped with the knowledge and... [More]

This course has no current classes. Please Join the waiting list.

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