Sustainable Gardening Australia

23/05/2026

The trick? Learning the difference between pests and the good guys, so you can protect your plants without destroying the healthy soil life doing the hard work underground.

Join us for an insightful masterclass on the topic with David Sparks, coming up in June!

Link: https://weteachme.com/classes/1047202-getting-on-top-of-soil-pests

21/05/2026

Confused about what actually works in the garden?

That’s why 650+ gardeners have rated our classes 4.6/5 — because they finally get clear, practical answers.

Join one of our upcoming masterclass and learn with confidence.

https://www.sgaonline.org.au/training/master-classes/

21/05/2026

Scientists have discovered a new native bee species in Western Australia’s Goldfields. The bee was found visiting a critically endangered wildflower, highlighting just how much we still don’t know about Australia’s native pollinators and the fragile ecosystems they support.

The discovery is a reminder that many native bees could disappear before they’re even documented, especially in landscapes facing habitat disturbance and climate pressures.

Follow the link to learn more about the first new species in this bee group to be identified in more than 20 years! With tiny devil-like “horns” it has earned the name Megachile lucifer.

A new native bee species with tiny devil-like “horns” named Megachile (Hackeriapis) lucifer has been discovered in Western Australia’s Goldfields, highlight ...

20/05/2026

https://www.sgaonline.org.au/get-involved/donate/

20/05/2026

A day set aside to celebrate bees… but also to protect them.

Today is World Bee Day Australia —a reminder that bees (and other pollinators) are essential to keeping people and the planet healthy.

Nearly two-thirds of Australia’s agricultural production depends on bee pollination.
There are around 2,000 species of native bees here, many uniquely connected to our native plants.

But bee populations are under threat—from habitat loss, intensive farming, pests and disease.

Without bees, our food security, biodiversity and ecosystems are all at risk.

So what can we actually do about it?

If you’ve been wanting to support bees, butterflies, birds or other wildlife in your garden—but feel overwhelmed by where to start, or perhaps you've given it a go but you're not seeing results—you’re not alone.

Claire Bickle has helped gardeners cut through the noise and take simple, practical steps that make a real difference.

And tonight, you can learn directly from her.

In this one-hour SGA Masterclass, Claire will show you how to create a garden that supports pollinators and local biodiversity—starting this winter.

You’ll learn how to:
🌱 Work with your climate, soil and space
🐝 Support bees and beneficial insects naturally
🌿 Choose and layer plants for real habitat value
💧 Provide the right water and shelter for different species
🦋 Turn even small gardens into powerful wildlife stepping stones

Because even small actions, multiplied across our neighbourhoods, can help protect the species we depend on.

👉Don’t miss this great class—get your garden thriving this winter! Join us tonight. https://weteachme.com/classes/1047138-creating-a-wildlife-haven-must-know-essentials

Wheen Bee Foundation Loccal

14/05/2026

One powerful benefit of habitat gardening is how it naturally supports Integrated Pest Management (IPM) 🐞🌿

Instead of reacting to pest problems, you create a garden where balance does a lot of the work for you—bringing in beneficial insects, birds and other wildlife that help keep pests in check.

Habitat gardening is a key part of Integrated Pest Management:
• Attracts beneficial insects (your natural pest control)
• Boosts biodiversity to prevent pest outbreaks
• Provides shelter + food year-round
• Builds stronger, more resilient plants
• Reduces the need for sprays

Join our upcoming masterclass, Creating a Wildlife Haven: The Must-Know Essentials Masterclass, with gardening writer and educator, Claire Bickle and learn how to:
• Work with your climate, soil and garden conditions (and even nearby verges)
• Design simple, practical habitat gardens you can actually start now
• Identify your “target audience” — from insects to birds, frogs, bats and more
• Choose and layer plants from groundcovers to trees for maximum life
• Provide water in ways different species actually need
• Create shelter for beneficial insects like bees and dragonflies
• Turn even small spaces into stepping stones for wildlife corridors
• Connect with local groups and keep learning as you go

IPM is just one piece of the puzzle—but it’s a big one. It shows how a well-designed garden can become more resilient, less reactive, and far easier to manage over time 🌼

This class is just $33 (before discounts), with unlimited access to the recording for 2 weeks after the live session—so you can watch it at your own pace 🌱

🎟️ Friends of SGA (FOSGA) receive 15% off full-price tickets for all SGA masterclasses
🎓 Green Garden Professionals (GGPs) receive 30% off full-price tickets

https://weteachme.com/classes/1047138-creating-a-wildlife-haven-must-know-essentials

13/05/2026

Want more birds, bees 🐝 and butterflies 🦋 in your garden—but not sure where to start?

