David Arnold permaculture courses and workshops

See Jean-Marc Abela's short film about Murrnong here.

We are excited to be offering some workshops and courses in partnership with David Arnold at Violet Town. David is a very popular tutor on our PDCs as well as running weekend workshops. At present these are:

Organic Home Orcharding This weekend workshop will give you the practical information you need to design, develop, and manage your own organic home orchard. Features site visits to a range of orchard layouts, with a range of management techniques used. You will be able to see and learn about many of the fruit and berry plants that are suitable for home orchards in SE Australia. Based at Violet Town, for access on the first day to the extensive Murrnong mixed species fruit and nut orchard, olive grove and low irrigation tree crops. The second day includes a tour of some other small scale organic orchards in the area.

Integrated Farm Forestry This workshop will cover all design, planning, preparation and maintenance aspects of a farm forestry project.There will be an emphasis on the benefits for the whole farm from the presence of trees. Murrnong has a wide range of tree plantings performing many functions and thus provides an excellent venue for this course. There will be some opportunities for hands-on pruning work.

DOWNLOAD AN ENROLMENT FORM HERE

All workshops include lunch and morning and afternoon teas. Please contact us for accommodation options in and around Violet Town.

David and friends removing a net after harvest in the extensive orchard at Murrnong.

David (left) enjoying the interaction with the participants at the November 2007 PDC - explaining some earthworks principles with use of a sand pile.

As well as the more common fruits there are also plenty of less-usual fruits at Murrnong. These are ripening carob pods.

Farm forestry at Murrnong.

David Arnold
is a designer, teacher and permaculture activist who works from Violet Town. He is presently working towards planning approval to realise his design for a permaculture community subdivision at Murrnong, and is active in local community development, localisation, in preparation for energy descent. He is also active in organising learning events and facilitated group processes for the Violet Town Action Group, and the Violet Town Seedsavers and Permaculture Group. Murrnong is an 8ha property on the edge of the Violet Town township. Since 1995, while developing the Murrnong property, David has operated a permaculture planning and contracting business which has planned and managed a broad range of projects across NE and North Central Victoria. Those projects have included planting more than a million trees over very diverse sites, and contributing to the development of a regional farm forestry resource through the management of farm forestry sawlog plantations. He has experience with low irrigation tree crops such as olives, stone pine, and bunya pine, and has provided professional assistance to many smaller scale home self-reliance permaculture projects. In 2006 he lead the design and planting of the Violet Town Community Forest, an example of analogue forestry, designed to mimic the structure and functions of native forest. Through all of these projects David has gained a tremendous range of planning and practical experience, and has an extensive understanding of the landscapes of the region. David Arnold first taught permaculture in 1991 at CERES in Melbourne. He then taught agriculture and other subjects at Worawa AboriginalCollege in the Yarra Valley for 3 years. While there he worked with Graeme George to establish permaculture courses in the Yarra Valley.

"You are an excellent permaculture teacher/mentor and I am truly grateful for the heaps of insight, inspiration and knowledge that you have imparted." - Kareen, Colorado (permaculture student).

Impressive water tower at Murrnong, providing water for the house as well as the extensive orchards.

Apricot harvest at Murrnong

David checks his recently planted stock fodder trees

Checking the irrigation system on an established pecan tree.