Indigenous rooftop farm coming to Sydney

Property group Mirvac has joined forces with cultural start-up Yerrabingin to bring to life an Indigenous rooftop farm concept in central Sydney.

The Indigenous urban food production farm will be situated on the rooftop of Building 3 at South Eveleigh (previously known as Australian Technology Park), Mirvac’s new technology and innovation precinct. The vision for the revitalised precinct has been co-created by Mirvac, anchor tenant the Commonwealth Bank and consortium partners AMP Capital, Sunsuper and Centuria Property Funds.

Combining the principles of permaculture, Indigenous knowledge and design thinking, the rooftop farm is just one of the projects Yerrabingin will deliver and manage at South Eveleigh. Plans are also underway for the group to establish the South Eveleigh Aboriginal Cultural Landscape Garden, which will grow native and medicinal plant species and bush food. These ventures form part of the team’s wider vision to create and implement a multilayered heritage experience at the site.

“The unique partnership with Mirvac will enable us to pioneer two innovative projects that interweave tacit knowledge and collaborative design thinking into the new public domain,” said Yerrabingin co-founder Christian Hampson. “These projects will offer the South Eveleigh community and visitors cultural and environmental knowledge from the oldest living culture in the world and ensure the rich history of the site is celebrated by future generations.”

“Mirvac’s vision for South Eveleigh was to create a state-of-the-art work and lifestyle destination that connects people culturally, socially and physically,” added Mirvac Project Director William Walker. “Both the farm and the garden will contribute to South Eveleigh’s array of public and shared spaces where the community can come together.

“The site has an important Indigenous legacy. Yerrabingin is a visionary start-up that will help Mirvac ensure this legacy is represented on site through a rich cultural experience, including a rooftop farm and cultural landscape garden for the South Eveleigh community and the wider public to enjoy.

“Paying respect to the traditional owners of South Eveleigh is important to Mirvac and we look forward to working with Yerrabingin to celebrate Aboriginal culture and heritage.”

Yerrabingin hopes to deliver 16 events per month on completion of the farm in April 2019, including workshops focusing on native permaculture, environmental sustainability, and physical and mental health. These will be available to the South Eveleigh community, who will also be able to purchase produce and native food from the farm.

Once complete, the South Eveleigh precinct will offer an array of engaging and educational experiences, including tours of the garden, storytelling, demonstration and participation, focused on celebrating and remembering Aboriginal culture.

Image caption: Yerrabingin co-founders Christian Hampson and Clarence Slockee.

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