Growing on Country

Growing on Country is an engaging and practical online course for anyone wanting to be an ally for First Nations people, and enact social as well as environmental justice through growing, gardening and using native plants on unceded land. The course is relevant for anyone in any field, from permaculture, regenerative agriculture, horticulture, nursery work, farming, agroecology, landscape design, community gardens to backyard pottering. The five module course includes interviews, current critical research, links to resources and provocations for applying information within individual learning, teaching and growing contexts. Growing on Country has been written, designed and developed by a team of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people with contributions and feedback from Elders, knowledge holders, researchers and community members. It will support you to be informed, respectful, equitable, culturally safe and inclusive in your relationship with people and with Country, and empower you to make a real difference in your community. 

Testimonials

"Growing on Country is a fantastic resource for non-Indigenous people in the food system, from farmers to backyard growers, and eaters to educators. The colonisation of agriculture in what is now called Australia requires deep listening, learning and unlearning and Growing on Country creates a space for this. Through exploring our relationship to land, power, privilege and community, each module combines storytelling, multimedia resources and enquiry questions that prompt further learning and introspection. Growing on Country is not just about ticking a box - it opens a door for non-indigenous people to connect with Indigenous ways of thinking and being, prompting ongoing enquiry towards decolonising our minds and actions."

- The Australian Food Sovereignty Alliance (AFSA)

“Yuruwan have provided an indispensable resource for everyone engaged in growing or raising food across the ancient continent we call 'Australia'. The words, images and stories weave wonderfully together to form a powerful tapestry of memory, healing, power, deep relationship, connectedness and belonging. The injunction of Aunty Lilla Watson that appears at several places through the course - 'If you have come here to help me you are wasting your time, but if you have come because your liberation is bound up with mine, then let us work together' - resonates so strongly at so many levels. This is indeed a time of liberation, and we must all work, and walk, together to achieve it. Where and how better to do this than through Growing on Country?”

- Sustain Australia

"As a community gardener deeply committed to fostering sustainable and inclusive practices, I can unequivocally say that the Growing on Country course is transformative. This course not only equips us with the knowledge and skills needed to enhance our gardening practices but also profoundly deepens our understanding and respect for Australia's First Nations peoples—the original community gardeners of this land. Offering invaluable insights into the profound connection First Nations communities have with the land, it highlights the principles of caring for Country. Growing on Country also better positions us to engage with First Nations communities and foster a future of mutual respect and shared stewardship of the land. This course is essential for anyone committed to caring for Country together and building a more inclusive and harmonious community.”

- Naomi Lacey, President of Community Gardens Australia

Social Media Tiles

Download the Growing on Country social media tiles by clicking on each image below.

Set One: