A MULTI-million-dollar development opened at Sages Cottage Farm last week – creating jobs and changing the lives of many Melbournians living with disabilities.
Sage’s Cottage, owned by Wallara Australia, opened their new Hub@Sages building, flower farm and sensory garden on 12 November. The project has been jointly funded by Wallara Australia and both local and international donors.
Wallara supported employee Phuong, who lives with a disability, is already seeing the profound benefits of the state-of-the-art sensory garden on site.
Phuong works two days a week at Sages Cafe and says being able to step away to walk around the lake, see the flowers and hear the birds when the cafe gets too busy helps her to achieve mental balance and come back to work calm.
Phuong’s job coach, Jody Newman says helping employees with disabilities regulate emotions and manage overwhelm is one of the main things they do.
“The sensory garden will give Phuong — and others — a safe place to decompress for five minutes, regulate emotions, and come back refreshed. They’re learning what it means to be an employee,” said Jodi.
“To take a break, not go home. To manage pressure and stay proud. That’s what the garden helps with.”
There are hopes that more projects like the sensory garden will be rolled out across shared spaces in Melbourne so that people with disabilities can seek emotional regulation whenever they need.
The flower farm is already on track to become a visual spectacle and something that Wallara CEO Phil Hayes-Brown said will create upwards of 15 jobs for people with disabilities and hopes will drive more visitors to the farm.
The flower farm job is a dream come true for Caleb, who lives with autism. A self-proclaimed ‘plant nerd’, he says the horticulture skills he gets to use on the new flower farm is “proof of possibility” as “people think people with disability can’t do normal things — but this shows we can.”
Caleb’s ‘big brother’ and best friend on the farm Josh, who also lives with a disability, says he feels like he belongs on the flower farm and sees it as his second home.
“Caleb’s the plant guy, I’m the edging guy. We work fast. We get it done,” said Josh.
“After six years of dreaming, planning and hard work – we know these spaces will changes the lives of our people with disabilities, their families and the local Melbourne community alike,” said Hayes-Brown.
First published in the Frankston Times – 18 November 2025