Community gardens
Gardening in your local area is a great way to create more greenery in our city and grow vegetables, plants and flowers locally. It is also a fantastic way to get to know your neighbours and get involved in your local community.
If you don’t have the space, or you are a beginner wanting to learn new skills, community gardens are a great local resource. There are many gardens that you can join. As each garden’s rules are different, we recommend contacting a number of gardens in your area to find out which is best for you.
Garden locations
Albert Park
Mary and Basil Community Garden
Address: 224 Danks Street
Email: secretary@maryandbasil.org
Website: Moubray Street Community Park
Balaclava / St Kilda East
St Kilda Community Gardens
Address: 1-5 Railway Place
Email: stkildacommunitygardens@gmail.com
Te Arai Community Garden
Address: 200 Alma Road
Website: tearaicommunitygarden.wordpress.com
Contact via Facebook
Elwood
Poets Garden Inc
Address: 85-87 Tennyson Street
Email: poetsgardenenquiries@gmail.com
Port Melbourne
Dig In Community Gardens
Address: 351 Williamstown Road and Corner Dunstan Parade and Centre Avenue
Email: admin@southportcc.org.au
Phone: 03 9645 1476
Centenary Reserve Garden
Address: 24 Centenary Drive
Website: Centenary Reserve
Willi Road Garden
Address: 482 Williamstown Road
South Melbourne
Foundry Site Park Community Garden
Address: Gardner and Park Place
Website: Foundry Site Park Community Garden
Contact via Facebook
Lyell Iffla Reserve
Address: Corner Lyell Street and Dorcas Street
Website: Lyell Iffla Reserve
South Park Towers Community Garden
Address: Corner Bank Street and Cecil Street
St Kilda
Port Phillip EcoCentre
Address: 55A Blessington Street
Email: coord@ecocentre.com
Web: ecocentre.com/garden
Phone: 03 9534 0670
Veg Out Community Gardens
Address: 11 Shakespeare Grove
Email: hello@vegout.org.au
Albert Park Community Garden
Address: Rear 68 Fitzroy Street
Website: Parks Victoria
Newton Court Reserve
Address: Newton Court
Christchurch Community Centre kitchen garden
Address: 14 Acland Street
Email: communitycentre@christchurchstkilda.org.au
Phone: 03 9534 9250
Other ways to get gardening
Street and Laneway Gardens
If you are thinking of growing plants that are not edible, gardening on your footpath, nature strip or verge is a great way to meet your neighbours and look after your local area.
Refer to our Nature Strip Guidelines which support community stewardship of our streets and public spaces.
Community Composting
Composting is a great way to use food waste that may otherwise go to landfill. There are several community groups across Port Phillip that accept organic food waste. Refer to our Composting with Community page for further information.
Garden Plots in Parks
There are raised garden beds in parks across Port Phillip. These are not licenced or fenced and are fully accessible to the broader community.
These gardens are generally managed by a group of volunteers and interested parties through informal Garden Groups. Requests for garden plots within public open space are considered during community consultation on upgrades or redevelopment projects. Requests are on a case by case basis. Council considers such installations where a need was identified through our Public Space Strategy or park planning processes.
A number of these sites are listed above but refer to our parks, plants and playgrounds page for further information.
Gardens on private land or land owned and managed by other authorities
Some community gardens are on land owned by private individuals, organisations or authorities. For example, a church, school, housing estates or vacant, privately owned land that may be waiting on another use.
In these circumstances, agreements must be directly negotiated between gardeners and landowners. Gardeners should check with our Planning Department to confirm if planning permits are required.
Starting a community garden
If you want to create a new community garden on land owned or managed by Council, there are several things you need to consider.
Prior to starting, we suggest you look at the assessment guidelines for licenced community gardens and the associated application form and checklist. These documents outline how Council will consider applications for new gardens and how we will manage garden leases and licences on land owned or managed by Council.
You will need commitment and support from a cross-section of the community to ensure you achieve a sustainable garden that can be enjoyed by all. It is important that gardens are safe, risks are identified and managed, and that community access to these valued resources is provided.
Related information
Soil Contamination
Soil testing determines if soil contaminants are present in the gardening beds. Refer to the soil testing page for further information. In most circumstances, gardeners address soil contamination through raised beds, providing a physical barrier between the bed and ground soil.
Commercial Footpath Trading
Businesses that would like to install planter boxes as part of an outdoor area, should refer to the Council’s Footpath Trading Guidelines.
Contact
For more information contact Council’s Community Building and Inclusion team:
Email: helpdeskcbi@portphillip.vic.gov.au
Phone: 03 9209 6777