Tools I recommend
Here are the tools I recommend to anyone starting their permaculture journey. This is based on about 9 years practical experience of permaculture and many more of gardening... It is not going to cover all possible tools, but will allow you to build an animal cage, small building, do some gardening, and some basic electrical work... I haven't included larger gardening tools, but we routinely use a spade, shovel (for moving material as opposed to digging), hoe, fork, broadfork, wheelbarrow, buckets, steel bar (for rocks and root removal), and watering cans.
240V angle grinder - small and easy to hold; low wattage (670W) - draws a lot less than this under normal use. Cutting blades can cut through any steel, other discs can grind.
Drill on left, impact driver on right. AEG offer 6 year guarantee. The driver was $50 at an auction. Spare battery very useful so that one doesn't have to stop working to wait to recharge. Hex head bits allow metal or wood screws to hold almost anything together strongly.
Bench grinder for sharpening tools - these are cheap at auctions and very low power.
Drop saw is very useful if you are building anything from wood timber. I aim for metal as much as possible due to termites and fire risks.
Some basic tools to cover many tasks. Use these almost daily. From left to right, starting bottom left corner: Vise grips, tape measure, phillips screwdrivers small and large, straight edge screwdrivers small and large, adjustable spanners, pliers, claw hammer, and foldable ruler.
Soldering iron, wire strippers and cutters, and solder. Useful for any electrical work involving wires, switches, fuses eg DIY solar systems
Multimeter which is useful for any electrical work.
Hat that covers ears and neck is critical for working outdoors. These come from Taiwan and cost about A$20. Also featured is a diamond sharpening tool, about $15, from ag supply and hardware shops. This is incredibly useful for fine sharpening cutters, blades, and butchering knives.
Basic gardening tools to do many basic tasks such as transplanting seedlings, cutting grasses for mulch (with serrated sickle), pruning, and of course gloves. Gloves are difficult to find that actually last any length of time without breaking.