In 2019 we were watching a new virus cause havoc around the world: coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). On the 19th of February 2020 we saw the first confirmed cases of COVID-19 in NSW (3 travellers returning from Wuhan, China). Things accelerated from there resulting in lockdowns on the 18th of March 2020.
The havoc that COVID-19 introduced to our society had many impacts, one of them being the closing of many groups, which would never re-open, the sustainable living group that I used to run at the community centre near our home did not survive COVID-19, but Permaculture Sydney West did, and it continues to survive and thrive to this day (late 2025).
It is my fervent hope that a pandemic like COVID-19 never occurs again, although there are some scientists who regard such an occurrence as inevitable. It seemed worthwhile to me to record what the PSW committee did during the pandemic to not only keep the group alive, but to help its members weather the COVID storm.
Early COVID
Once it was clear that we would not be seeing the PSW member face to face for a while, the Secretary (Vera Meyer) with the support of the committee put together and emailed out a newsletter weekly to provide information on surviving the pandemic and encouragement to all our members. An example of one of the emails (April 2020) is reproduced below.
Another from May 2020
Also in April 2020 it was set up for members to be allowed to pick up seedlings produced by the PSW Seed Savers Group from the home of the organisers (Lynne and Mark Byass) in the lower Blue Mountains, contact free. This was set up for the members using email so they could organise what they wanted and when it could be picked up.
The ZOOM Revolution
The Committee
Prior to COVID the PSW committee would hold their monthly meeting face to face at a member’s house which was central to as many committee members as possible, usually in Northmead. However with the advent of COVID this was no longer possible and so the May 2020 committee meeting was first held via ZOOM. This turned out to be so convenient for the members and efficient for the committee, as well as reducing carbon footprint because no petrol was used, that it continues to the present day.
Public Meetings
As with committee meetings, prior to the COVID shutdowns, meetings had been held face to face in a number of locations around western Sydney, but at the time were held in Wentworthville at the community centre. Since this was no longer possible, the committee elected to restart the meetings on ZOOM, and the first of these meetings was held on the first of June 2020.
The first meeting was conducted in two parts, the first being a Q&A on garden related questions on a panel of experienced PSW members and the second part being an open forum for members to discuss what was happening in their garden, including any changes, discoveries or new projects.
We had fun at our public meetings prior to Covid
While ZOOM meetings did not provide the camaraderie of face to face, allow exchange of produce grown by members or the recycling of unwanted materials, it did have one major advantage: it allowed the group to host speakers from much further afield. We were no longer restricted to those speakers who were based in Sydney or happened to be in Sydney and available on the meeting night. Also, recordings were taken of the meetings as they happened, allowing people who could not attend the ZOOM meeting to watch at a time of their choosing.
Speakers we were able to provide via ZOOM included Meg McGowan (Permacoach) on the Central Coast, Linda Woodrow (author of ‘The Permaculture Home Garden’ and ‘470’) on the Northern NSW Coast), Michael Wardle (Savour Soil Permaculture) Brisbane, Nick Ritar (Milkwood) Central Victoria, Morag Gamble (Our Permaculture Life) Brisbane, and many more. Subjects covered included mushroom growing, ethical investing, garden ferments, resilience and winter veg gardening. The PSW Annual General Meetings were conducted online at the December meeting for 2020 and 2021.
Attendance at ZOOM meetings was variable, but there could be upwards of mid-forties attendees.
People Care
During lockdown, one of the committee members suggested we should post out a ‘Care Package’ to each of the members. The care package would contain –
- A note expressing happy thoughts,
- A tea bag for each adult member of the household,
- A couple of packs of seeds courtesy of the PSW Seed Savers group,
- A lollipop for each child in the household (because Covid sucks!), and
- Several recipes for food, laundry and beauty products etc.
All of this was calculated to cost a total of $180 to be funded from PSW coffers. Of course, the idea was approved enthusiastically by the committee and was carried out by the lady who suggested it and her family. It was a wonderful thought in very trying times and was a great demonstration of the ‘People Care’ ethic in practice.
After the Fact
On the 15th of December 2021 the majority of restrictions in NSW were lifted. PSW meeting on ZOOM continued until March 2022, which was supposed to be the first face to face public meeting since March 2020. In the event, due to heavy rainfall, it was decided to have one more ZOOM meeting and face to face meetings actually began again in April 2022.
Between April and December 2022 a ‘hybrid’ meeting format was trialled. This involved having a face to face meeting and recording it live and transmitting it via ZOOM so that people who wanted to come to the meeting and attend in person and those who didn’t could watch the proceedings from home. However, by the end of the year it was decided that the hybrid format was not the way to go and was discontinued.
Conclusion
The COVID experience has impacted, and for some of us continues to impact our lives. On the plus side, due to the inventiveness, skill and sheer hard work of the PSW committee, we were able to survive as a permaculture group and return stronger than ever once the restrictions were lifted. Maybe PSW was made for hard times such as those engendered by the pandemic.
