YERRABINGIN
The power of Indigenous permaculture drives this collective’s mission to impact future design and landscapes – and save a few native species along the way
An Indigenous farm in Sydney’s Redfern is delivering a whole new set of herbs to city restaurants
Yerrabingin is a thriving inner-city farm that educates visitors in Indigenous knowledge and shares its yield with top Sydney chefs. The project’s focus on native permaculture, environmental sustainability, and physical and mental health and well-being is something of a passion for co-founder and CEO Christian Hampson.
What is Yerrabingin all about? Yerrabingin is focused on bringing Indigenous design thinking to major projects across the country, weaving Aboriginal social and cultural narratives, a holistic mosaic of stories, knowledge and experiences, into the design space. We are about creating cultural capital for local Aboriginal communities, and we do that by bringing to life economic, environmental, cultural and socially sustainable opportunities, creating diverse experiences in places of natural diversity and also creating a refuge for visitors and native species alike.
What is Yerrabingin doing at Eveleigh? We are working on a number of new landscape projects, including looking at commercial-scale foragable gardens and other adaptations of the rooftop concept as well as other commercial landscape projects. In the rooftop garden, winter is a time for maintenance so now we are pruning and preparing for the spring flourish.
What plants are you focusing on? The main species still in abundance at the moment are the Prostanthera, which is often called native mint but has a more thyme taste and texture; it can be used to create an oil, and as a dried herb. Right now the rooftop is closed due to COVID-19 restrictions, but you can participate in a virtual tour of the rooftop farm and our new cultural landscape garden in the South Eveleigh precinct. We are looking forward to opening again to kick off our workshops and events such as our popular native cocktails course as well as tours and one-off events. Keep an eye on our Instagram and website!
Why is Indigenous permaculture so important?
It can be argued that the practice of permaculture using natives derives from Indigenous landmanagement practice. Our culture is embedded in the landscape and environmental consciousness.
“Sharing [our] knowledge and wisdom through a cultural landscape at this point in time, when our Earth is under threat, must be a principle for future design approaches” CHRISTIAN HAMPSON, YERRABINGIN
Sharing this tacit knowledge and wisdom through a cultural landscape at this point in time, when our Earth is under threat, must be a principle for future design approaches. Sustaining our Mother is our religion, our spirituality. A great example of this is the Murnong (or Munyang in my language), commonly known as daisy yam. It was a staple for our people and almost extinguished from the landscape by Australian agricultural practice. We were lucky enough to get a couple of parent plants and have been nurturing and propagating to expand our stock to have a representation of a wild meadow. This plant is inspiring and important from an ecological and a cultural education perspective.
Working with chefs has been part of your strategy from the beginning. Can you share the names of some of the chefs you’re working with now? Yerrabingin is working with the amazing chef and restaurateur Kylie Kwong to bring ingredients to her new venture (when it eventually opens in South Eveleigh). We have also worked with Jock Zonfrillo [a celebrity chef and TV presenter who owns upscale Restaurant Orana in Adelaide] during his pop-up in Sydney, and are continuing to work with some local brewers and cocktail bars to share the amazing flavours of native foods in a number of exciting beverages.
See Yerrabingin.com.au for more information.