Rod Hughes worked nearly three decades in environmental management, especially in river and catchment management. This included more than 10 years running the state government agency, the Swan River Trust.

​

He completed a life changing PDC at Fair Harvest in Margaret River… which genuinely did sow the seeds of a change in life.

​

He followed up with an advanced permie design certificate, quit his job, completed a Diploma in Permaculture at Candlelight Farm and set up his permaculture design and teaching consultancy, Leafcutter Permaculture.

​

Rod spent several years living on and restoring 136-acres of a mostly bush property in the Chittering Valley, north-east of Perth and was involved in setting up the Bullsbrook Community Garden.

​

Since mid-2018, he has been Farm Manager at Perth City Farm where he grows some fruit and veg, looks after a few chooks and ducks and talks lots about compost.