There is a certain feeling on the eve of something special. I think this photo captured it. That’s me in the t-shirt next to Dave Booth, a friend, cultural leader, artist, storyteller and spokesperson for the Peramangk people of the Adelaide Hills.

We are flanked by Dimity Podger and Philip Freeman from Regen Labs to the left and right of the picture. They had just flown in to join us from Dharawal and Gadigal Country on the eastern side of our continent.

A message to bring into the future

This shot was taken moments after Dave presented us with a message stick he carved from salvaged Jarrah timber. This came from a tree; a hardwood giant that once grew on our island’s west coast. It became a powerful ‘talking stick’ shared between dozens of regenerative leaders the following day.

The narrative marks burned into the stick’s surface are compelling symbols of the regenerative nature of our work. This new artefact – touched by us all – holds our hopes and now sits in a new place on the east coast.

Years of collaboration coming to fruition

This day together for the Hills and Coasts region builds on years of exploration of its regenerative potential. We have engaged with many social enterprises, leaders in regeneration and other partners in changing the way we do things, including WWF-Australia and TACSI.

Engage Change partners with innovators. I am proud of the work we have done with Regen Labs in our journey towards a pilot-scale Regen Community Investment Fund.

The gathering at Kitchen Farm Adelaide Hills brought together an inspiring and motivated group of local businesses and social enterprises. These entrepreneurs are passionate about seaweed farming, affordable housing, food security and First Nations sovereignty. They were joined by local government workers, civic organisations, community practitioners and philanthropic leaders. Together, we engaged in meaningful conversations and design inquiry about how finance can be a powerful catalyst for positive change.

We left our codesign sessions and the all-important shared lunch with new ideas and optimism about the potential of working together to create a finance and fund model to bring lasting benefits to regional communities and ecosystems.

Insights for our regenerative fund

Early collective insights for a Fund design included:
❤️ Emphasise diverse forms of value creation beyond financial returns
🤝 Co-design collaboratively in reciprocity with nature and the local community
🌱 Develop pathways for funding that align with regional values
🔍 Foster trust through transparency and honesty in our processes
💰 Ensure adequate funding for projects – inclusive of payments to weavers, teachers and storytellers to support true regeneration
🕰️ Commit to truly long-term relationships to navigate the complexities we face
🤲 Ensure the processes and Fund parameters are culturally safe and support growth of intergenerational wealth in First Nations communities.

This video shares some of what we experienced on the day.

To learn more about this journey and the potential of the Regen Community Investment Fund, drop me a line here, or get in touch with Regen Labs.

Gratitude to the partners that came together to support this initiative: Burke Urban, Landscapes Hills and Fleurieu, Green Adelaide, The Ground We Walk On (thanks for the video) and Mount Barker District Council for their vital support. Engage Change was proud to be a partner.

Post script

In late February 2025, Regen Labs hosted the first funders’ Roundtable for this exciting Hills and Coasts project at an in-person session with The Wyatt Trust. An online Roundtable is being held on 20 March to respond to demand. If you’d like an invitation, contact Matthew directly.