AROUND 25 volunteers rolled up their sleeves on Sunday morning to rejuvenate the Millicent Community Garden.
The Millicent and Surrounds Food Network staged a working bee at the community-owned asset in association with the Millicent Men’s Shed.
The aim of the working bee was to work together to provide a space for growing healthy food and further sessions are in the pipeline.
Established on the site of the former BMX track in Fifth Street in 2013, the garden has had little use and become overgrown in recent years.
The Millicent Men’s Shed has a blue-print for the Millicent Community Garden and volunteers reestablished more than 20 garden beds.
Men’s Shed secretary Chris Mathias said he hoped the community garden would be fully functional by mid-April.
Mr Mathias said his group has leased the area from Wattle Range Council and it adjoins the Men’s Shed meeting rooms and workshops.
“We have plans to build a potting shed and lock-up tool shed as well as a pergola, barbecue area and a children’s playground,” Mr Mathias said.
“We have learned from community gardens in other parts of Australia where water wastage has been a problem.
“Therefore, we will be installing hand-watering facilities”.
One of the youngest participants was 11-year-old Glencoe resident Matthew Keane.
He said it was his first time at the community garden and he hoped to attend other working bees.
“I have been moving soil and the stone building blocks for the garden beds,” Matthew said.
“I hope to be able to use some of the skills I have learned at Scouts at Penola”.
Formed in collaboration with Red Cross, the Millicent and Surrounds Food Network is looking to address the issues of food insecurity within the Millicent region through community-based engagement.
Millicent and Surrounds Food Network program coordinator Jared Robinson said he was pleased with the number of community members at the working bee together with the backing of the Men’s Shed.
“The community garden is all about self-sufficiency,” Mr Robinson said.
