Community Garden springs back to life

By Nathan Brown
Manager, Churchill Neighbourhood Centre

Recently the Churchill Community Garden was absolutely buzzing with energy as we hosted the largest working bee since the garden began!

This incredible two-day effort was powered by Disaster Relief Australia, with volunteers travelling from Melbourne, Phillip Island, Lakes Entrance and locally to give their time.

A team of eight camped overnight at the Centre and worked two full days in the garden, and what a transformation it has been! What was once an under-utilised space is rapidly transforming into a vibrant, productive, and accessible area for the whole community to enjoy. We have now installed self-watering Food Cubes at an accessible height, so no more bending over garden beds!

These fantastic additions were made possible thanks to a grant from Latrobe City’s Social Inclusion Action Group (SIAG), helping make the garden more inclusive and user-friendly for everyone.

Dead trees were cut down and removed, new soil brought in with the front loader, old garden beds cleared out, and brand new planting areas prepped. It is all part of our Community Garden Rejuvenation Project, which began earlier this year when the garden officially became part of the Churchill Neighbourhood Centre.

We are also excited to share that the Churchill Men’s Shed has been supporting the garden by building new furniture - some for the garden itself and some for sale, with funds raised going back into supporting both the Shed and the Garden as a united community effort.

We are incredibly grateful to everyone who made this weekend possible:

• Our dedicated volunteers who catered and supported behind the scenes
• The gardeners who worked shoulder-to-shoulder with the Disaster Relief team.
• The local kids who kept the coffees flowing.
• The Kurnai students who prepared delicious pre-cooked meals.
• Our fantastic Volunteer Coordinator who made it all come together.

We are genuinely humbled by the response we received and the amazing effort from everyone involved.

If you have not visited the garden recently, now is the time!

The Churchill Community Garden is more than just a place to grow food. It is a shared space designed to promote health, sustainability, education, and connection. When complete, the rejuvenated garden will host workshops, provide fresh produce for the Churchill Food Bank, and offer locals a peaceful green space to relax, learn, and grow together.

The project is part of the Churchill Neighbourhood Centre’s broader mission to build a more resilient community—socially, economically, and environmentally. With climate events and cost-of-living pressures affecting many, spaces like this play a key role in strengthening local food systems and bringing people together.

Want to get involved?

Come by for a sticky beak – we are open every weekday from 10am to 3pm. If you are keen to get involved, our Garden Coordinator is on site every Tuesday and would love to have a chat.