The Farmers

The Begining

Matt Bakker and Micah Oberon began Neighbourhood Farm in 2016  with a desire to connect people directly with their food in the local community. Neighbourhood farm has become a hub for education, community and fresh produce displaying a model that can be replicated across our urban landscape.

Matt continues to work on the sustainability of the farm and growing quality produce for the community. Micah has moved onto other farming projects across Queensland with plenty of enthusiasm for small scale regenerative agriculture and stopping by on occasion to help out on the farm.

  • Matt Bakker

    FOUNDER

    Matt is the founder of Neighbourhood Farm with the project running into its ninth year. Matt has a background in environmental science and cultural heritage, and natural resource management with over 15 years’ experience in the food and land use sector.

    His experience emerges from a desire to understand the complexities of our environment and to incorporate regenerative agricultural practices into small scale farming. This is what has led to a focus on creating a sustainable productive urban farm that is directly connected to landscape and local community.

  • Rani Lustosa

    LEAD FARMER

    Rani is a qualified and experienced horticulturalist and bush regenerator. She has worked extensively on bush regeneration work utilising chemical free techniques to restore and regenerate native landscapes around South East Queensland.

    Rani has a deep respect for the land and believes in changing social relations, empowering local farmers, and sustainably using and conserving natural resources and biodiversity.

  • Jonathan Cooper

    FARM ORGANISER

    Jono brings over 10 years of organic market gardening experience across climates ranging from cool temperate southern Tasmania to the subtropics of South East Queensland.

    Jonathan has experience teaching the basics of gardening all the way through to the complexities of permaculture design and broadacre regenerative agriculture.

    He is passionate about empowering people to enjoy food and gardening through fostering connections with the environment and their community.

  • Kris barnes

    NOURISH COMPOST

    Kris is the founder of Nourish Compost, which he operates from Neighbourhood Farm. He supplies high quality compost to Neighbourhood Farm, Future Wild and teaches regularly in Brisbane City Council’s Master Compost Course.

    He has a background in permaculture and is passionate about restoring soil biodiversity to degraded land as well as all things compost. To learn more, check out his website