Meet The Team
Rosemary (Rowe) Morrow
Rosemary (Rowe) Morrow is a respected permaculture elder, teacher, and author with decades of experience in Earth restoration and regenerative practice. Originally trained in agricultural science, Rowe turned to permaculture in the 1980s and has since dedicated her life to making this knowledge accessible to communities around the world. She has taught in places such as Vietnam, Cambodia, Uganda and Ethiopia—often working in post-war and low-resource settings. A Quaker and long-time Blue Mountains local, Rowe is passionate about making permaculture teaching sustainable and mentoring the next generation of educators. She is the author of Earth User’s Guide to Permaculture and The Earth Restorer’s Guide to Permaculture, foundational texts for many students globally.
Jed Walker
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Jed Walker is both a permaculturalist and an experienced educator. He has taught permaculture and conducted teacher trainings in Australia, India and Bangladesh. Jed has worked across a range of settings and climates, from lush backyards to arid and monsoonal farms. He is currently involved in supporting permaculture projects for refugees in Africa and Asia.
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Jen Hall
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Jen started permaculture in 1999 creating her own garden with Rowe Morrow at her side (in exchange for yoga lessons!). Jen completed a PDC (Permaculture Design Course) [2010] and Permaculture Teachers Training [2024] with Rowe Morrow and Lis Bastian through the Blue Mountains Permaculture Institute.
Jen is passionate about living sustainably and brings this into all areas of her life. You may see her round and about the mountains, on her bicycle or on the train. |
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Maximilien Pyee
Maximilien has been a permaculture enthusiast since he first discovered the concept in France in the community of Pierre Rabhi in 2014. Since then he has been travelling the world, living and learning resilience from different communities and friends, and building his permaculture practical experience.
As a former journalist, Maximilien has a strong grounding in economics and degrowth. His interest is in applying permaculture design to society, cities and companies, and also sharing his experience of how a community can sustain itself living harmoniously and what are the conditions for success.
As a former journalist, Maximilien has a strong grounding in economics and degrowth. His interest is in applying permaculture design to society, cities and companies, and also sharing his experience of how a community can sustain itself living harmoniously and what are the conditions for success.
Natasha Lee
Natasha became increasingly interested in permaculture after finding it answered a lot of questions and solved a lot of problems she was wrestling with in her own garden space. The more she read and learnt, the more things made sense. She finally did a PDC in 2023, and followed it up with permaculture teacher training soon after. When she's not working on projects in her home space, she works in the education sector.
Rachel Gould
Rachel has always had a strong connection to both nature and people. When Rachel heard about Permaculture a few years' ago, her intrigue was sparked, and soon after, she followed her curiosity and completed her PDC with the Blue Mountains Planetary Health Initiative. A dedicated Permaculturist ever since, she shares with friends and family the things she has learnt! In her teaching, Rachel aims to create learning environments that grow hope, passion and curiosity!
Rebekah Norton
Rebekah's first formal study in permaculture was a PDC with Supapon Raffan 25 years ago. Then again with Rowe Morrow and Liz Bastian in 2010.
However Rebekah credits her love of design and reading of landscape to her mother- the daughter of an old fashioned dairy farmer, who passed on the old sensibility of site orientation: where to grow and build according to the climate and elements.
Her most recent project has been to design and build a Light Earth House and food garden on a shoestring budget. She says" permaculture is about creating a community that nourishes and ignites the possibility of sustainable living through connection to people and the natural world."
However Rebekah credits her love of design and reading of landscape to her mother- the daughter of an old fashioned dairy farmer, who passed on the old sensibility of site orientation: where to grow and build according to the climate and elements.
Her most recent project has been to design and build a Light Earth House and food garden on a shoestring budget. She says" permaculture is about creating a community that nourishes and ignites the possibility of sustainable living through connection to people and the natural world."
Ryan Hoàng
Ryan Hoàng is a graphic designer and illustrator with a growing passion for edible gardens. It was August 2022 when he discovered the word Permaculture through conversation with a friend. Ryan then went on to complete a PDC offered by the Blue Mountains Planetary Health Initiative and Lithgow Transformation Hub. The experience expanded his mind with systems thinking, renewing his curiosity and enthusiasm for everything around him.
