Fresh beginnings at Cana Farm: Building a place of belonging
After 15 years of cultivating more than just crops at our farm in Orchard Hills, March last year marked a major inflection point for Cana. With the property sold, we needed to find a new place where our community could continue to gather, heal, and grow.
Cana Farm has always been more than a farm. It’s a place of purpose and belonging for those who’ve experienced homelessness, addiction, and social isolation. A space to provide meaningful work, build confidence, learn new skills, and create change.
Securing the future of our farm wasn’t just important—it was essential.
A new home at Grose Vale
In August last year, we shared the exciting news that we had found its new home on a property in Grose Vale. Set in the North Richmond area, this new land offered the potential to keep our social enterprise thriving. It meant we could continue offering work opportunities to community members—providing stability, connection, and a chance to build a better future.
Cana’s move to Grose Vale was made possible thanks to the ongoing support of the Polese family, who generously purchased this property following the sale of the Orchard Hills farm—the same land they had leased to Cana for over 15 years. We are deeply grateful for their long-term and significant support.
What followed was no small feat.
The transition from Orchard Hills to Grose Vale would involve careful planning, dozens of trips back and forth, and the heart of a community willing to help. We would salvage what we could, repurposing everything from buildings and greenhouses to timber and trellises. We needed to transport tractors, water tanks, shipping containers, raised garden beds, irrigation systems, masses of tools, and memories.
In early January, after ensuring the busy Christmas sales period proceeded without a hitch, we began building a new Cana Farm piece-by-piece:
Garden beds filled once more with herbs and veggies, along with space to store tools and equipment for our market gardening.
Setting up our pantry goods operations, including our commercial kitchen.
An office to support the daily running of the farm and our growing social enterprise.
A comfortable new home for Brett and Kevin, who moved from Orchard Hills—plus room to welcome more residents in a spacious four-bedroom house.
A new home for our beloved horses and chooks.
And most importantly ….. a freshly built community gathering space where lots of stories and sustenance will be shared.
We recycled and repurposed wherever we could—ensuring our values of sustainability and care carried into this next chapter. You may have seen glimpses of this journey on social media: gumboots on muddy paths, greenhouses going up, a kettle always on the boil.
Ngurra Birang: A Place of Belonging
Early in our journey into Grose Vale, we introduced ourselves to Merana Aboriginal Community Association for the Hawkesbury – the first Aboriginal organisation in the Hawkesbury.
We acknowledge the Dharug people as the traditional custodians of the land, waterways and skies we gather on in Grose Vale. We acknowledge their culture, traditions and rights to waterways, land and skies. We stand with Dharug people in the knowledge that their land, skies and waterways rights have never been sold, treatied or given to anyone.
Following a number of gatherings over the last 6 months between our community members, Merana generously agreed to lead a process that would see them name this beautiful place in their language.
We’re honoured to announce the name they have gifted our new farm - Ngurra Birang - meaning a place of belonging.
This name reflects everything Cana Farm strives to be—a space where people can feel safe, grow, and belong.
To mark this milestone, a special art workshop was led by local Indigenous artist, Jess Munroe, who guided our community in painting a collaborative piece. This beautiful artwork - created by many hands - will soon hang in our new community gathering space, reminding us of where we are and who we’re walking with.
With gratitude and open arms
This journey has been made possible by the kindness of our supporters—those who gave funds, time, equipment, labour, or simply encouragement. From donated kitchen equipment to helping hands on build days, every gesture has helped bring Ngurra Birang to life.
We’re not finished yet—but we’re proud of how far we’ve come.
Soon, we’ll be welcoming friends, and supporters to drop in, share a coffee and have a look around Ngurra Birang.
