Woolgoolga community garden

Established 2015

Where: 79 Scarborough street, Woolgoolga.

When: Every morning, Monday to Saturday.

Woolgoolga Community Garden is in bloom. Helen, one of the gardens main organisers, tells me that they’ve taken more membership in the last 3-4 weeks than they have in the last six months. This is partly thanks to their daily market stall, from which they sell plants, produce and preserves. All the funds raised are able to be channeled back into projects, such as the pizza oven everyone’s hanging out to build. Now that restrictions are easing the garden is busier than ever. There’s going to be plant to plate workshops, weekly classes for seniors, yoga classes and ukulele jam sessions every Saturday afternoon. Helen tells me that they even had a guy walk in and ask if he could get married in the garden. The answer was an enthusiastic yes.

If you’re thinking about getting involved, but are feeling a little hesitant, Helen’s advice is simple – come have a cup of tea under the lilli pillies.

“Just come meet us, come see what we do. Don’t feel restricted by not having the physical capacity. Or worry that you won’t fit in. There’s always something for everyone to do. If you are physically able, come help us with the compost. But if you can’t, come help me put up posters round town if we’re having a gig or something. A lady popped her head in the other morning and now she’s making lemon butter for us, she’s baking cookies for us to sell at the market stall. It’s not just about gardening. People say ‘oh it’s a community garden so I need to know how to garden’. No, no. We aren’t experts here. There’s a lot of collective knowledge, but we’re not experts in anything. This is a place to share what knowledge you have. And in that way we all fit together”.

Words by Mel Hunter.

Contact Woolgoolga Community Gardens