Pre- & Post- Convergence Courses

While you are in the area, attend one of the Permaculture Design Courses and other courses  in the region in the weeks leading up to the APC.

Teachers planning courses around this time please contact us so we can include you in the list. Email: apc2020@nscf.org.au.


Pre- APC Courses


6 – 20 March 2021.    PDC, certified Permaculture Design Course. Permaculture College Australia, Djanbung Gardens, Nimbin

Residential immersion course. Live and learn in a working permaculture farm with one of the world’s most experienced PDC teachers, Robyn Francis, at Permaculture College Australia, Djanbung Gardens.
This 100-hour course includes the classic 72-hour PDC plus additional topics, practical projects and field trips. The course is fully catered by our qualified permaculture chef with local and organic produce for vegan and ethical omnivore diets. Camping on site.

Course fee: $2395  includes tuition, course handbook, full catering (except day off) and free camping on site. Enquire about accommodation & tent hire.
10% discount for Permaculture Australia members

Venue  Djanbung Gardens PCA, Nimbin Nthn NSW  Inspiring 26-year-old permaculture property where the concepts taught are practiced.
Further details and registration https://permaculture.com.au/shop/permaculture-design-course-pdc/ 


21 – 26 March 2021 . Creative Teachers, Facilitators and Group Leadership Course – ‘Dynamic Groups, Dynamic Learning’.  6 day intensive at Crystal Waters Permaculture EcoVillage with Robin Clayfield.

 What creates a dynamic group? What supports an effective, fun and successful learning environment? The jigsaw puzzle of groups learning and working together becomes an adventure in this Creative Facilitation intensive. The course equips people with the understanding and skills of what is ‘best practice, leading edge’ learning and facilitation methods through immersion and practical hands on experiences. Robin Clayfield has had 27 years’ experience training Permaculture teachers and specializes in creating an interactive learning environment and inspiring the use of creative processes. She has an underlying commitment to the empowerment of every person and the group as a whole. Participants have the experience that ‘Magic happens in Dynamic Groups and learning happens easily’. Not only will you have this experience, you’ll get to feel what it’s like to facilitate this for others in the group. You will be supported to develop confidence, fluency and often mastery in the art and skill of facilitating learning as opposed to presenting or teaching information in more commonly used ways.

Cost: Sliding scale – Waged $1095, Concession $895, Full Price/Govt Corporate $1295. Pay what you can with payment plan options if needed.

Book or more info from Robin Clayfield. www.dynamicgroups.com.au .   Email – robin@earthcare.com.au . Phone – 61(0)7 5494 4707


5 – 10 April 2021, 8.30 – 6pm each day. Teaching Permaculture Teachers.

Northey Street City Farm, Brisbane. with Rowe Morrow, Brenna Quinlan, & Michael Wardle

*Please note, there is no camping onsite and no food provided for this course.

Permaculture as a curriculum has been a significant success in education on a global scale. Few curricula can claim such broad adoption of the essential elements and features of it as an educational proposal as permaculture does. The success of permaculture as a course of study can be attributed to the teachers who have taught the students moving exponentially. Teaching permaculture and learning and translating it into effective practice.

This course is offered to share a particular approach with the next generations of teachers. The course was developed from my conviction that teachers could demonstrate the best in adult learning, teaching, understanding and methodology. And produce excellent teachers who will create excellent permaculturists. Teachers would need to develop the capacity within their students to think within the discipline. There are layers of knowledge and behaviour. I have explored a diversity of strategies always focused on the learner and Care of People to offer a considered choice of methods effective in giving students confidence and competence to be excellent teachers of future permaculturists.

All participants are required to hold a recognised PDC. They are also required to attend 100% of the course. The certificate is recognised globally, and this course curriculum has been taught in eight European countries as well as Kashmir, India, and others.

Venue: Northey Street City Farm, Windsor, Brisbane.

Cost: $800( plus booking fee)*Please note, cost does not include food or accommodation.

For more information or to Book 


Post-APC Courses


17 – 18 April (with Trainers’ add-on day 19th April).  Retrosuburbia Workshop

On North Stradbroke Island with Beck Lowe & David Holmgren

Are you looking to create a more sustainable and resilient household? Wondering how to retrofit your current home or circumstances? Wanting to grow more food, reduce your energy use and enjoy a more satisfying, fulfilling life?

Join us to explore these and other themes from David Holmgren’s book RetroSuburbia: the downshifter’s guide to a resilient future in this two-day workshop. We will undertake activities and exercises to help you assess your current situation and plan for the future, as well as have plenty of time for questions and discussions. No knowledge is assumed; we will outline the main topics in the book at the start of the workshop, and explore some of these in more depth.

Beck Lowe will be facilitating the workshop, hosted by The Pacific Village on North Stradbroke Island. David Holmgren will also be at the workshop for half a day to answer questions and discuss themes. The workshop includes all morning and afternoon teas and lunches, as well as a tour of Pacific Earth School’s subtropical beach retrofit home.

An add-on day will be held on Monday 19th April for trainers and facilitators who would like to incorporate more retrosuburban themes into their practice and become registered retrosuburban trainers. Registered trainers can use our training resources, and can apply to have any courses or workshops they run listed on retrosuburbia.com. It is expected that participants on this add-on day will have already read and be familiar with the material in RetroSuburbia.

Cost: from $595

For details and to book: https://www.thepacificvillage.com/events/retrosuburbia-a-two-day-workshop-with-beck-lowe-and-david-holmgren/


24 – 25 April 2021 . Dynamic Decision Making and Governance, at Crystal Waters Permaculture EcoVillage with  Robin Clayfield and Erin Young. 

Social Permaculture in action. Living and designing your life and your groups for changing times. Fluency in using Permaculture Principles and dynamic social and cultural practices. Tools for working with Community Groups and organisations. Inspiration for a heart based and earth connected journey. Support for holistic, effective and harmonious groups. We’re all in this together, let’s do it well.

COST: $525 Full Waged. $455 Concession. + Accommodation Cost (various low cost options). Payment Plans Available.   Book or more info from Robin Clayfield. www.dynamicgroups.com.auEmailrobin@earthcare.com.au . Phone – 61(0)7 5494 4707

ACCOMMODATION: Various options at Crystal Waters EcoPark – View or Book accommodation via website https://crystalwaters.org.au/eco-caravan-park/