Slater Community Garden

This garden is allotment-based, for people who reside in, or pay rates to, the City of Whitehorse.

To discuss any aspect of the community garden, contact their Secretary by email. Or go to their website.

Slater Reserve, Grosvenor Street, Blackburn North.

The garden was first established in 1982 and was one of the first community gardens in Melbourne.

It comprises around 50 individual plots plus a few communal areas for herbs. Each plot is around 35 square metres (e.g. 9 metres by 4 metres) but some have been divided into half plots. The total size of the garden is around 1 acre. Most of the plots are in-ground, with a few raised beds.

Collectively, the plot holders are culturally diverse, with the vegetables being grown therefore also being diverse.

There is some communal equipment, such as wheelbarrows and tools. There are also four large water tanks which are fed by the large roof of a nearby stadium (mains water is connected but only used if the tanks run dry).

The garden is one of two overseen by Nunawading Community Gardens, the other being Jolimont Community Garden in Forest Hill. The Nunawading Community Gardens committee is responsible for both setting overall policies (e.g. no pesticides or herbicides) and for maintenance of the communal areas (e.g. some of the pathways).

They have a number of get togethers each year, to which plot holders from both of the gardens are invited. They order various products in bulk for members to buy, including seed potatoes. They also hold regular working bees.

All plots are currently allocated and there is a waiting list. Read more about joining the waiting list and potentially apply. As of 2024, the cost of a plot is $30 pa (or $20 pa for half a plot) and the cost of being on the waiting list is $5 pa.