GROUNDED 2026 Food and Farming Festival – Dean’s Marsh, VIC

22 – 23 April 2026 | Yan Yan Gurt West, Deans Marsh, Victoria

Mulloon Institute is pleased to share that we will be attending GROUNDED 2026, Australia’s only annual roaming food and farming festival, bringing together leaders, farmers, researchers and food system changemakers for two days of practical ideas and big-picture thinking.

Founded by Matthew Evans – farmer, author of Soil, On Eating Meat and Milk, and host of Gourmet Farmer – GROUNDED combines science, technology and ancient wisdom to explore how we build healthier landscapes, stronger communities and more resilient food systems.

Why GROUNDED matters

Agriculture accounts for more than half of Australia’s land use and the majority of our water consumption, while producing 90% of our food. Yet farmers face declining soil fertility, rising costs, climate pressures and increasingly centralised supply chains. At the same time, Australians are experiencing growing diet-related health challenges.

GROUNDED is a collaborative response to these interconnected issues – building capacity, sharing practical solutions and creating space for respectful, robust discussion about the future of food and farming.

As Matthew Evans says:

“GROUNDED is about real stories, real people, and real solutions. It’s a chance to gather on-country and talk about what really matters – from soil health and climate to big-picture systems thinking and community resilience.”

2026 Location

GROUNDED 2026 will be held at Yan Yan Gurt West Farm in Deans Marsh, in the Victorian Otway Ranges, approximately two hours from Melbourne.

The festival is presented in partnership with:

• Upper Barwon Landcare Network

• Central Otway Landcare Network

This region is renowned for regenerative agroforestry, local food culture and strong community landcare leadership.

What to expect

Across a packed two-day program, speakers and practitioners will cover more than 50 topics, including:

• Soil health and landscape regeneration

• Landscape hydration and water resilience

• Regenerative agroforestry

• Carbon and biodiversity credits

• De-risking farms and succession planning

• Food distribution and local abattoirs

• Nutrition and food literacy

• Young farmer futures

The program includes farm tours and practical ‘walkshops’ exploring soil health, rotational grazing and regenerative farming in action. Attendees can camp or glamp onsite, or stay in nearby accommodation in the Otways region.

Confirmed International Speakers

• Dr Steven Chen – CEO of Recipe4Health

• Clara Coleman – four-season farming expert and mental health advocate

• Cole Mannix – Co-founder and President of Old Salt Co-op

Confirmed National Speakers

• Joshua Gilbert – author of Australia’s Agricultural Identity – an Aboriginal Yarn

• Jo Lawson and Dan Hunter of Brae

• Rowan Reid – author of Heartwood

• David Watson – biodiversity specialist

• Vince Heffernan – biodynamic regeneration leader

• Jake Robinson – researcher in trees, biome science and human health

More speakers will be announced in the lead up to April 2026.

Who should attend?

GROUNDED is for farmers, growers, land managers, chefs, nutritionists, educators, investors and anyone interested in healthier, more resilient food systems. It starts with soil, but extends to community, economy and culture.

Event Details

Dates: 22 – 23 April 2026
Location: Yan Yan Gurt West Farm, Deans Marsh, Victoria
Tickets: Available via the GROUNDED website

For more information and bookings, visit: GROUNDED Australia

Supported by

GROUNDED FESTIVAL 2026 is supported by the Australian Government through funding from the Climate-Smart Agriculture Program under the Natural Heritage Trust.

The event is also supported by the Victorian Government through the Victorian Landcare Grants, Corangamite Catchment Management Authority, Sustainable Table and Stone and Wood.

Mulloon Institute looks forward to being part of this important national conversation on landscape regeneration, water resilience and building a nature-positive food future. We hope to see you there.