Community garden

Jolimont Community Garden
Township/suburb:
Forest Hill
Municipality:
Whitehorse
Notes (in their own words):

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

The garden was first established in 1977 and was the first community garden in Australia.

It comprises around 120 individual plots plus a few communal areas for herbs and perennials. Each plot is around 35 square metres (e.g. 9 metres by 4 metres) and the total size of the garden is almost 2 acres. 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 a lawn mower, wheelbarrows, spades tools and a trailer.

Watch this video.

The garden is one of two overseen by Nunawading Community Gardens, the other being Slater Community Garden in Blackburn North. 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 to maintain the communal areas.

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 and the cost of being on the waiting list is $5 pa.