Newsletter for the Rotary Club of Western Endeavour - Issue No.: 1115 Issue Date: 14 Apr, 2024

West Leederville Community Garden

Dr Debbie Debenham (Geologist and Chair of the West Leederville Community Group), together with Felicity Simpson (Founding Member, Secretary and known as the Group’s “Compost Queen”) provided an interesting and inspiring talk on their Community Garden which is on the same site as the West Leederville Sporting Club.

The City of Cambridge has preserved this piece of land as an undeveloped site in the City of Cambridge because of a Shire water bore on the eastern side of the site needs to be accessed for maintenance purposes.  The bore sits in the middle of the Community Garden.

In 2006, group of West Leederville locals formed a community group and applied to the Council to use the land for a Community Garden. When approval was granted they:

• built a retaining wall so that the site could be flat;
• constructed family plots, one railway sleeper wide by one sleeper long (about 10m2) with a total of 30 plots;
• allocated an area to communal gardening;
• purchased a water tank and installed automatic reticulation;
• with the help of Bunnings, constructed storage sheds;
• built compost bays;
• constructed five worm farms; and
• planted organic gardens.

The individual plots provide members with fresh vegetables for their families. The communal plots provide for families in need outside the membership of the group (this may include any over-supply of vegetables in the family plots).

The project meets the goal of building the local community and spirit; social engagement amongst members and friends; supplying family household with fresh vegetables; and meeting the needs of disadvantaged people such as the disabled and those who have mental health issues.

The Community Group arrange community events throughout the year. For example, summer parties with Cambridge Councillors; “community get togethers”; and a wide range of “how to do” advice on establishing organic gardens with much advice in printed form. The “community get togethers” are family events that are well-attended – the last one included home-made jams and vegetables sales. It also included entertainment - treasure hunts, face painting, bouncy castle, eco fairies and demonstrations by Bunnings.

Public Liability Insurance represents the Group’s greatest annual cost.

The Group currently has 3 unallocated family plots for people interested in joining.

Bruce Dufty

Recorder

20 August 2019