Community gardens are not only fertile places for growing vegies, fruits and flowers but also, for creating new social connections and releasing the stresses of everyday life. With many of our residents living in flats, and one of the lowest ratios of open space to residents in Melbourne, community gardens provide an important resource.
A Popular Refuge
Community gardens offer plots to members to create gardens of their choice. So popular are community gardens that most have waiting lists. Community gardens offer our residents -
- Healthy recreation activities
- Opportunities for new social connections
- Gardens appropriate to people of diverse backgrounds, skills and abilities.
The City of Port Phillip offers various Community Classes, such as gardening. St Kilda Indigenous Nursery Co-Operative (SKINC) also offers courses in indigenous gardens and bush food.
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Community Garden Sites
There is currently three garden sites with plots available to the public. The plots are on council properties and administered by the Community Organisations
Fisherman's Bend Community Garden
Located at the Fisherman's Bend Community Centre, corner of Dunstan Parade and Centre Avenue, Garden City is one of Port Phillip's vibrant community gardens. A small plot fee applies and limited gardening tools are available.
For further information please contact Port Melbourne Neighbourhood House on 9645 1476
J L Murphy Reserve Community Garden
Port Phillip's second community garden is located at the west end of JLMurphy Reserve, Williamstown Road, Port Melbourne. It consists of raised, vegetable garden plots and includes wheelchair accessible facilities.
"DIG IN" Community Garden Working Bees are held the 1st Sunday of the month at 11.00am.
For further information please contact Port Melbourne Neighbourhood House on 9645 1476
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Veg Out - St Kilda Community Artist Gardens
A St Kilda institution, Veg Out is an organic, chemical-free plot garden run entirely by volunteers. Consisting of over 140 creatively decorated garden plots, murals, mosaics and paving, plus chooks, an orchard and other shared garden spaces, it's an unusual and vibrant place, slap bang in the middle of St Kilda, where members, friends, families and community groups, plus plenty of local actors, musicians and artists, all enjoy getting their hands into the soil.
A commitment to a sense of community, conservation and organic gardening principles underpins all activities on the site. Other Veg Out endeavours include the monthly St Kilda Farmers' Market and water conservation initiatives in association with South East Water.
Veg Out Farmers' Market
Market Day is the first Saturday of every month
Where: Peanut Farm Reserve
(right behind Veg Out, and also behind Acland Street)
Chaucer Street, St Kilda
Fresh produce, organic vegetables, herbs, juices, cheeses, honey, wine, smoked meat and fish, free range eggs and more. Behind Acland Street shops at the Peanut Farm Reserve, Chaucer Street, St Kilda.
Veg Out contact details:
St Kilda Community Artist Gardens (Veg Out)
Cnr Shakespeare Grove & Chaucer Street, St Kilda (behind Luna Park)
PO Box 1425, St Kilda South, Victoria, 3182, Australia
Email: info@vegout.asn.au
Website: www.vegout.asn.au.
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Garden of Eden
The Garden of Eden site hosts a commercial Nursery, Community Garden and Education Centre that is maintained by Work for the Dole programs Monday - Thursday. A vegetarian cafe will also be located on the site in the near future. Courses in organic gardening and permaculture are run on site, and there are also yoga classes and alternative health and wellbeing programs at the centre. Each month, the Garden of Eden hosts a Railway Talk on topics related to plants, gardening, alternative health and environmental issues. Visitors and volunteers are welcome from 10am-5pm Monday to Thursday or by appointment.
Location: Old Albert Park Railway Station, Ferrars Place South Melbourne.
Phone: 9696 8013.
Email: mail@gardenofedenproject.net.au
Web: www.gardenofedenproject.net.au
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Community Groups
Friends of Port Melbourne
The Friends of Port Melbourne's Foreshore is a local community group dedicated to preserving Port Melbourne's indigenous foreshore vegetation. The City of Port Phillip has various and unique Indigenous Vegetation Areas.
EarthcareEarthcare is a community group that works closely with the City of Port Phillip to improve the local environment. One of Earthcare's main aims is to preserve and increase Indigenous Vegetation Areas across Port Phillip. Earthcare also hosts many community activities throughout the Port Phillip each year.
For further information on Indigenous vegetation areas and other information on Earthcare visit their website at www.earthcarestkilda.org.au
Join Earthcare
By becoming a member of Earthcare you have an opportunity to be part of a truly local, grass roots organisation and study local ecologies, with or without formal qualifications, while giving something to our community.
Membership includes bimonthly newsletters, participation in meetings, admission to talks by guest speakers, access to specialist project groups, participation in local plantings and insurance during activity days.
Membership costs
- Individuals - $20.00
- Families - $30.00
- Students or concession card holders - $10.00
For membership enquiries contact Earthcare on 0500 832 784.
Earthcare meetings
Meetings are held at the EcoCentre, corner of Blessington Street and Herbert Street, St Kilda at 7.30 pm on the last Thursday of every second month. All members are welcome to attend meetings.
Planting/working bee days
Earthcare planting days are held on a regular basis. All members are welcome to attend.
Planting/working bee days for 2005 are:
- West Beach Saturday 7th May 11am-2pm
- Grosvenor St, Balaclava, Sunday 5th June 11am-1pm
- HR Johnson/Canterbury, Sunday 10th July 1pm-3pm
- Point Ormond/Elwood, Sunday 31st July 10-12 noon (National Tree Day)
- Canterbury Rd, Sunday 11th September 11am-1pm
For confirmation of the above activities please contact Earthcare on 0500 832 784.
Friends of St Kilda Botanical Gardens
Friends of St Kilda Botanical Gardens is a community focused group, whose aim is to support and volunteer in these gardens. There is close co-operation between the Friends and the Port Phillip EcoCentre in the maintenance of the St Kilda Botanical Gardens.
Join Friends of St Kilda Botanical Gardens
The Friends have members-only events and public gatherings. Membership includes regular newsletters, updates on upcoming events and invitations to take part in members-only activities. Membership fees aid the well-being and development of the Gardens, as well as the Community around them. Through plant sales and other community events the Friends raise funds to purchase plants stock and equipment for the gardens.
Membership Costs
- Full $20.00
- Concession $12.00
For more information on the Friends of the St Kilda Botanical Gardens, visit their webpage at http://www.foskbg.org.au
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The Naturestrip Project
Brian Boyce is a St Kilda resident passionate about the environment. So strong is his passion, that he has developed a web site to evoke passion in his community. The Naturestrip Project is aimed at residents interested in putting the 'NATURE' into their Naturestrip. The aim of the project is to assist residents in turning their unimaginative, unsustainable grass into a mini garden oasis that benefits not only the immediate surroundings but streets as a whole and in turn connects and greens our city. Its the old adage 'Act Local, Think Global' at work. Check out www.naturestrip.com.au for more information and find out how you can get involved.
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Other Opportunities
There are also opportunities to get involved at St Kilda Indigenous Nursery Co-Operative (SKINC) and courses to learn more about plants and gardens.
Use eServices to ask us a question, request information or give us feedback online. If you prefer phone ASSIST on (03) 9209 6777 or TTy (03) 9209 6713 and ask for community gardens.
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