I am a 5th generation resident of Ballarat, a cool temperate area just below the Great Dividing Range in SE Australia. My professional work has included teaching Drama & English, working with the long-term unemployed and corporate consulting. I have separate degrees in Education and Psychology as well as an enthusiasm for building and construction.
I heard a lecture on permaculture soon after finishing high school and it just sounded like 'common sense' to me. I've always grown a few vegetables but my interest and commitment to permaculture as the most sensible way to live sustainably has increased significantly over the last decade or so.
I am a founding and active member of the Ballarat Permaculture Guild, live on 8 acres at the edge of town and am now very actively developing my property. Between 2000-2008 I worked for World Vision International and was overseas nearly half the year. Since returning fulltime to Australia, developing my property has been a priority. I am a WWOOF host. In 2011, I have been project managing a funded project - Backyard Bounty - which encourages people to grow more food at home.