This one-hour Master Class with Claire Bickle cuts through the overwhelm and gets you started with simple, practical steps you can take right now. Winter is the perfect time to set your garden up for a thriving, wildlife-friendly spring 🌱

You’ll learn how to:
• Work with your climate, soil and garden conditions
• Choose the right plants for pollinators and habitat
• Create water, shelter and safe spaces for wildlife
• Support birds, insects and frogs—even in small spaces
• Make a real impact in your neighbourhood

If you want to help nature thrive (and feel confident doing it), this is a great place to begin.

Join Claire Bickle's masterclass to boost biodiversity in your...

09/05/2026

Composting recycles nutrients to boost your soil quality, improves sustainability in your home and helps the planet - cutting food and garden waste is one of the most effective actions an individual can take to reduce personal emissions.

So, what makes a good compost? All composts need a balance of materials that are:
• high in nitrogen, such as blood & bone or chook manure
• contain carbon, such as dried leaves or shredded newspapers
• contain both carbon & nitrogen, such as kitchen scraps, pea straw and green garden prunings.

In addition, a good compost needs water, oxygen and warmth. Compost bins don't need worms, but they may help them function more efficiently. Generally, a well-functioning compost bin with an open base will become home to a host of delightful wormy creatures over time, a sure sign that your heap is doing well!

Check out our on-demand masterclass on establishing your compost to dive deeper. Great for beginners, and useful for experienced gardeners who want to get the best out of their compost, quickly.
Link: https://weteachme.com/classes/1044042-establishing-a-compost-that-works

You can also enter to win free access to the above masterclass, as well as some other goodies in celebration of International Compost Awareness Week, by entering here: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1CnQnnX6Pp/

For more info on International Compost Awareness Week, head here:
https://www.compostweek.com.au/

09/05/2026

Winner announced on Monday 🌱

Sustainability isn’t just for grown-ups! Win a family-friendly soil growing bundle...

SGA loves these hands-on resources from Life Rocks - making soil science fun, practical, and easy for kids to explore. Read on to find out how you can win them.

With International Compost Awareness Week just around the corner, it’s the perfect time to show kids how food scraps transform into rich, living soil - and what soil actually is.

The Life Rocks Soil Book takes young readers (4 - 8 years old) on a journey through the underground web of life with a rhyming narrative, designed to ignite curiosity for soil science and nature.
• Large-format book packed full of beautiful illustrations.
• Hands-on soil science activities, worksheets and colouring-in sheets.
• Bonus scientific pages about soil organisms for the slightly older kids.

Dirt Defenders is a cooperative Soil Ecology Card Game, perfect for kids 11+ years and families, where players team up to protect underground ecosystems and solve real-life environmental threats.
• Packed with strategy, creativity, and laugh-out-loud mini-games that makes defending the dirt fun!
• Access to digital resources that include soil-science lesson outlines, worksheets, and presentations for both primary and secondary school kids.

SGA and Life Rocks have teamed up to help raise the next generation of climate-smart, self-sufficient gardeners—with a giveaway to build better soil (and understand what’s actually going on beneath our feet).

🎁 Win a family-friendly soil growing bundle 🎁
• Life Rocks Soil book or Dirt Defenders Soil Ecology Card Game
• Free access to SGA’s on-demand composting masterclass
• A pack of winter seeds for kids + a green manure crop to nourish your soil

To enter:
Like our pages, tag a friend who’d love to win this bundle and comment below to let us know whether you'd love the Life Rocks Soil book or Dirt Defenders Soil Ecology Card Game.

Let’s get more kids digging, growing, and understanding the magic beneath their feet.

International Composting Awareness Week Australia Soil Week Australia Life Rocks Edible Kids' Gardens Gardening 4 Kids Community Gardens Australia Loccal Compost Revolution Compost Community


To learn more about Dirt Defenders head to: liferocks.school/dirt-defenders. If you're new to SGA head to sgaonline.org.au for everything you need to grow a thriving garden that’s better for you, your soil, and the planet.

07/05/2026