Community Gardens

Community gardens are more than just places where food is grown, they are transformative spaces where people socialise, learn, share and connect with nature and their local community.

Community Gardens

Community gardens are more than just places where food is grown, they are transformative spaces where people socialise, learn, share and connect with nature and their local community. Community gardens are gardened collectively and can include individual, shared plots and common areas. Community gardens can be on public or private lands.

In a community garden you can

  • Learn by doing, grow your own food 
  • Connect with nature
  • Meet new friends
  • Get your hands dirty and stay active and healthy
  • Pass your knowledge on to others
  • Help reduce waste by growing your own food and turning food and garden waste into compost

Establishing a community garden

Bayside Council supports a 'bottom up' approach to community gardening, where local residents get together, form a group, discuss their ideas for a garden and then apply to Council to start their garden. Community gardens can be large shared affairs or smaller verge gardens that are created and maintained by individual residents or a small group of neighbours.

Before applying to start a community garden, we encourage you to visit an established community garden and have a chat with the gardeners to gain the benefit of their experience. You should also visit the Australian City Farms and Community Gardens Network (ACFCGN) website for more information and resources on starting a community garden. Finally please read Council's Community Gardens Policy. The Policy outlines where and what types of community gardens are supported by Council and how to apply. Please note that all community gardens in the Bayside Council area must be created using raised gardens beds filled with clean soil, due to the possibility of contaminated soils in the Bayside area.

Starting a community garden checklist

Joining a community garden

There are several community gardens already in the Bayside area that you can visit. You can contact the gardens via the information below or just show up. Saturday mornings are usually the best time to catch the gardeners in the gardens.

 

community gardens

Community Garden
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