Projects

The Melbourne Food Hub commenced in 2018 as a collaboration between Sustain and Melbourne Farmers Markets, supported by the Lord Mayor’s Charitable Foundation. Its goal was to create a place for everyone to connect to a healthy and flourishing local food system and demonstrate a replicable model to activate food systems change across Australia. In the face of continued challenges to viability from the mainstream food system, the Food Hub provides small-to...

Commencing in November 2016, the ambitious and visionary Cardinia Food Circles Project aims to support the Shire of Cardinia, community food leaders and Shire residents in the establishment, promotion and expansion of a healthy, delicious, sustainable and fair food system for all Shire residents. The project’s objectives are to: Build a shared understanding of the Cardinia food system, and its challenges and opportunities, amongst a div...

Sustain has created a web-based tool in the form of an Australian Directory of people, organisations, projects and knowledge (research and policies), related to sustainable food systems. To view and search for profiles, and to create a profile for yourself, your organisation, your projects, knowledge and food systems infrastructure, please visit the Directory or become a member. What is this Directory for? In creating and making available this tool, Susta...

The findings from the first-ever national Pandemic Gardening Survey, and an action agenda to create more edible towns and cities in Australia.

Staying healthy, connected and keeping busy during COVID hasn't been easy - so we're trialling a new way to bring fresh food and recipes, socialising and skill-building opportunities to Seniors in Melbourne with the North Carlton Railway Neighbourhood House. The Food in Common project commenced in October 2020 with fortnightly recipe packs, instructional cooking videos and regular online catch-ups. We've been so fortunate to source some of our food fro...

Food Business Boost is a small food business incubator program which aims to engage women from migrant and refugee backgrounds experiencing disadvantages and challenges in accessing mainstream employment and small business development opportunities tailored to the food industry. Mickey's Ruby Chocolate The program provides workshops and mentoring specific to starting food businesses with the objectives of: Creating new employment opportu...

The transformation of the former St Mary’s vicarage into a contemporary urban farm and community engagement space has begun. Located on the corner of Plenty Road and Tyler street, the ‘Oakhill Food Justice Farm’ is Sustain’s second urban farm in Melbourne and represents an important next step in realizing the city-wide vision of a thriving Urban Farm and Food Justice Training Network. The Oakhill Food Justice Farm site in August 2021. The project...

We're campaigning for solidarity with women agripreneurs of Gaza so they can realize their aspirations for food sovereignty - an independent and resilient food system for Palestine and all Palestinians. For beekeepers like Samar Al-Baa and rabbit farmers like Rheem Irhim, their farms & farming practices represent not only their own economic empowerment but food security for the local Palestinian population. Providing residents with nutritious, locally grown ...