Consulting
Our Work
Local Government
Emergency food relief and food security evaluation (2022)
In the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, we supported Maribyrnong City Council to evaluate their emergency food relief efforts and assess the underlying state of food security in the city. This work informed the development of Maribyrnong City Council’s Food Inequality Action Plan 2022–2024.
Food Economy & Agroecology Strategy Action Plan
We supported the Mornington Peninsula Shire Council’s Food Economy Taskforce with a community consultation and planning package, leading to the development of the Taskforce’s Action Plan for agroecological transformation over the next three years.
Food System Strategy (2023-2024)
We’re supporting the Central Goldfields Shire Council to develop their first food system strategy. This work will reach across our seven core services, resulting in a plan for long-term positive impact for the people of the Central Goldfields region.
World Food Garden (2021)
The City of Brimbank had a vision for a world food garden – a place where locals from diverse cultural and language backgrounds could grow their cultural foods together. To make this vision a reality, we worked with an ecological artist and local community members to design a process where knowledge-sharing and storytelling could flourish through the planting, tending, harvesting and sharing of plants as diverse as the planters themselves. A short film captured the community’s journey.
Food Circles Project & Community Food Strategy (2016-2022)
Cardinia Food Circles was a pioneering community engagement and impact project designed to accelerate implementation of the Cardinia Community Food Strategy (2016-2018). In addition to founding the Food Circles initiative, we went on to facilitate the Council’s Food Circles Steering Committee until Council assumed this role directly. In 2019, the Cardinia Food Circles project was recognised with VicHealth’s ‘Promoting Healthy Eating Award’ for improving community health. Alongside our allies, we also helped secure $500,000 in funding for local food projects like the United African Farm (2019), Pakenham Community School Farm (2019) and the Cardinia Community Food Hub (2021).
Food System Strategy Stakeholder Workshop Facilitation (2019)
We facilitated a stakeholder workshop for City of Greater Bendigo as part of the development of the City’s first Food System Strategy. This workshop followed extensive community and stakeholder consultation conducted by the Council and featured presentations by local food system champions, participatory world cafe roundtables to expand on key themes and a session on priority action areas for the strategy.

State Government
Food system transformation: professional development modules (2021)
To support VicHealth develop and implement their Local Government Partnership flagship, we created three professional development modules to support local government practitioners to step-up as food system changemakers. These modules now support a raft of local government food system policies, coalitions and initiatives across Victoria.
Addressing Food Security and Building Social Cohesion in the Inner Metropolitan Region (2023-2024)
City of Port Philip, City of Melbourne & City of Yarra
As part of the Victorian Government’s Inner Metropolitan Partnership, we worked with Port Phillip City Council, City of Melbourne and Yarra City Council to undertake qualitative and quantitative research to identify local food security challenges and document recommendations for practical, long-term sustainable coordination of food relief activities. The project had a focus on opportunities to build social cohesion and improve coordination of services providers across inner metropolitan Melbourne.
Artisanal agriculture report (2018)
We mapped the breadth of premium food businesses in Victoria and catalogued this sector’s needs through a survey completed by over 250 small-scale producers and premium food businesses. This work informed the launch of the Victorian Government’s Artisanal Agriculture Roadmap and Grants programme in 2018.
Urban Agriculture in Victoria report (2022)
We mapped the state of the urban agriculture sector in Victoria and presented a provisional roadmap for growth.
Food system assessment (2023)
This comprehensive, holistic food system report mapped the current state of the Goulburn Valley food system (encompassing seven local government areas) and provided a framework for future consultation and sustainability planning.
Capacity building & community listening (2023+)
This project covers a series of food system policymaking seminars for four loval governments within the PHU. The focus is on increasing understanding of food systems, mapping relevance to Council’s remit and how Local Councils can progress food systems transformation. The project also includes a community listening phase, ahead of the anticipated facilitation of local food networks with diverse stakeholder representation.
Food system assessment (2023+)
This project will support local governments across the NEPHU catchment to include sustainable food systems as a priority action in their Municipal Public Health and Wellbeing Plans in order to strengthen local food systems collectively through a capacity building approach.

Community & NGO
Food for Thought Research (2023)
This report assessed the state of food security in the Geelong (G21) region. Through a mix of surveys, focus groups and interviews with food relief providers, we mapped the increasing demand and challenges facing communities and delivered the framework for a strategy to address food insecurity in the region.
“This process highlighted Sustain’s exemplary dedication and skill in understanding clients’ needs and translating them into actionable strategies. Their team, characterized by their friendliness, approachability, intelligence, and awareness, not only impressed us but also ensured that every aspect of our Food for Thought Research, was executed with precision and foresight. We now have a strategic blueprint that will undoubtedly steer the course of the food relief network in Geelong.”
SALLY EDGERTON, COMMUNITY GRANTS & SOCIAL IMPACT, GIVE WHERE YOU LIVE FOUNDATION
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