General News
5 September, 2024
Garden celebrates 10 years
This Saturday, September 7, join the Warracknabeal Community Garden committee in celebrating the local asset's 10th birthday from 10am
This coming Saturday, September 7, the Warracknabeal Community Garden is celebrating its 10th birthday.
It seems so much has happened since 2014, when the idea of a Community Garden grew out of a Rural Northwest Health PhD research project that, with the help of community input, looked into ways to empower people in communities to improve health outcomes.
Places in which people feel happy were an important consideration for many, and a community gardens fitted the criteria perfectly, with potential benefits for physical, mental, social and spiritual health.
The PhD student was our local pharmacist Dr John Aitken, a valued member of the Garden committee.
The Warracknabeal Community Garden became a reality with the additional help of Jo Martin (RNH) and Paul Lehmann (local garden guru), and it has flourished due to the efforts of passionate volunteers.
Over the years, the garden has received generous support from local businesses, organisations, schools and individuals; all have helped to create the garden you see and experience today.
Facilities now include a big shelter hut with full length blinds on three sides, easy-access raised garden beds, two equipment sheds, solar power, a drinking fountain, tables and chairs throughout the garden, a hot house, compost heaps, gravel paths, security cameras, fencing surrounding the site, a rainwater tank, murals, seating at the front of the Garden, a Community Pantry, and recycling bin.
Most of these facilities have been donated, some have been purchased through grants, and other expenses have been covered through fundraising efforts and valued annual memberships.
Over the years the garden has facilitated events with both gardening and community themes.
There have been gardening workshops for pruning, composting, espalier techniques, garden pests, worm farming, hot houses, preserving food, dripper irrigation systems, and even making Mother's Day presents.
There have been band concerts, buskers, church services, lunches for the Easter Saturday and Christmas Festival, poetry readings, tai chi groups, and healthy cooking demonstrations.
The Community Garden has become a much valued space in our community.
“We’d love to see a big crowd from our community here on Saturday morning to support our birthday,” president Avril Hein said.
"Please come and join us."
The celebrations begin at 10am, with guest presenter Costa Georgiadis.
We are very fortunate to have Costa return to our garden while he is in the Wimmera.
The popular presenter of the ABC TV show Gardening Australia, visited us eight years ago, and wowed the crowd with his knowledge, passion and exciting approach to gardening.
He’s looking forward to returning to share his knowledge, and to witness the development of our Garden (including the growth of the espaliered pear and apple trees he helped to establish).
At 10am, Costa will join local experts LaVergne and Paul Lehmann in a workshop on sustainability, waste reduction and money saving practices in the garden and home.
There’s sure to be a lot to learn from their presentation.
At 11am we will be inviting everyone to celebrate the development of the garden during a celebratory birthday luncheon for all.
Community Garden members will be hosting the event, for a gold coin donation.
There will be music, lucky prizes, yummy food and lots of smiles.
See you there.
Contributed by Wendy Hewitt
