A Vision Realised Sages Cottage Farm

More than a decade ago, Sages Cottage Farm stood at a crossroads. Today, it is a thriving social enterprise supporting 92 clients through supported employment and real-world skill development.

Previously owned and operated by Menzies Caring for Kids, the 35-acre property had become a deeply valued community space, known especially for its pioneering Animal Assisted Therapy programs supporting disadvantaged and at-risk children. But despite the strength of the vision, long-term funding proved unsustainable. In 2013, the farm closed to the public and its future was uncertain.

That could have been the end of the story. Instead, it became a handover built on trust.

A Shared Belief in What Sages Could Be

When Wallara took stewardship of Sages Cottage Farm ten years ago, it wasn’t a transaction. It was a commitment to realise a common vision.

Wallara made a clear promise to Menzies: to honour the decade of work already done, to protect the spirit of the place and to reopen Sages as a farm that belonged to the community.

It was an act of faith from Menzies — trusting another organisation to carry forward a vision they had fought hard to build. And it was a responsibility Wallara took seriously from day one.

From Run-Down Farm to Thriving Community Hub

Revitalising Sages was not quick, easy or cosmetic. The property required significant restoration. Infrastructure needed rebuilding. Programs had to be reimagined. Most importantly, the farm had to become sustainable financially, socially and environmentally.

Since taking over stewardship of Sages Cottage Farm, Wallara has invested more than $4 million into restoring and redeveloping the site — funds made possible by generous donors who shared our vision for what the farm could become. That investment has transformed a once run-down property into a working social enterprise and community hub with real outcomes.

Twenty-five people are now employed in supported roles at Sages Cottage Farm, working across hospitality, horticulture, land care and visitor experience. A further 92 clients are engaged in supported employment and skill development, building independent living and employment skills while connecting with their community. This work is supported by a dedicated team of 25 staff, ensuring the farm operates safely and sustainably.

Sages Cottage Farm is alive with visitors — families, schools, community groups and travellers — and provides work experiences and skill development in an inclusive, environmentally conscious setting that creates opportunity.

A Full-Circle Moment

Recently, Wallara welcomed Phil Jones and Georgia Symmons, past Board Presidents of Menzies Caring for Kids, back to Sages Cottage Farm.

Seeing the farm in full operation – upgraded, active, and filled with people – was a powerful moment. It marked the closing of one chapter and the clear success of another.

Following their visit, Phil and Georgia shared a letter reflecting on the original vision for Sages as a cherished community asset. They acknowledged the difficulty of stepping away, and their long-held hope that the spirit of Sages would continue.

Their words offer rare and meaningful validation of Wallara’s stewardship:

Community Farms Matter

Community farms are rare and powerful. They are places of connection. Of healing. Of learning by doing. Of dignity, inclusion and shared responsibility.

Sages Cottage Farm exists today because two organisations believed in the same thing: that people deserve places designed for belonging, not exclusion — and that with the right stewardship, those places can thrive.

Ten years on, the promise made has been kept. The vision first imagined is now a living, growing reality.