Growing community spirit

Liz Bell liz@mpnews.com.au

THERE is plenty of evidence, documented and anecdotal, that community gardens are beneficial to the environment, to the health and wellbeing of users, and can help reduce the impact of high cost of groceries while providing nutritious food.

So, it’s no surprise that community gardens are increasing on the Mornington Peninsula, with a new one popping up in Balnarring and many established ones dotted around the peninsula.

The Coolart Community Garden is now up and running in the space of a former herb garden, which was the original Luxton family’s vegetable garden that was overhauled in the mid-1980s.

Spokesperson Julie Ebbot said the community was very proud of the garden, which was a welcome asset for many to enjoy.

Membership of Coolart Community Garden is open to financial members of the Friends of Coolart.

Community gardens and kitchen gardens at community centres bring people together to grow fresh food, learn and share gardening skills, relax and make new friends around a sustainable and inviting community garden. They usually have a low annual membership fee, and some have individual garden plots available for lease.

Many kitchen gardens support community cooking programs or food rescue services.

There are kitchen gardens at Blairgowrie, Crib Point, Dromana, Mornington, Mount Martha and Rosebud, as well as community centre kitchen gardens at Rye, Seawinds, Mornington, Mount Eliza, Somerville and Wallara community houses.

For more information on starting a community garden email Mornington Peninsula Shire’s community gardens coordinator Tara Guddat at: tara.guddat@mornpen.vic.gov.au