Permaculture References

Permaculture Resources

The following suggestions may help to prepare you for a Permaculture Design Course (PDC) or getting started with your projects.

The free Permaculture. app links you to a vast amount of online resources – curated YouTubers, web pages of leading communicators about permaculture and homesteading, social media sites and more.

You could buy many of the books below through Melliodora Publishing, or as a member of Permaculture Australia (obtain member discounts) or visit your local library and ask them to borrow or buy them for your community.

Maybe you could start a book share circle or reading club?

Books:

Start with Dessert with a glass of goodness (lots of pictures)

  • Essence of Permaculture (free download) a good place to start with dessert first
  • The Good Life, How to Grow a Better World, Hannah Maloney, (2021), Affirm Press – very good overview of practical application from a skilled and wonderful person
  • Costa’s World, Costa Georgiadis (‘easy-peasy’ permaculture, and more), www.costasworld.com.au (2021) – just legend, Costa is like our national cultural treasure in Permaculture
  • PIP magazine: Australia’s permaculture magazine. Subscription with some content freely accessible.

A Main meal to ingest

  • David Holmgren’s ‘RetroSuburbia: the downshifter’s guide to a resilient future’
  • Permaculture: Principles & Pathways Beyond Sustainability, David Holmgren. The website: www.holmgren.com.au, has an abstract of this book as a free download. Look for ‘Essence of Permaculture’. Easy to read and not too long. – Web-based versions here on www.permacultureprinciples.com – easy-to-read info about permaculture. Lots of photos and diverse examples.
  • Permaculture Designers Manual, Bill Mollison–Tagari. (This is a standard reference book for designers but it is not a ‘light’ read) (http://www.tagari.com) – You don’t need to buy this but something for the shelf later or get one to share among friends.
  • The Permaculture Handbook, Peter Bane, New Society Publishers, Canada (2012)
  • People & Permaculture, Looby Macnamara, Permanent Publications, 2012 (http://loobymacnamara.com/home/) and related publications from Looby – challenges you to see the other domains of permaculture and look at the design process more comprehensively
  • The Permaculture City: Regenerative Design for Urban, Suburban, and Town Resilience, Toby Hemenway (2015), Chelsea Green – a must-read for every urban designer, town planner and local councillor
  • Edible Cities: Urban Permaculture for Gardens, Balconies, Rooftops & Beyond, Judith Anger, Immo Fiebrig, Permanent Publications (2013) – foretelling the urbanisation of permaculture
  • Rosemary Morrow Earth Restorer’s Guide to Permaculture 2022

Lighter to digest yet so nourishing:

  • Introduction to Permaculture, Bill Mollison & Reny Slay – Tagari (http://www.tagari.com). This started it all.
  • Permaculture one – Permaculture One: A perennial agriculture for human settlements 1978 David Holmgren and Bill Mollison 
  • The Holistic Life by Ian Lillington, Axiom Australia (2007)
  • Permaculture Design, A step-by-step guide, Aranya, Permanent Publications, (2012) – really clear ‘lessons style’ with grounded explanations for ethics and principles. Great teaching resource.
  • Permaculture Pioneers, stories from the new frontier, edited by Kerry Dawborn & Caroline Smith, publ: www.holmgren.com.au
  • Gaia’s Garden, Toby Hemenway (2009) 2nd ed, Chelsea Green – a classic and practical to apply. 
  • Tropical Permaculture Guidebook – McKenzie and Lemos (www.permacultureguidebook.org) – a masterwork for a specific context ( and envious cold climate gardeners

More suggested reading to add here soon

Web-based:

(this list is endless so download the free Permaculture. app where you can find it all!! and save you hours searching down the rabbit hole that is the internet)- some Aussie icons included below

DVDs

Your library and 2nd handbook shops or local book markets may be a source of other Permaculture book titles and DVDs. 

Online learning platforms e.g. Udemy, EdX etc for free or low-cost courses.

Vimeo

On Vimeo you can find more quality and project-based content than youtube at times so worth searching around –

Reading the Landscape 2022

Online tips

Useful search terms –  “permaculture’, ‘regenerative agriculture’ ‘agroforestry’ ‘appropriate technology’, ‘lo-tek” ‘solar punk’

Be mindful of cultural differences in how Permaculture is interpreted and represented.

Always fact check, research broadly, think critically and/ or try a method out for yourself in your context (and share what you learn).

Be aware of the history of Permaculture’s story; and that Permaculture has its roots nourished by indigenous, traditional wisdom holders so pay respect and take the time to develop relationships and listen actively with local mob.

Ask – questions help to clarify for everyone. Support is usually offered.