Growing Curious
Our Journey Through the 2014 Seasons
This year we've sought to power meaningful change while remaining grounded in relationships and respect. Each cycle has brought its own harvest of learning and been strengthened by the generosity of those who've shared their stories, dreams, and knowledge. Through this weaving of innovation and tradition, art and action, technology and human connection, we've seen how transformative change takes root when we create space for diverse voices to lead the way.
A year of ACTion
This timeline captures our journey through the fields we've tended, the partnerships we've grown, and the stories we've gathered. It's a testament to the power of listening deeply, leaning into curiosity, and taking purposeful action. Through projects like ReKindle, Goods., and SMART Stories, we've witnessed how careful cultivation of ideas can bloom into transformative change.
Against the backdrop of community challenges, we saw how the G Code - Grounded, Goals, and Gratitude - could be enriched by deep cultural knowledge and connection to Country. It was a humble reminder that true transformation emerges when we create space for different ways of knowing and being to flourish together.
These precious days planted seeds of possibility that continue to grow, nurtured by the wisdom of community and the power of authentic connection.
“Being able to show Confit the beautiful country we have out here is deadly. It’s great to share our knowledge of culture, hunting, fishing, and camping, and seeing how they bring their stories and mentorship to connect with our young people.”
Brodie Germaine, BG Fit
In the gentle warmth of a Queensland summer, we began transforming an old shipping container into what would become The ACT Lab - a space where ideas take root and wisdom finds fertile ground.
The container, once used for transporting goods across oceans, will one day hold conversations that traverse landscapes of possibility.
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From a seed of possibility (a no thank you) planted in a fellowship application, Justice Co-lab has grown into something far more profound than we first imagined. What began as a response to the Paul Ramsay Foundation's call for innovation has blossomed into a vision for transformative change in youth justice, deeply rooted in community wisdom and lived experience. Like tendrils reaching through rich soil, our initial ideas about digital innovation and storytelling have intertwined with the strength of grassroots leadership and cultural knowledge, creating something more resilient and authentic than any single organisation could cultivate alone.
Like the living tables we built together, each conversation created sturdy platforms for future growth while remaining flexible enough to adapt and evolve. The traditional yarning circles and knowledge-sharing naturally flowed into discussions about June's Patch and community wellbeing, reminding us that the most powerful solutions emerge when we slow down enough to listen - to each other, to the land, and to the wisdom that surfaces when we make space for genuine connection. As participants departed, they carried with them not just ideas and plans, but a renewed appreciation for how nature's rhythms can guide our work in creating more nurturing spaces for healing and growth.
"Being here has reminded us how essential it is to break free from our usual ways of thinking. When we step away from our silos and into nature, we create space for new connections and possibilities to emerge."
Vicki, Researcher
14 Dads descended on Black Cockatoo Valley for the inaugural Dad.lab. We look forward to welcoming some more dads onto the farm in 2025.
A pleasure to work with the team at Deadly Science and the profound young people as we create STEM kits. We worked alongside 6 young people over 3 months to develop kits that will soon travel into all Youth Detention Centres across Queensland.
One coffee and a powerful conversation with SMART Recovery CEO April Long has turned into an impactful six months for A Curious Tractor. At this stage of the story we are full of excitement and discovery in what might become with this SMART stories campaign.
Recovery
[From Old French recovrer "to get back, restore," from Latin recuperare "to recover, regain, reclaim"]
Related words:
recover (v.)
recovering (adj.)
recoverable (adj.)
For about six months I was lucky enough to be supported by The Snow Foundation to look into some digital engagement ideas for the Drug and Alcohol Sentencing Court in Canberra. Six amazing students from ANU coded, designed and scaled a platform and we had a tonne of fun along the way.
Worldview is an inspirational program in the ACT that supports young Indigenous people at risk of the youth justice system into employment. They have recently scaled to Brisbane and you can check them out in the link below.
For BK, this was the most fundamental shift in his thinking about youth detention. There is a model that exists that support young people where they are in life, has high expectations on them and sends them back into the community with a better chance of success...and it's on its way to Australia.
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"You need to stop thinking so much about security and fear, when you break the barrier to approach the kids and you see that deep down they are kids with needs change happens'.
Javier Aparicio Grau, Murcia farm
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A powerful group of changemakers descended on the farm to share their Westpac journey and continue to support each other on the next phase of their impact.
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Massive thanks to Qld Gives for supporting A Curious Tractor with a $30,000 grant for June's patch. And for picking the Confit / BG Fit collab piccie to be a finalist in the photo comp.
