Indira Naidoo

During her 30-year award-winning journalistic career, she has hosted and reported for some of the country’s most distinguished news and current affair programs, including ABC’s LATE EDITION and SBS TV’s WORLD NEWS and the host of ABC Radio’s Weekend Nightlife. Indira is currently the host of Compass on ABC TV and is one of Australia’s most popular broadcasters and authors.

Since leaving full-time news broadcasting in 2000, Indira’s journalistic interest has not only shifted to the role global environmental issues play in conflict, poverty and food security, but she has also developed a food-gardening obsession. This obsession has led to Indira winning more awards – as a food garden designer – as well as accolades as a best-selling author.

It all began when Indira, a passionate foodie, decided – out of the blue – to try growing her own food on the 20 square metre balcony of her 13th floor apartment in Potts Point, Sydney. This act transformed her balcony into an abundant kitchen garden and sparked her quest for self-sufficiency, a deeper awareness of the issues of climate change and a desire to reduce her carbon footprint – as well as providing her with great pleasure and enjoyment.

Her first book, the best-selling ‘The Edible Balcony’ published in 2011, about growing food in small spaces, was launched in London, Hong Kong and New York. Her follow-up second book – ‘The Edible City’ – about community gardening published in August 2015.

She designed two award-winning food gardens for the Australian Garden Show Sydney, in Centennial Park, and through her garden company helps community group build their own food gardens. Indira is an ambassador for Sydney’s homeless crisis centre the Wayside Chapel and conducts weekly gardening classes on its rooftop vegetable garden for its homeless visitors.

Warm, approachable and very highly regarded, Indira Naidoo is sought after as a speaker, MC and conference facilitator. She also lectures internationally on food sustainability issues.

Events where she has played a leading role include guest speaker at the 2012 Randwick City Council Earth Hour Festival, Melbourne Convention and Visitors Bureau Roadshow, the Business Association of Victoria Women’s Lunch, MC for the National Architecture Awards, the Rabobank Awards, Premier of Queensland’s Export Awards and the Australian RIRDC Rural Women’s Awards, host of the SMH Good Food Awards, co-host of the Asia Pacific Awards and facilitator at the New Rural Industries Australia Conference, Sydney Council Smart Green Apartments Launch and the Australian Human Rights Commission event.

Indira is a member of the international Slow Food movement, has written on food and sustainability issues for The Sydney Morning Herald and Gourmet Traveller magazine, and she also writes the Saucy Onion food blog.

Indira also hosts urban food garden tours and in 2014 she took a tour group to explore the rooftop farms of New York City. Another trip to lead a group through the urban food gardens of London, Amsterdam, Berlin and Vienna is also planned.

Indira’s latest book is The Space Between the Stars on love, loss and the magical power of nature to heal. The Space Between The Stars was short- listed for the 2023 ABIA Non-Fiction book of the year.