ACRE - Australian Centre for Rural Entrepreneurship

05/06/2026

Celebrate Regenerative Agriculture in Western Victoria 🌿 and hear from keynote speaker Caitie Tacey – an agro-ecological market gardener, educator and project lead for ‘Farm My School'.

Join us at the GPG + RMIT Activator Showcase, Thursday, June 18th ✨️ for an evening of inspiring stories from Caitie and the regional business founders shaping the future of regenerative agriculture across Victoria - and you’re invited to meet them. 🌿

🌿 Featured founders include 🌿
• Nordic Natural Health (Jacqui Fernandez)
• Otway Escargot (Coralie Schaff)
• Soul Seed Sanctuary (Katherine Knott)
• Wandilla Grazing (Nikky McMahon)
• Warriwillah Farm (Alexandra Brown)

Guest Speaker, Caitie Tacey, is an agro-ecological market gardener, working as a grower and educator in small-scale community farming projects. She works for Farm My School, leading the establishment of their second school farm site in Colac on Gulidjan land. 🌿 Caitie has a breadth of experience across the food and farming sector, as well as having completed an MSc in Regenerative Food and Farming in the UK.

📅 Thursday, June 18th, 4.30pm-7pm.
📍 Birregurra Mechanics Hall, Birregurra.

The event will also feature an exhibition of regional products and initiatives from the Activator participants.

Connect with local business owners, community leaders and industry partners and meet the future of regenerative agriculture! 🌿

🎟️ Connect. Discover. Be Inspired.
Secure your FREE ticket today! 👇🏼

https://bit.ly/4tMauUs

29/05/2026

Our time in Rochester last week reinforced something we see time and again in rural communities: when people invest in local leadership, new opportunities emerge. 🌟

Local journalist Lua Ikenasio covered the events for the Yarrawonga Chronicle.

"The day brought together local business owners, community leaders and organisations for an introductory breakfast, followed by two educational sessions and an evening networking event led by ACRE chief executive and co-founder Matt Pfahlert.

Throughout the day, Mr Pfahlert highlighted the role of social enterprise, where businesses operate commercially while directing profits towards social or environmental outcomes."

Delivered in partnership with Rochester Business Network - Love Rochy and Rochester Community House, chair Larna Tarrant said “It’s created a lot of discussion and a lot of ideas and just a lot of motivation to make some change for the betterment of Rochester."

ACRE’s work in Rochester will continue, including through the Social Enterprise Schools program with Rochester Secondary College over the next three years to help students build entrepreneurial capability and social enterprise thinking.

This work sits at the heart of ACRE's mission to rejuvenate rural Australia by unlocking the power of social enterprise and entrepreneurship to create opportunities, strengthen communities and address local challenges.

The Rochester community program has been made possible through the support of the Helen and David Hains Foundation.

🔗 Full article https://shorturl.at/kQ2Yt

18/05/2026

The ACRE team are headed to Rochester this week! 🌿 Wednesday May 20th. Join others from across the Rochester community for a genuine exploration about what’s possible for Rochester! 🪂

The first session starts at 10am!

📆 Wednesday May 20th
Rochester Racecourse Recreation Reserve

The details 👇🏼
- Introduction to Social Enterprise 10am-12pm
- Demystifying Entrepreneurship 1pm-3pm
- Evening Connect - Q&A + BBQ 6pm-8pm

Please register via the link or email [email protected] or pop into the Rochester Community House.

Rochester Business Network - Love Rochy 🙏

Rochester Community Page

15/05/2026

When structure and common aim spark solutions ✨

The housing workshop attracted a great number of attendees from community, housing/construction businesses and other local stakeholders.

Three key benefits arose from this last session with ACRE:

🔀 A structure on how to get from an idea to action. A great toolbox for the community, that can be transferred to any idea.

🎙 An immediate project for Corryong College VCE media students, to form a podcast about housing, which would feature interviews with experts on topics that will help the community around planning, retrofitting, developing, etc. Corryong College since approved it, which is very exciting.

🗣️ The networking activity itself and conversations around housing solutions that started out of it. Most are already continuing between some community members and experts for other projects possibilities!

Thank you to all who attended for your engaged contribution to this workshop!

Corryong Courier Corryong Health Towong Shire Council Cooee Architecture Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action Snowy Valleys Council

Led by ACRE - Australian Centre for Rural Entrepreneurship and co-hosted by Upper Murray Inc., this open community session was supported by DEECA.

