Connections
The wide appeal of community gardens means a growing number of government agencies, community organisations, businesses and community groups are interested in supporting and partnering with gardens. Community gardens are strengthened through having partnerships with a diverse range of organisations and groups. Partnerships help to bring additional people and resources to gardens and expand the supporter base of gardens. For tips on developing effective partnerships, see Community Gardening Success Factors and Funding Your Community Garden.
Here are some questions to help get you started in identifying potential partners and avenues of support for your community garden:
- What activities do you envisage happening in the community garden?
- Who will use the garden and what will they use it for?
- What community needs could the community garden help to meet?
- What issues in your community could the community garden help to address?
- What initiatives or activities that are already happening (or are planned) in your community could complement the community garden?
- What organisations, groups or businesses in your area might benefit from partnering with the community garden?
The following organisations and groups may be interested in supporting your garden initiative:
- Established Community Gardens
- Local Councils
- Regional Councils
- Community, Neighbourhood and Learning Centres
- State Government Agencies
- Community Service Organisations
- Property Developers
- Education Providers
- Schools
- Community Groups
- Church Groups
- Service Clubs (e.g. Rotary)
You can visit established community gardens to gain inspiration and learn directly from the people involved. Search our garden database to locate and connect with gardens near you.
Community gardens can help Local Councils to achieve their strategic aims and Councils can play a key role in ensuring community gardens are viable, so there is a natural fit between them. Community gardens benefit from developing strong, positive relationships with both Local Councillors and relevant Council staff.
There are many different ways that Local Councils can support community gardens including through the provision of: land; funding; insurance cover; Council worker time; advertising and promotion; and supplies of water, electricity and mulch.
Gardens can relate to many different areas within Local Councils, however staff that are actively involved in supporting community gardens most commonly work in the Community Development, Sustainability, Environment or Parks and Gardens areas of Councils.
The following Council staff can be contacted for community garden queries in their local area:
Shire of Busselton
Pete Malavisi
Environmental Planner
08 9781 0345
pete.malavisi@busselton.wa.gov.au
http://www.busselton.wa.gov.au/
Town of Cambridge
Amy Rayner
Sustainability Officer
08 9347 6000
arayner@cambridge.wa.gov.au
http://www.cambridge.wa.gov.au/
City of Canning
Penny Wright
Public Affairs Officer
08 9231 0709
pwright@canning.wa.gov.au
http://www.canning.wa.gov.au/
City of Cockburn
Vicky Hartill
Environment and Education Officer
08 9411 3556
vhartill@cockburn.wa.gov.au
http://www.cockburn.wa.gov.au/
Shire of East Pilbara
Sharon Walsh
Manager Community Wellbeing
08 9175 8000
mcw@eastpilbara.wa.gov.au
http://www.eastpilbara.wa.gov.au/
City of Fremantle
Alex Hyndman
Sustainability Officer
08 9432 9735
alexh@fremantle.wa.gov.au
http://www.fremantle.wa.gov.au/
City of Mandurah
Rachel Oswald
Community Development Project Officer
08 9550 3275
rachel.oswald@mandurah.wa.gov.au
http://www.mandurah.wa.gov.au/
Shire of Mundaring
Lyndsey Stoney
Community Development Advisor
08 9290 6628
cda2@mundaring.wa.gov.au
http://www.mundaring.wa.gov.au/
City of Perth
Shonie McKibbin
Senior Social Planner
08 94613117
shonie.mckibbin@cityofperth.wa.gov.au
http://www.cityofperth.wa.gov.au/
City of Perth
Lisa Cooke
Environment Officer
08 9461 3243
lisa.cooke@cityofperth.wa.gov.au
www.cityofperth.wa.gov.au/
City of Rockingham
Sally Lewis
Community Development Officer
08 9528 0483
sally.lewis@rockingham.wa.gov.au
http://www.rockingham.wa.gov.au/
Shire of Serpentine-Jarrahdale
Luke Tressler
