2025 QLD Community Gardens Gathering

Join us for a fabulous day at Northey Street City Farm in Windsor. It’s a day to dig into inspiration, learn and celebrate everything we adore about growing, greening and going sustainable. Connect with passionate people and enjoy a guided tour to start the day. Come curious and leave blooming with ideas.

MC Clarence Slockee will lead us through the day, with keynote speaker Leonie Shanahan sharing her extensive experience in creating thriving community gardens – what to prioritise, what really work and the beautiful, unexpected moments that grow along the way.  Fabulous workshops on Mastering growing organic veggies with Arno King, Permaculture beyond the garden with Gavin Hardy and Garden Alchemy -How and why to brew aerated compost tea by Doreen Jachmann.

Lunch will be provided with the opportunity to network and connect with your fellow participants.

Please bring your own water bottle, keep cup and bag for some goodies. Also the venue is outdoors so dress appropriately for the weather on the day, bring insect repellent. Everyone is welcome. Fully accessible. 

The full program can be found on https://communitygarden.org.au/events/ shortly.

Thanks to our sponsors WaterUps, Queensland Water and Land Care and PiP Magazine for their generous support.

Master of Ceremonies – Clarence Slockee

For more than 30 years, Clarence Slockee has poured his efforts into growing Australians’ knowledge of our First Nations culture and unique flora.

A proud Cudgenburra/Bundjalung man, Clarence’s passion for biodiversity shines through in many ways. Perhaps the avenue dearest to his heart is Jiwah, the 100% Aboriginal-owned company he founded in 2020.

As Director, Clarence and his team incorporate Indigenous cultural perspectives into green space urban design under their motto of ‘Native by design, nature by necessity’. He also works with other design teams to instil Connection to Country principles across medium- and large-scale developments around Sydney.

Leonie Shanahan

With decades of hands-on experience, Leonie Shanahan brings a wealth of knowledge, practical tips, and inspiring stories to every talk. Best known as the founder of the Edible School Gardens program (2004), Leonie has also played a key role in setting up two public community gardens, three in social housing complexes, and one at a mental health facility—each uniquely shaped by the needs of its community.

She is also the author of Eat Your Garden: Organic Gardening for Home and School, and producer of the Edible School Gardens DVD.

As Keynote speaker, Leonie will share her extensive experience in creating thriving community gardens—what to prioritise, what really works, and the beautiful, unexpected moments that grow along the way.

Arno King

 Arno is a Brisbane-based landscape architect, horticultural consultant, and keen gardener. He is known for his radio broadcasts (4BC/nine radio), speaking appearances and numerous gardening articles. He enjoys sharing his passion for plants, gardening and horticulture with the public.

Mastering growing organic veggies: how to grow delicious, healthy, organic vegetables in south east QLD, selecting the best varieties, enhancing soil health and productivity, maintaining the garden and preparing delicious meals.

Gavin Hardy

Gav helped set up Northey Street City Farm in the 1990’s and he is currently the Farm’s adult education coordinator and permaculture lead teacher. Gav created ‘Eco-flat Brisbane‘, a showcase of permaculture apartment style living. He is the author of ‘Community Food Futures in Australia’ (2023) based on a Churchill Fellowship he received in 2020. Gav is an experienced gardener and consults widely in the community food space. Gav learnt permaculture with the co-originator, Bill Mollison, in 1997 and has done advanced courses with David Holmgren and Robin Clayfield, as well as studying Edible Forest Gardening with Martin Crawford at the UK Agroforestry Research Trust.

Permaculture beyond the garden

Famously described as a ‘revolution disguised as organic gardening’ permaculture offers a framework for creating regenerative and abundant ways of living.  In this workshop we will explore how permaculture ethics and principles can be applied beyond the garden to buildings, technology, money, communities and more!

Doreen Jachmann

Doreen Jachmann is the founder of Nourished Landscapes, an edible landscaping and permaculture design consultancy based in South East Queensland. With decades of hands-on experience and a background in permaculture, horticulture, and community education, Doreen specialises in designing productive, resilient gardens tailored to lifestyle and climate. She is also a passionate workshop facilitator and presenter, sharing practical skills and ecological knowledge to empower individuals and communities to grow food, restore soil health, and live more sustainably.

Garden Alchemy – How and Why to Brew Aerated Compost Tea

Workshop Description:

Discover the science of aerated compost tea. In this hands-on workshop, we’ll explore natural pest control methods and learn how to support your soil microbiome using homemade brews. Gain practical knowledge on how to make and apply aerated compost tea, why it works, and how it fits into a holistic, organic approach to garden health.

Get Tickets Now at Humanitix – Scan the QR code below