Super awkward for this fulla below...thanks Nic for letting me stand on stage for 20 mins...sometimes its not great that your business starts with A :)
Sitting on the side of the road about 30 mins out from the farm. The troopy was broken down, the battery wont charge but we had many close friends there to save the day.
We finally arrive and spend a powerful few days getting the June's Patch shed ready. Many hands made light work and we were again blown away by the power of community.
The ACT Gold.phone gets its first run at the Justice Reform Initiative led conference. 80 people with lived experience gained a scholarship to attend making a powerful few days.
Brodie made his first ever keynote and had the large crowd tearing up and roaring with laughter with his small town country vibes and deep conversations about his work with young people in Mount Isa.
An incredible start to this campaign listening to the SMART Directors talk about the passion for this work and the history of the organisation. Check out the little making of vid of SMART Stories below.
This was BK's first ever trip to Kalgoorlie where he strikes up a close friendship with Orange Sky driver Phillip. He also meets Walter who will become a very important part of the Goods story.
What a wicked time we had inspiring each other through our passions, building relations and driving each other forward. Especially proud of Brodie giving his all at his first intensive away from home.
ReKindle, with its holistic and collaborative approach, seeks to break the cycle of reoffending by providing mentorship, cultural connection, and diverse job opportunities for young people transitioning out of detention. The program's success lies in its community-driven efforts and the dedicated individuals leading it.
From Mutitjulu to Darwin AIME brought Imagination to communities and schools. Through performance to magic to slack lines we gave a little bit of energy to communities that miss out on so much. We continue to be inspired by Jack Manning Bancroft and his troop of relational experts as they work to bring Indigenous Systems Thinking into our modern systems.
Our first meeting with Minjerribah Moorgumpin (Elders-In-Council) Aboriginal Corporation with Brodie on the call. They are working on deep partnerships and we are privileged to be working through protocol and working through relationships in the right way. We will be doing some filming in January and can't wait to spend more time on this beautiful island.
Our first trip where we meet Gloria and reconnect with Walter. This experience was a fundamental turning point in the roll out of the Greate Bed and moreso, a huge period of learning for us.
We had a great few days hosting the June Canavan Foundation at the farm. Inspiration and aspiration flowed as we witnessed their strategy and plans to help so many amazing groups. A massive thank you for support us and continuing to make a huge impact on this world.
Our first trip to Bwgcolman with a Goods. focus. Yea we made beds and yes we got feedback for the future. But, the main thing we take away is our learning and respect for being taught how to move at the speed of ceremony and our connection with the increible MingaMinga Rangers.
BK travelled to Mount Isa as Brodie works on his 2025 plan for three camps on country. Whilst there he introduced me to the community he loves and respects. I will never forget my time sitting deeply talking with Elders, Traditional Owners and young people. Brodie...you are going to have one hell of a 2025. I am proud of you bro!
The AMP Spark tomorrow maker cohort descended on Sydney and even though we were there to pitch we stood as one supporting each other. There can be only one winner and we were pumped for our hero Brodie Germaine to take the prize. Such a privilege to share this six months with incredible humans.
What a world class organisation this is. We have had a wicked ride working on SMART Stories. Seeing 7 days of recovery so raw and authentically has changed us in so many ways and we look forward to a long strong partnering with SMART and the amazing CEO April Long. Congratulations of an amazing event and a bumper year of outcomes.
Through patient observation and deep listening at Bimberi Youth Justice Centre, young people's connection to sneaker culture sparked a journey of creative possibility, where their designs now carry stories of hope beyond institutional walls - reminding us that transformation begins when we honour young people's vision for their own futures.
🔍 What we Built: An interactive platform where you can:Filter submissionsRead quick summariesExplore key themesCompare perspectives [My favourite insight: Check out the comparison between the Youth Justice Minister's Charter Letter and the submissions]
These are the moments that reveal the true heart of Bwgcolman. Not just young people growing up, but cultural knowledge flowing forward like water finding its path home. In their easy laughter, in the way they read this landscape without needing words, in their natural understanding of protocols that have guided this place since creation, we see the living proof that culture doesn't just survive - it regenerates, it strengthens, it finds new ways to shine through young eyes.
The stories captured are a testament to the wisdom of walking alongside communities, of honouring ancestral knowledge, and of believing in the transformative power of curiosity. As we look toward future seasons, we carry forward the nutrients of these experiences, knowing that the most meaningful change grows not from what we plant alone, but from what we nurture together.
You've heard our story, it's now time for the world to hear yours.