Community Development Officer
08 9527 1171
ltressler@sjshire.wa.gov.au
http://www.sjshire.wa.gov.au/
City of Stirling
Sonja Farrow
Coordinator of Sustainability
08 9345 8555
Farrow.sonja@stirling.wa.gov.au or communitygardens@stirling.wa.gov.au
http://www.stirling.wa.gov.au/
http://www.stirling.wa.gov.au/home/community/Sustainability/Community+Food+Gardens.htm
City of Subiaco
Melanie Davies
Coordinator Environmental Projects
08 9387 0900
city@subiaco.wa.gov.au
http://www.subiaco.wa.gov.au/
City of Swan
Rosie Logie
Youth & Community Development Officer (Ballajura & Altone)
08 9248 5406
0450 310 239
rosie.logie@swan.wa.gov.au
http://cityofswan.com
Town of Vincent
Toni Farrell (Ms)
Community Development Officer
08 9273 6592
toni.farrell@vincent.wa.gov.au
http://www.vincent.wa.gov.au/
Shire of Wyalkatchem
Jule A. Jugen
Visitor Centre Coordinator
08 9681 1027
vcc@wyalkatchem.wa.gov.au or julejugen@hotmail.com
http://www.wyalkatchem.wa.gov.au/
Regional Councils work on behalf of member Local Councils to provide coordinated waste management services and other services and activities that benefit from regional collaboration (for example environmental management, regional and urban development and risk management). Regional Councils exist within the Perth metropolitan area and in regional areas of WA. See the WA Local Government Association (WACLGA) website for a current list of Regional Councils.
Many Regional Councils deliver waste education to the community, to encourage people to 'reduce, reuse and recycle'. The use of composting and worm farming systems in community gardens means they can provide interesting and informative venues for delivering community waste education; hence the potential value of partnering with gardens. It is worth connecting with the Waste Education Officer at the Regional Council covering your area, to explore partnership opportunities.
The following Regional Council staff can be contacted for community garden queries in their region:
Eastern Metropolitan Regional Council (EMRC)
Joanne Woodbridge
Administration Officer, Environmental Services
(08) 9424 2216
Joanne.Woodbridge@emrc.org.au
http://www.emrc.org.au/
Member Councils include: Bayswater, Belmont, Bassendean, Kalamunda, Mundaring and Swan
Mindarie Regional Council (MRC)
Peg Davies
Waste Education Officer
08 93066 303
0422 941 492
pdavies@mrc.wa.gov.au
http://www.mrc.wa.gov.au/
Member Councils include: Cambridge, Joondalup, Perth, Stirling, Victoria Park, Vincent and Wanneroo
Community, Neighbourhood and Learning Centres
Community, neighbourhood and learning centres are friendly, comfortable places which offer a wide range of courses to the community at minimal costs, including courses for adults, workshops, discussion groups, exhibitions, displays, management training and social events. All members of the community are encouraged to participate in the organisation and management of centres.
Centres are continually looking for new, attractive and relevant adult learning activities and opportunities to offer to their members. Community gardens can offer centres high quality and accessible outdoor learning environments either onsite or at a neighbouring location. They can enhance the relevance, appeal and accessibility of centres by providing opportunities for:
- Inclusive activities, such as activities suitable for frail aged and people with disabilities, intergenerational and cross-cultural activities and activities that appeal to male members of the community.
- 'Hands-on' informal learning through regular volunteering in the garden.
- Formal learning opportunities through the wide range of community courses and programs that can be delivered in community garden settings, such as organic vegetable gardening, waterwise gardening, composting and worm farming, art in the garden and healthy, seasonal cooking.
- The creation of beautiful outdoor spaces to be enjoyed by the whole centre community that also enhance the appeal of the centre as a venue for hire.
A good way of locating centres in your local area is to contact Learning Centre Link, the state association for community, neighbourhood and learning centres in WA, who have 70 member centres across the state.
