Warrnambool Community Garden
Jacinta ERMACORA (Western Victoria) (09:55): Last week I visited Warrnambool Community Garden to review their latest upgrades on behalf of the Minister for Regional Development Jaclyn Symes. I have visited the garden a number of times over the years, and it is so inspiring to see how the passion and hard work of its members and volunteers have paid off. There are over 50 rented garden plots and an increasingly large community plot, a bush food garden, a commercial kitchen, a huge chook pen, a gorgeous children’s area and a weekly produce market. I am very proud of the Allan Labor government’s contribution of $100,000, in this case used to purchase a brand new tractor and a shed for storage. These tools create a safer and quite frankly less backbreaking environment for the 170 volunteers and members and 30 volunteers. I also attended the community garden’s first harvest festival a few days later. It was amazing to experience the festival in their new amphitheatre, created from what was a weed-filled quarry. Congratulations to convenor Courtney Mathew and all the committee members and all past committee members of the community garden on such a vibrant and innovative place.