These terms apply to courses and consulting services provided by Ethical Estates Pty Ltd (ABN 64 674 978 842), trading as Sam Parker-Davies ("we", "us", "our"). By booking a course or accepting a consulting quote, you agree to these terms.
Section 1 applies to everything we offer. Section 2 applies to course bookings. Section 3 applies to consulting services.
1. General terms
1.1 About us. Ethical Estates Pty Ltd (ABN 64 674 978 842), trading as Sam Parker-Davies. Email: contact@samparkerdavies.com. Postal address: D7/1158 Pinchin Road, The Channon NSW 2480.
1.2 Your rights under the Australian Consumer Law. Our services come with guarantees that cannot be excluded under the Australian Consumer Law. Nothing in these terms excludes, restricts or changes those rights. The cancellation and refund terms below cover change-of-mind cancellations and apply in addition to your rights under the Australian Consumer Law.
1.3 Prices. All prices are in Australian dollars (AUD) and include GST.
1.4 Payment methods. You can pay online by card through Stripe, or by bank transfer. We'll provide bank details on request.
1.5 Privacy. We collect and handle your personal information in line with our Privacy Policy.
1.6 Changes to these terms. We may update these terms from time to time. The version published on our website when you book a course or accept a quote applies to that booking or engagement.
1.7 Questions and complaints. If you have a concern, please contact us first by email or in writing at the address above. We'll acknowledge your message within 5 business days and aim to resolve it within 30 days. If we can't resolve it together, you can contact NSW Fair Trading.
1.8 Governing law. These terms are governed by the laws of New South Wales, Australia.
2. Course bookings and cancellations
2.1 Booking and payment
- Courses are paid in full at the time of booking. We don't take deposits.
- Your place is confirmed once your payment has cleared and you've received a confirmation email from us.
- All students must read, agree to and sign the Zaytuna Farm MOU before enrolling. The MOU sets out the community guidelines you'll follow while on the farm.
2.2 Rates and eligibility
- Early bird: available when you book at least 21 days before the course start date.
- Couples rate: for two people who book together at the same time. The price shown is per person.
- Group rate: for three or more people who book together at the same time. The price shown is per person.
- Returning student rate: for students who have completed a Permaculture Design Certificate course with Bill Mollison, Geoff Lawton or Sam Parker-Davies. You must provide a copy of your certificate when you book. If you can't provide one, you'll need to pay the difference to the applicable rate before the course starts.
2.3 What's included
- Included: course tuition, course materials, and your Permaculture Design Certificate on successful completion.
- Not included: accommodation, meals, travel, insurance and any optional extras. These are booked and paid for separately.
2.4 If you need to cancel
To cancel, email us at contact@samparkerdavies.com. Your refund depends on when we receive your notice:
- Credits are valid for 12 months from the original course start date and can be used towards any of our courses. If the new course costs more, you pay the difference.
- Transferring your place: you can transfer your place to another person at no cost at any time before the course starts. Just tell us their name and contact details. They must sign the Zaytuna Farm MOU and meet the eligibility for the rate you paid, or pay the difference.
- We don't give refunds for missed sessions, partial attendance or leaving the course early.
2.5 If we cancel or change the course
| Notice before the course start date | What you receive |
|---|---|
| 60 days or more | Full refund, less a $150 admin fee |
| 30 to 59 days | 50% refund, or a full credit towards a future course |
| Less than 30 days | No refund, but a full credit towards a future course, or transfer your place to someone else |
We may cancel a course, for example if minimum student numbers aren't reached. If we do, you can choose a full refund or a transfer to a future course.
We'll let you know as early as possible. Before you book flights, accommodation or anything else non-refundable, please contact us to confirm the course is going ahead. We aren't responsible for travel, accommodation or other costs you incur, so we strongly recommend travel insurance.
We may make reasonable changes to the schedule, timetable, venue arrangements or guest teachers. If we make a significant change before the course starts, we'll tell you and you can cancel for a full refund.
2.6 Events outside our control
If a course is postponed or cancelled because of flood, bushfire, severe weather, pandemic, government restrictions, road closures or another event outside our control, you'll receive a full refund.
2.7 During the course
- Certificate: to receive your Permaculture Design Certificate, you must attend the full course and complete and present the final design exercise.
- Conduct: you agree to follow the Zaytuna Farm MOU and the reasonable instructions of our staff. We may remove anyone who seriously or repeatedly breaches the MOU, or who behaves unsafely or disrespectfully, without a refund.
- Health and safety: Zaytuna Farm is a working farm, with uneven ground, water bodies, animals, machinery and changeable weather. Please take reasonable care, follow safety instructions, and tell us before the course about any medical condition that may affect your participation. We recommend an up-to-date tetanus vaccination.
- Photos and video: your consent to be photographed or filmed is covered in the Zaytuna Farm MOU, where you can opt in or out.
- Course materials: all course materials remain our intellectual property and are for your personal use only. Please don't copy, share, sell or teach from them, or record sessions, without our written permission.
2.8 How refunds are paid
Refunds are paid to your original payment method within 7 to 14 business days of being approved. We don't deduct card or bank fees from refunds.
3. Consulting services
3.1 Quotes and proposals. After an initial conversation, we'll send you a written proposal and quote describing the work. Quotes are valid for 30 days. Work begins once you've accepted the proposal in writing and paid the deposit.
3.2 Payment. A deposit of 50% of the quoted fee is payable before work starts. The balance is invoiced as set out in the proposal and is due within 14 days of the invoice date. If an invoice is overdue, we may pause work until it's paid.
3.3 Site visits and travel. Travel time and costs for site visits are set out in your proposal. You can reschedule or cancel a site visit at no charge with at least 48 hours' notice. With less notice, a fee may apply to cover travel and time already committed.
3.4 Changes to scope. If you'd like work beyond what's in the proposal, we'll quote for it and agree it with you in writing before we start.
3.5 Your responsibilities.
- give us accurate, complete information about your property and goals
- provide safe access to the site for visits
- obtain any council approvals, permits or licences your project needs
- comply with all laws that apply to carrying out the work
3.6 Limits of our advice. Our designs and recommendations are permaculture and regenerative design advice. They are not engineering, surveying, legal or planning certification. Results depend on weather, climate, site conditions and how the design is implemented and maintained, so we can't guarantee specific outcomes.
3.7 Ownership of designs. Once you've paid in full, you may use our designs and reports for your own property. We keep copyright in them. We may use images and descriptions of the work in our portfolio and marketing, and we'll ask before sharing your name or your property's exact location.
3.8 Ending an engagement. Either of us may end an engagement by giving written notice. You'll pay for work completed up to that date. Your deposit is applied to that work, and any unused portion is refunded.