Brogo Permaculture Gardens
South Coast NSW
Brogo Permaculture Gardens
View our 2018 video then see how we built our off grid permaculture home,farm and business
Brogo Permacuture Gardens
Brogo Permaculture Gardens is on the south coast of NSW. The property features an off the grid, solar powered ,owner built house. Water and solar are harvested and greywater and human waste utilised within the closed system.
A range of permaculture gardening techniques are used; mulch is grown to use on the farm, certified organic farming is undertaken examples of raised beds, composting and kitchen garden as well as poultry systems and a food forest are on site.
At Brogo Permaculture Gardens our aim is to inspire others to develop an understanding of permaculture and to look to permaculture to promote self and community resilience.
20 plus years of living permaculture, we know that it works. As well, we aim to run some of the best permaculture courses in NSW.
The Early Years
Our first years were spent designing the permaculture farm we wanted and working on our owner built, off grid, mudbrick home while raising our 5 children
In 1985 the land was purchased
Cattle farm to become permaculture farm
Solar access and gravity for water was critical
Tree houses are a necessity for permaculture kids
The mountain that brings us home
Good access is critical, driveway taking shape
Earthworks can be confronting for owner builders
The plan started to become reality
4000+ bricks, a never ending job
Did we ever mention when we thought we might give up?
Owner building can take time.
Off grid living. Water collection and solar access.
Starting Brogo Permaculture Garden
Our aim for the property was to raise our 5 kids in the most sustainable lifestyle possible. As wel as our off grid owner built home we wanted to develop permaculture gardens to feed our family of seven and to demonstrate what could be achieved with permaculture
Developing the shelterbelt was critical for wind protection as well as a barrier for traffic noise and dust from the road
During the building phase we took time to establish our fist orchard
We did make the decision to cover the orchard as we moved on
Prior to fencing the tyres allowed the trees to grow despite the attraction for wallabies
Slow beginnings and a long drought impacted on the citrus orchard but now we have an oversupply
Walk in anti-aviary covered orchard works well for us
Because you can never have enough fruit right
Our third orchard with espaliered fruiting trees
We grew vegetables from the beginning but once the building was completed we moved on to a more permanent garden
Scavenged fridge boxes -perfect for reuse
In drought prone country it's important to use all water storage options
No town supply where we are so we have a number of small dams and ponds as well as tank water