My permaculture pathway
My name is Annabelle Maddison. I am a 2025 graduate of Big Picture, Cooks Hill Campus. I am passionate about gardening, conservation, and wildlife regeneration. After completing my Permaculture Design Course (PDC) in 2022, I began a learning journey with the goal of gaining more practical experience and skills in permaculture design. Below is my video profile, which highlights my high school journey and who I am.
After independently securing the use of some land behind a local church. I began designing a food forest that I hoped to be sustainable, resilient, and useful to the church community.
My senior project
Through this project I have gained hands on experience designing and implementing a food forest from scratch, using various permaculture concepts and practices. This involved an in depth site analysis, design process, gathering of local resources, and staggered implementation of the garden. The design had to be simple, diverse and adaptable.
Outlearning
I've also spent time off campus getting real life work experience. I have interned at the Purple Pear Farm (PPF) on and off for 3 years. Through PPF I have taken part in Permablitzes and Hunter Permaculture community meetings. I have also represented Cooks Hill Campus at Information sessions, Big Pictures conferences and been a mentor to new students.
My autobiography
I found writing an autobiography a challenging but rewarding experience. Looking back over my life and identifying the things that have shaped who I am has been a valuable part of my growth. It has helped me rediscover parts of my life that I had forgotten or neglected to appreciate, and the events that have led me to where I am now. My favourite part of this process was finding photos of my childhood and reliving those memories with my family.
Contact me at annabellemaddison6@gmail.com or ring 0492829806 to get in touch