Growing Together: Soil, Sustainability and Native Gardens This Landcare Season

This July and August, TRLA’s Landcare Learning program brings together two inspiring events that highlight the powerful connection between healthy soil, sustainable gardening, and thriving native habitats. Whether you’re just getting started or looking to deepen your knowledge, these sessions offer practical insights for anyone passionate about caring for their patch—and the wider landscape.

On Thursday 30 July, we’re hosting a special Landcare Learning workshop (a slight change from our usual Tuesday nights) focused on permaculture and soil science. Following strong interest from our screening of The New Peasant, local permaculturist John Simpson will share his decades of hands-on experience, offering practical ways to apply permaculture principles in everyday backyards. He’ll be joined online by Dr Aurelie Quade, Director of Soil Resilience, who will unpack the science behind healthy soils and how they underpin productive, resilient systems. Together, they’ll guide participants through simple, actionable steps to better understand and improve their soil—setting the foundation for healthier gardens and landscapes.

Then, as part of Landcare Week, we’re delighted to welcome back Eliza Weekes on Tuesday 4 August. Many will remember Eliza’s inspiring presentation two years ago, where she shared the beginnings of her native garden in urban Tamworth. Now, she returns to tell the next chapter—an honest reflection on what has worked, what hasn’t, and the lessons learned along the way. Her garden has grown into a vibrant, wildlife-friendly space, demonstrating how thoughtful planting and sustainable practices can create habitat, beauty, and connection right at home.

Together, these events tell a bigger story. Healthy soil supports healthy plants; healthy plants support biodiversity; and in turn, these systems support healthier people and communities. From building soil resilience to creating spaces that attract native wildlife, Landcare is about working with nature to achieve lasting outcomes.

We are incredibly grateful to John, Aurelie, and Eliza for generously volunteering their time, knowledge, and passion. Their willingness to share their expertise is what makes Landcare Learning so valuable, and TRLA sincerely thanks them for supporting our community in this way.

We invite you to come along, be inspired, and take away practical ideas you can apply at home—because every small action contributes to a healthier landscape for us all.

 - Eliza Weekes Link -
https://tinyurl.com/2nyp45hv

- Landcare Learning July 30^th Link - 
https://tinyurl.com/37n43s52