Mylène Turban

I grew up in a small village in eastern France, in a family with deep roots in working the land and raising animals, whether as farmers or homesteaders.

I'm one of five children, and I grew up surrounded by neighbouring farms, vegetable gardens and animals in the backyard. My family was close-knit and deeply resilient, but also marked by wounds passed down through generations and the devastating effects of addiction. Like many children, I learned early on to wear certain masks and develop ways of protecting myself. Many of them are no longer needed today, yet they sometimes remain within me, quietly. As a kid, I dreamt of a place where I would feel safe, free and, if possible, close to the ocean. Eventually, I followed the path that seemed to promise both opportunity and independence: higher education (becoming the first person in my family to attend university), engineering, international travel and, ultimately, Australia. In 2019, armed with a chemical engineering degree and accompanied by my partner in crime (now husband) Guillaume, I landed in Sydney.

Over the following years, I built a life there that I am deeply grateful for. I worked in renewable energy and water treatment, consulting and sustainability engagement. I became involved in climate education, community projects and local sustainability initiatives, and found a sense of belonging on the other side of the world. Organisations such as Transition Bondi, Climate Fresk (known recently as People for Nature in Australia) and Regen Sydney played an important role in shaping my journey and helping me find my community.

Alongside all these experiences, I started wondering, "How do we live well on this Earth?". Not just sustainably on paper, but in a way that helps us feel fully alive and become the truest version of ourselves. That question gradually led me towards agroecology, permaculture, regenerative thinking and a growing desire to spend more time outdoors rather than behind a screen.

I don't yet know what shape the next chapter will take. Perhaps it will involve growing vegetables, teaching permaculture and agroecology, mentoring young people, helping elders stay active and connected, regenerating degraded land, hosting long-table gatherings at a farm shop, raising a family, or weaving all of these threads together. For now, I am learning, learning how to grow food, how to listen to myself, and learning what it means to live an authentic life that is truly my own.