13/05/2026

Rochester: Explore new possibilities for the future 🌿

Across Australia, rural communities are rethinking how they create new opportunities, strengthen local economies and shape their own future.

In collaboration with Rochester Community House and Rochester Business Network, ACRE is delighted to offer a series of practical, thought-provoking sessions exploring what entrepreneurship, social enterprise and community ownership could do for the future of Rochester.

Join others from across the community for a genuine exploration about what’s possible for Rochester, building on the strengths, ideas and aspirations that already exist within the community.

📅 Wednesday May 20th
📍 Rochester Racecourse Recreation Reserve

- Introduction to Social Enterprise 10am-12pm
- Demystifying Entrepreneurship 1pm-3pm
- Evening Connect - Q&A + BBQ 6pm-8pm

These sessions are FREE and open to all community members. Come to one session or stay for the day.

▶️ Register here https://bit.ly/3PcAt9B

Alternatively, email [email protected] or visit the Rochester Community House.

Rochester Business Network - Love Rochy Rochester Community Workshop Series Rochester Community Page

11/05/2026

In partnership with Amplify Alliance Australia, we're bringing a fringe workshop to the National NFP Summit in Canberra this August. 💫

Social Enterprise Fundamentals is designed for NFP leaders and teams looking to diversify revenue, strengthen sustainability and grow impact through social enterprise.

Whether you’re exploring social enterprise for the first time or looking to build on existing enterprise activity, join Matt Pfahlert and Pete Ekstedt for an engaging and practical workshop grounded in lived experience.

Full details: https://ow.ly/MgNK50YT1ln

08/05/2026

A powerful and energetic cross-section of the Koondrook community gathered recently to hear how rural communities in Australia and across the globe are using innovation and enterprise to build a new future. 💫

Students from Barham High School, farmers, local volunteers, business, First Nations and local government leaders gathered for 'Connect and Explore' part of the Lead a New Future for Your Community program.

The workshop was thought-provoking and practical, laying the groundwork to surface ideas, connections and a shared ambition for what comes next.

Funded by DEECA and designed by ACRE, this work supports economic diversification planning in communities navigating Victoria’s transition away from native timber harvesting in State forests.

Thank you to everyone who showed up and brought their perspective to the table, looking forward to the next session on 11 June.

Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action Western Murray Land Improvement Group Murray Connect Gannawarra Shire Council

27/11/2025

🌏️ 120 Young Social Entrepreneurs Connect Globally! 🚀

Young changemakers from fourteen schools across Malaysia and Australia came together online on World Social Enterprise Day to celebrate their social enterprise achievements from the past year.

These students are part of Social Enterprise Schools and the global Social Enterprise Academy network, united by a shared mission to create positive change in the world.

The session spotlighted a range of inspiring student-led enterprises, including:

🐈‍⬛ Meowgnetics (SK Canossian Convent, Malaysia), cares for stray cats by funding neutering and health checks through student-made bracelet sales.

👩🏻‍⚕️ Chains for Hope (James Fallon High School NSW, Australia) creates handmade keychains to raise money for Country Hope, supporting families facing illness who need accommodation.

📙 Ramen Rolls for Literacy (SK Sri Tangkak, Malaysia), sells ramen rolls to purchase engaging books and improve students’ literacy levels.

🎸 I CAN – Community Acting Now (Mallacoota P-12 College VIC, Australia), supports young artists by selling handmade products and donating proceeds to their local music festival.

All the students shared a clear passion for creating positive change through social enterprise—putting people and the planet first.

Big thanks to the teachers, facilitators and to chief orchestrator Tom Colcott for making this global connect happen!

20/11/2025

20/11/2025

Celebrate innovation within Regional Victoria and hear from keynote speaker Lana De kort – serial entrepreneur, social entrepreneur, and social innovator!

Join us at the GPG + RMIT Activator Showcase in Bannockburn for an evening of big ideas and inspiring stories from Lana and participants in the GPG Regional Business Program — Tuesday, Nov 25th ✨️

Lana de Kort is the Chief Entrepreneur of Boom Clunes, a social enterprise start-up based in the small regional town of Clunes, established to explore how small towns can tip boom–bust cycles towards a resounding boom! As CEO, Lana has helped incubate local social enterprises and has spearheaded social impact projects, including Australia’s first Young Men’s Shed.

Connect with local business owners, community leaders and industry partners at an evening that celebrates regional enterprise and possibility ✨️

🎟️ Connect. Discover. Be Inspired.

Secure your FREE ticket and meet the future of regional innovation!
https://events.humanitix.com/gpg-tourism-creative-arts-showcase