Permaculture
Discover the art and practice of permaculture – working with nature to grow food, nurture the land, and foster connection to yourself, community, and the environment. At its heart, permaculture is about connection to the land, to ourselves, and to each other.
What is Permaculture?
Discover the art and practice of permaculture – working with nature to grow food, nurture the land, and foster connection to yourself, community, and the environment.
Permaculture is about working with nature rather than against it. It’s a way of designing food systems, homes, and communities by observing how natural ecosystems work – forests, soils, water cycles, plants, animals, and people – then applying those principles in practical, regenerative ways.
Permaculture in Practice at Hakea Retreat
Hakea Retreat is run as a permaculture farm and regenerative retreat. Everything on the land is designed as part of an interconnected system, where each element supports another and strengthens the whole. Rather than separate features, we see the land as one living system.
At Hakea, this includes:
A diverse food forest with over a hundred species — fruit trees, subtropicals, tropicals, natives, and support plants — growing together in layered systems.
Banana circles and integrated water systems, cycling water and nutrients back into the land.
Regeneratively managed gardens, focused on building soil health, biodiversity, and long-term abundance.
Buildings designed in relationship to the land, oriented to sun, soil, and landscape.
Water systems designed to slow, spread, and soak water, helping nourish the land rather than deplete it.
These systems evolve over time, becoming more resilient and requiring fewer external inputs as they mature. We use regenerative practices, meaning our aim is not only to sustain the land, but to actively improve it year after year.
This includes composting and mulching, increasing biodiversity, supporting soil life and pollinators, and designing systems that strengthen with time. Permaculture at Hakea is not theoretical. It is lived, practised, and refined through years of working with the land.
Beyond the Land: Community and Education
For us, permaculture extends beyond Hakea itself. We are involved in local regenerative projects, including:
Supporting the planting of a food forest at local schools
Assisting initiatives such as Dragon Growing Bananas, helping communities grow their own food
Offering workshops, courses, and hands-on learning, both at Hakea and in the wider community.
Learn, Visit, or Volunteer
Hakea Retreat is a place to experience permaculture in practise. You are welcome to:
Explore our workshops and courses
Join events and gatherings
Volunteer with us
If you’re interested in volunteering, please get in touch via email and tell us a bit about who you are, any experience you have, and what you’re curious to learn.
Read more about different aspects of permaculture at Hakea Retreat below.
Banana Circle
A little fun experiment of creating a banana circle in our orchard. The circle is strategicly located where rain water from the land drains to and on a north facing slope. Since bananas are extremely hungry and thirsty, we want…
Beekeeping
Just like us bees enjoy spending winter inside their cosy hive, eating honey and snuggling for warmth. To have success with bees, observing and taking notes is the key. Here is a few tips to keep your bees happy over…
Food Forest Maintenance
Pruning Trees Keep those trees PRUNED! Trees have evolved being pruned by storms, animals and even simply by the weight of fruits. Pruning keeps the trees healthy by improving air flow, stimulating growth hormones and removing the dead/diseases branches. Here…