Hello from Australian Urban Growers
We're accelerating the growth of the vertical farming sector
We’ve been working tirelessly since 2020 to help end hunger, improve environmental outcomes and leave a positive impact on our community. We create impact by:
- Creating location appropriate, affordable, scalable vertical farming tools, systems and solutions.
- Developing the manuals, methods and technology to operate small vertical farm businesses effectively.
- Delivering community and school-based education and economic development programs to accelerate growth.
Our work aims to contribute positively to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals; especially those related to food security, economic development and global education.
Vertical farms come in many shapes and sizes; the core principle is that vertical farming amplifies both ancient and advanced agricultural wisdom by growing up. It’s sustainable, it stacks up!
Have You Heard Of Us Before?
Maybe you’ve heard of us? Maybe you haven’t. Either way, we’d like to make you aware of some of the fields we’re working in
Vertical Farm Creation;
Parts, Systems & More
School-Based Farming
& Curriculum Education
Strategic Planning For New Urban & Vertical Farmers
Generative Economic Development Program
The Urban Farming Roadshow
High School & University Student Design Challenges
Excellence Program For Univeristy Students
Fresh Leafy Greens, Herbs & Other Produce
Does this leave you hungering to contribute to and cultivating a sustainable food future?
Do you have an appetite for driving positive change?
Let’s partner and grow together!
Who We Are
We're The Green Team From Different Streams
Though our team is small, our vision is rooted in growth.
Each of us brings a unique background and deep commitment to sustainability grounded in environmental, social, and economic responsibility.
We are community builders at heart, transforming a team of four into a thriving network through genuine connection and collaboration. Focusing on food security, food justice, and education, we work alongside communities to inspire change, empowering everyone to play a role in creating a resilient and sustainable future.
CHRIS FULLON
Sustainable Development
STEVE FALKNER
Scientific Development
BETH MORRIS
Social Development
MARY ANN DY
Education Development
University Based Work Placement
We offer an Excellence Program for university students eager to dive into real-world sustainability initiatives.
Through our internship placements, students fulfil their university requirements while gaining hands-on experience with a leader in vertical farming, food security, and community development.
As part of our team, you’ll develop valuable skills, engage with innovative projects, and work alongside experts passionate about making a difference.
If you’re ready to elevate your studies and make an impact, apply by emailing your resume and cover letter by clicking the link below.
We partner to achieve our goals.
Our partners include:
In Case You're Still Wondering
Vertical Farming
is the practice of growing living plants in breathing towers, to improve the impact your plate has on our planet
Improving Water Quality and Consumption
Vertical farming improves water quality and reduces consumption by using closed-loop, hydroponic systems that cut water usage by up to 95% and prevent harmful runoff. This aligns with UNSDGs like Goal 6: Clean Water and Sanitation and Goal 12: Responsible Consumption and Production, fostering sustainable resource use and food security.
Reducing Fuel And Energy Consumption
Vertical farming reduces fuel and energy consumption by shortening supply chains and enabling local, year-round production. With efficient lighting and climate control, energy use is minimised, supporting UNSDGs like Goal 7: Affordable and Clean Energy and Goal 13: Climate Action, contributing to a more sustainable, low-carbon food system.
Localising Production, Reducing Food Miles
Vertical farming limits land use by stacking crops vertically, allowing high-yield production in compact spaces. This preserves natural habitats and reduces deforestation, aligning with UNSDGs like Goal 15: Life on Land and Goal 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities, promoting biodiversity and sustainable urban growth. It also improves accessibility and can help improve food sovereignty.
Improving Biosecurity and Crop Resilience
Biosecurity can be improvedin controlled environments that minimise exposure to pests and diseases, reducing the need for pesticides. With careful monitoring and rapid response capabilities, crops are protected, and resilience is built, supporting UNSDGs like Goal 3: Good Health and Well-being and Goal 2: Zero Hunger, enhancing safe, reliable food sources.
Minimised Food Waste by Designed Harvest
By tailoring precise, demand-based harvesting models, vertical farming reduces food waste by allowing crops to be grown and picked exactly when needed. This targeted approach lowers spoilage, contributing to UNSDGs like Goal 12: Responsible Consumption and Production and Goal 2: Zero Hunger, fostering a more efficient and sustainable food system.
Adapting Agriculture for Climate Resilience
Vertical farming is climate-resilient, operating independently of extreme weather and adapting to urban settings. Reducing reliance on climate-sensitive practices supports UNSDGs like Goal 13: Climate Action and Goal 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities, helping secure future food supply in a changing climate.
Empowering a New Generation of Vertical Farming Leaders
Our programs empower individuals and communities to participate actively in a sustainable future. From schools to community groups, at-risk youth, and private businesses, each program equips participants with skills and knowledge to build a resilient food system through vertical farming.
By engaging diverse groups, we create pathways to food security, economic opportunity, and environmental stewardship, driving forward the growth of the vertical farming sector.
Key Skills for Growing the Vertical Farming Sector:
- Understanding and applying sustainability principles
- Operating and maintaining vertical farming systems
- Water, energy and resource efficiency management
- Biosecurity and pest management practices
- Climate adaptability and resilience planning
- Business literacy for food system businesses
- Innovation and technology integration in agriculture
School-Based Vertical Farming Program
Barrambin Farm,
Kelvin Grove State College
BNE, QLD, Australia
Barrambin Farm provides students with hands-on experience in vertical farming within an urban school setting, teaching sustainable food production, resource efficiency, and climate adaptation. Students gain valuable skills in modern agriculture by managing the farm and seeing firsthand how urban farming can contribute to resilient, sustainable food systems.
