Chair
Peter Judge
Peter is our Chair. He lives on a farm in Newbridge overlooking Wahluu (Mt Panorama) and the Bathurst plains. He cares for 100 acres using permaculture principles to protect native landscape and produce food for sharing locally.
Peter got involved in the Blayney Eco-Hub to help build a community hub and a place for learning about permaculture. He is motivated by a commitment to look after our common home.
Secretary
Sally Neaves
Sally is our Secretary. She lives in Bathurst where she initially came to work at the Rahamim Ecology Centre in 2015.
Sally works for the Sisters of Mercy supporting communities around Australia to engage with natural environments and grow food.
Sally got involved in the Eco-Hub project to create a space to build community and share permaculture skills.
Treasurer
Tamara Miller
Tamara lives in Hobby's Yards near Blayney on a property where she grows sheep and cattle, as well as fruit and vegetables for home use.
She has expertise in agribusiness finance and a wealth of knowledge about the Blayney area ... the town and the community.
Tamara believes the Eco Hub offers Blayney locals a valuable place to work together on diverse projects and learn from one another.
Member
Stephanie Luke
Stephanie lives in Bathurst and is known for her heroic efforts to protect the natural environment and the health of local communities.
She contributes expertise in environment law, and a deep commitment to community well-being. She is particularly driven to protect our air and water from contamination.
Stephanie is an artist and a member of the Belubula Headwaters Protection Group and the River Yarners.
She hopes for the Blayney Eco Hub to encourage urgent conversations about climate change impacts on clean water supplies in the region.
Member
Julie Swain
After leaving the corporate world four years ago to pursue a more sustainable and intentional lifestyle, I have dedicated myself to regenerative living and ecological stewardship. Two years ago, I completed a Permaculture Design Course at the Blayney Eco Hub, which deepened my understanding of holistic design and resilient food systems.
A passionate beekeeper, I currently care for ten active hives and love sharing the vital role pollinators play in health ecosystems. I'm also in the process of building a thriving food forest, applying core permaculture principles to create a productive, diverse, and self-sustaining landscape.
Driven by curiosity and a commitment to living in harmony with nature, I continue to expand my skills and contribute to a more sustainable future.
Member
Pete Whitecross
Pete lives in Orange, having recently moved up from Sydney. He has a work background in health promotion, community development and community gardens.
Getting involved with the Blayney Eco Hub appealed because of its broad range of practical projects that promote community and food resilience through permaculture and other regenerative practices. Initiatives like Blayney Eco Hub will play an increasingly important role in responding to the ecological challenges we are facing.
For some of us it is a spiritual project. We have a deep sense of connection to the land and we are motivated to nurture this land as our “common home”. Pope Francis has called on people to acknowledge environmental degradation and to take urgent action. For some of us the Blayney Eco Hub is a response to this call. The local Catholic Church through the Bathurst Diocese has embraced Blayney Eco Hub as their own locus for ecological action across the region … doing something practical to support towns and communities affected by climate change. They have offered us the land at the presbytery, and they will use the venue for events and activities supporting deep connection to the environment and prayerful consideration of environmental issues.
Personally, I love growing food in abundance, living from the land and sharing the harvest. I use permaculture practices to live well off a small area of garden and orchard and I have allowed nature to restore itself on my land. I also care deeply about community and spirituality.
But it isn’t about me! It’s about us. Blayney Eco Hub is a place for everyone. Hopefully, a place for people with diverse perspectives to work together and support one another. Doing everything we can, in different ways, to protect the environment and to make sure we have food in abundance to share through difficult times.
What will it look like? None of us knows. We are starting with permaculture gardens, sharing crops, cooking together and hosting community events. It’s a start. Our hope is for different communities of interest to gather in this place and to make it their own. The possibilities are endless.
If you’d like to be involved, or you’d like to use the venue, please get in touch. We’d love to see you there.
Peter Judge
Welcome to the hub! We'd love to see you here soon.
A few of us were keen to create a community garden and a welcoming space for people to share food production, land care and disaster resources. Let’s grow food together, cook and preserve crops, build soils and design our lives to care for one another through the ups and downs.