Permaculture discussion forum

Hi everyone,

I have been given a challenge by the director of our outdoor education/farm centre (for a Brisbane high school) to begin a small permaculture garden at the facility with the students. The farm is located near Crows Nest in Qld. Unfortunatly I know very little about the practice of permaculture although I love organic gardening, so I really need some advice! I have looked though some of the books available but they don't really apply to this situation.

The main aim is to introduce the students (approx 15yrs old)to the basic concepts of permaculture and organic gardening using practical experience. At the moment my designated garden area is approx 5x10m. Apparently about 10 years ago it was a perm garden so the area contains several (5) native trees incl. bottlebrush, silky oak, melaluca. Attached to the garden is a chook pen containing approx 30 chooks that are currently pecking out the invaded couch grass.We also have an abundant availability of compost and fertilizer from the chooks, cattle and horses.
The students are mostly from the Brisbane suburbs but some boarders are from properties. I really would like to show them the joys of growing your own vegetables/herbs/flowers in a limited space to they can apply it at home. Whilst they are digging and picking the veges etc I want to talk to them about the theory of organic gardening and the application of permacuture to design a semi sustainable way of living in a suburban situation.

Next to the this area is the main centre's garden . A regimented, over fertilised and pesticide using area about 5 x the size. So I want a stark comparison to this by providing a well designed but overgrowing, all year producing organic garden that provides some unsual veges (ideas from Diggers), edible flowers and herbs to contrast the 'normal' view of a garden.

After looking at the books I was thinking of a small tyre pond, a snail shaped herb garden and a narrow (1.5m) snake style garden meandering through the rest for easy picking.

Apologies for the large letter but I really need help from people, not books at this stage. I want the next generation to learn to farm their backyards an rely less on the supermarket and permaculture seems the best way to teach it. Also it would be fantastic to meet and chat to anyone who lives around Crowns Nest/Toowoomba region about permacuture gardening and their ideas about teaching younger people (and myself)! ???

Please help

Regards

Fin ???