The community garden experience < our experience

GEELONG WEST - NEARLY 20 YEARS AND STILL INNOVATING

The Geelong West Community Garden was established in 1985 to provide a 'green area’ primarily for those in the inner suburbs with insufficient garden space at home. We have 35 plots available at a low cost.

About three years ago the decision was made to improve the garden to make gardening more enjoyable - we decided to seek grants to achieve this- - and to be less insular and open up the community facility to others.

Construction at Geelong West Community Garden is a family event

We achieved this by:

• publishing a newsletter in December 2001 and having local State Member Ian Trezise MP launch it at the garden
• obtaining coverage in the local newspapers
• making a successful grant application for the International Year of Volunteers 2001 to enable us to erect a shelter, build six raised garden beds and purchase a gas barbecue and gardening equipment
• holding an Open Day in 2002 during Pako Festa, a popular multicultural festival held in Geelong West
• establishing a free library of donated gardening books
• obtaining a grant in 2002 from Parks Victoria to produce a booklet about the garden; this was sent to libraries, council’s customer service centres and neighbourhood houses
• inviting local Federal Member Gavan O’Connor MP to the garden for a photo shoot for the booklet; he was so impressed that he donated some money—we now approach him annually for a donation
• organising in 2002 to take orders for a local producer of mushroom compost; the money is set aside to upgrade equipment
• applying to our local ward councillor, the then Mayor Cr Barbara Abley for funds for a mulcher; the success of the application was announced by Cr Abley when she came to the garden to launch the garden booklet
• inviting many organisations to the garden such as the Friends of the Botanic Gardens, the Herb Society, the Geelong Organic Gardeners, the Grovedale Community Garden, the Fitzroy Community Garden and garden clubs
• visits by educational institutions which requested a visit to see a community group ‘in action’ and to view the fruits of our labour; they include local primary and secondary schools, Geelong Adult and Training Education and the Gordon TAFE
• hosting visits by distinguished guests such as Jane Edmanson, Basil Natoli, Jenny Smith and John Arnott

Other initiatives

We have a lease with council and have developed a very good relationship with the council officer who we have contacted to have the back fenceline moved back thus giving us extra space, replace keys and locks, facilitate our use of the nearby Youth Club’s toilets, provide timber, and a myriad of other things.

After a period of consultation, a list of Top 20 herbs was devised and a new herb garden established using equipment lent by a local firm and materials that were donated, including herbs propagated by the Geelong Herb Society. Geelong Botanic Gardens was approached and have donated a range of salvias to plant along the back fenceline.

Some of us have been to planning meetings and provided information to other groups hoping to establish community gardens in Geelong.
Projects for the future include the construction of a sandpit and the erection of another garden shed.

We have had a display in the foyer of the Geelong West library and plan to do some forward planning for the garden’s 20th anniversary.

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First published in Australian City Farms & Community Gardens Network's Community Harvest 2004 edition

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PAGE UPDATED... Thursday, 7 June 2007