Barrambin Farm at Kelvin Grove State College embodies Australian Urban Growers’ (AUG) vision to integrate sustainability and food security into education through meaningful partnerships.
AUG collaborated with key leaders from KGSC, including Llew Paulger (Principle), Jimmy Southwood (Industry and Community Connective Manager), Jodie O’Sullivan (Marketing Manager), and Amanda Kennedy (Teacher) to champion this project. We gained the support of the Kelvin Grove Urban Village body corporate and KGSC executive leadership, and as a community, we have brought this innovative project to life.
This world-leading partnership ensures that Barrambin Farm isn’t just a school garden but a vital educational tool aligned with the Australian National Curriculum and United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs).
AUG manages the farm, coordinates operations, and develops tailored educational resources, allowing students to gain hands-on experience in vertical farming without adding to teachers’ workload.
Our approach directly strengthens industry connectivity for students by embedding practical skills in food security, climate resilience, and resource management into the curriculum.
Barrambin Farm offers curricular and extracurricular learning opportunities that engage students in STEM-based, sustainability-focused activities, reinforcing Australia’s cross-curriculum priorities.
In a world where urbanisation disconnects people from traditional food sources, Barrambin Farm plays a crucial role in reconnecting students with the world around them, including plants, wildlife and the food, water, air and energy that sustains us.
It is fostering a generation that not only values sustainability but also understands the impact of food production in urban environments. This model prepares students to navigate and contribute to climate resilience and food security, making Barrambin Farm a beacon for innovative, STEM-centered education.
What's Going On?
Upcoming Events & Workshops
Cultivating Knowledge, Inspiring Change and Engaging Future Leaders: Hands-On Events for a Sustainable Future
Urban Farming Roadshow
This co-design event empowers communities to accelerate their vertical farming journey, equipping them with practical skills and resources to build sustainable, locally driven food systems.
Professional Development
Teachers will gain practical insights, collaborate on lesson plans, and achieve certification by creating curriculum-aligned lessons that bring sustainability into the classroom.
Student Design Challenge
In a fun, digital-first environment, students will build e-safety skills and ideate new methods for improving public awareness of regional and remote STEM work.
Frequently Asked Questions
Vertical farming is a method of growing crops stacked in vertical layers, often using hydroponics or other soil-free systems. This allows for efficient use of urban spaces, making it ideal for cities where land is limited. It also has lower impacts on water and energy use, and is not intensive on harmful pesticides and herbicides like some forms of agriculture.
Urban food systems help reduce the carbon footprint associated with transporting food, conserve water, and utilise renewable energy sources. This contributes to sustainability and climate resilience.
Our STEM centred school-based vertical farming education programs equip students with skills in sustainable agriculture, technology use in farming, resource management, and climate resilience, connecting their studies to real-world applications.
Our PD program introduces teachers to vertical farming fundamentals, provides curriculum-aligned lesson planning support, and offers certification, enabling teachers to confidently teach using the vertical farm as a resource, and is it applies to their particular lessons.
Vertical farming uses up to 95% less water than traditional farming by recycling water within closed systems, which conserves water and protects natural resources.
A sustainable urban food system includes localised food production, resource-efficient practices like vertical farming, and community involvement to create resilience against food insecurity.
We provide scalable vertical farming systems tailored for community groups, schools, and businesses, enabling them to establish sustainable and efficient food-growing operations.
Vertical farming reduces the land, water, and energy required for food production, contributing to climate adaptation and mitigation efforts in urban areas.
Biosecurity ensures that crops grown in urban areas are protected from pests and diseases, which is essential for maintaining a healthy, resilient food supply in dense environments.
As urban populations grow, local food systems like vertical farming reduce reliance on imported food, increase resilience, and promote sustainable, healthy communities aligned with global sustainability goals.
Vertical farming can produce large quantities of fresh food locally, reducing dependency on long supply chains and ensuring that communities have access to nutritious food even during supply disruptions. Because it can be located in cities, townships and even small communities, it improves access to food and creates opportunities to empower individuals, businesses and communities in food sovereignty.
We focus on creating accessible, scalable vertical farming solutions that empower communities and businesses to grow their own food locally, addressing urban food security needs.
Our community-centered programs involve local groups in co-designing vertical farming setups that meet their unique needs, promoting food security and local economic development.
We offer specialised programs in an effort to engage at-risk youth in practical agriculture skills, providing mentorship and career pathways within the growing field of sustainable agriculture.
By growing food close to consumers, urban farms reduce the time from harvest to table, ensuring fresher, more nutritious produce that’s readily accessible to urban communities.
Vertical farming provides hands-on learning opportunities for students in STEM subjects, aligned with the curriculum, and offers teachers professional development in innovative agriculture and sustainability.
Students gain practical experience in STEM, learn about sustainable agriculture, and understand global issues like food security and climate change, preparing them for future careers.
The Urban Farming Roadshow brings our knowledge and tools to regional communities, helping them adopt vertical farming to address local food needs and build resilient food systems.
Technology plays a crucial role, from automated lighting and watering systems to climate control, enabling efficient, high-yield production in compact urban spaces.
We offer consulting, setup, and educational support for businesses interested in sustainable agriculture, helping them reduce their environmental footprint and support local food production.