Ryan enjoys connecting with the community and continues to explore how each individual can easily integrate Permaculture into their life.
Ryan enjoys connecting with the community and continues to explore how each individual can easily integrate Permaculture into their life.
Sarah Daniel
Sarah Daniel has been practising Permaculture since she stumbled across it in 2003.
She has worked with Permaculture on the road while travelling, in share houses, in community gardens and in schools and has discovered, for her, it is best to do permaculture with friends!
Sarah is passionate about learning to think like mycelium and making friends with water. She currently lives with Dharug and Gundgurra ngurra and teaches at Kindlehill School.
She has worked with Permaculture on the road while travelling, in share houses, in community gardens and in schools and has discovered, for her, it is best to do permaculture with friends!
Sarah is passionate about learning to think like mycelium and making friends with water. She currently lives with Dharug and Gundgurra ngurra and teaches at Kindlehill School.
Sarah Messina
For Sarah, permaculture has radically changed the way she belongs in the world. Sarah grew up in suburbia where connection to the local ecology seems forgotten. Permaculture reunited her with the never fading longing to reconnect to the earths natural systems.
Her passion lies in growing and harvesting medicinal plants, community connection and sustainable living.
Her passion lies in growing and harvesting medicinal plants, community connection and sustainable living.
Sesi Devine
Permaculture permeates Sesi's life. To her, systems informed design is a no brainer and she brings this to her work in resource recovery and community organising. Sesi's first permaculture teacher was the legend, Lis Bastian whom she is constantly inspired by. She loves to look to ecological systems for answers to common human challenges including food growing. She is exploring lessons from ecology in her ongoing passion for town planning. Sesilia also channels her love of ecology and cosmology through song.
Tom Colley
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Tom has a degree in ecology and geographic information systems. He worked for local government in environmental management and sustainability in the 2000's. He did his Permaculture Design Course around that time and has been growing his own food ever since. In the 2010's, Tom did academic research into building social capacity to meet environmental crisis and now practices the learnings from that research in both permaculture and activist spheres.
Tom has taught Education for Sustainability to tertiary students and run dozens of workshops on group collaboration and peer support processes. He rides a bike every day and loves the bush! |
Marnee Fox
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Marnee Fox is an interior stylist, home editor, events designer and wild food wrangler. With over 20 years’ experience across residential, commercial, and retail spaces, she creates beautiful, practical, and sustainable environments — styled with intention and heart.
With a passion for the planet paired with a need for aesthetic awesomeness, Marnee’s creative arts background and empathetic approach lends an often unexpected layer to her practice. Having added permaculture design courses in 2023 and 2024 to her accreditations, she not only utilises the design principles to ensure the most sustainable approach, she encompasses the utmost liveability and flow between external and internal spaces. |
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Sonya Forrest
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Sonya Forrest is a Permaculture Design Course (PDC) graduate and partner at Permaculture Matters, where she leads the team’s marketing efforts. With a deep passion for sustainable living and regenerative practices, Sonya combines her professional expertise in marketing with her love for permaculture to help grow the reach and impact of the organisation’s work.
Whether it’s promoting local workshops, connecting with the wider community, or finding creative ways to share the principles of permaculture, Sonya brings a thoughtful, people-centred approach to everything she does. She is committed to helping more people discover how permaculture can transform their gardens, their communities, and their lives. |
Sally Neaves
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Sally Neaves works for the Sisters of Mercy as an environmental educator and has been a permaculture practitioner and teacher for the past 8 years, having studied with Blue Mountains Permaculture. She is the convenor of a permaculture demonstration site, Blayney Eco Hub, in Central West NSW.
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Kirstie Wulf
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Kirstie is a building designer and certified Passive House Designer, specialising in high-performance buildings that make use of natural materials. Her journey into sustainable design began with an introductory permaculture course in 1999, followed by a PDC with Rowe Morrow and Liz Bastian in 2008. Inspired by permaculture principles, Kirstie has explored both the science of building performance and the beauty of natural construction. She brings a practical, science-based approach to her work, grounded in real-world experience. Kirstie lives in Hazelbrook with her chickens and a resilient, self-sufficient permaculture garden.
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