Years of hard work realised as Community Garden is officially opened

Years of hard work was realised on Saturday, June 23, when the Buddina Community Garden was officially opened.

Elise Barry, 33, had the idea about three years ago, found others were equally excited about what she imagined and with them formed a committee that has created what some have said is Australia’s best community garden.

This hand operated pump
 connected to bore
 water is a highlight
at the Buddina
Comunity Garden.

There were times, Elise said, when the whole project somewhat overwhelmed her, but the broad excitement in the community for the concept always renewed and refreshed her energy.

She continued as the committee’s president right through to recent opening and will continue in that role, although stepping back a little for day-to-day activities as she is confident the committee is now well equipped to further build on what exists.

That excitement was subtle, but obvious, at the opening, which was really little more than a celebration of job well done; well done with limited funds and resources, but boundless amounts of enthusiasm and of course enable though the exercising of friendships and contacts, something that is only possible on a true community project.

The Sunshine Coast Regional Council, represented at the opening by the Deputy Mayor, Cr Chris Thompson, provided the land – an area at the back of a the Kevin Asmus Park next to the Kawana Library in Nanyima St – and played a key role early in the project with grant money and the provision of various materials.

Buddina Community Garden
co-ordinator, Elise Barry, at
the June 23 opening.

Mr Asmus, who is a member of the garden’s committee and was at the opening ceremony, and who is also known as the “Mayor of Kawana”, received from Cr Thompson, along with others on the committee and various local businesses the supported the project, certificates of acknowledgement.

About 75 people listened as the Member for Kawana, Mr Jarrod Bleijie, talked about the creation of the gardens, something he had physically worked on, congratulated all those involved and then cut a ribbon stretching across the door way of a purpose built shed that serves the garden.

The gardens, which are publically accessible, have a series of plots that local people can hire, for a small fee, and grow whatever vegetables they choose or prefer.

One committee member has used his plot to grow flowers.

Making the gardens as sustainable as possible, two water sources are used, rain water stored in tanks and bore water that is easily accessed through a centrally located hand pump. Of course there is a third source, naturally occuring rain.

The gardens are complemented by the establishment of a chook pen and beyond being a wonderful place to dispose of kitchen scraps, the chooks are proving to be hugely popular, both children and adults.

More information about the Buddina Community Garden can be found on its website.

Social capital - our most valuable resource

Social capital is, unquestionably, of more value to Australia and those who live here than any other resource.

The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse -
they have now been joined by a fifth.

The goodwill we demonstrate toward others, regardless of who they might be, will benefit people of this island nation, and by implication Shepparton, more than anything we might care to point to.

Social capital, being such an intangible part of society and a concept that escapes traditional forms of measurement, is considered by pragmatists to be simply pointless philosophical meanderings.

However, should the life of an individual, a community or even a whole nation be facing tremulous times, then people instinctively turn to the well of social capital to sate their thirst; or need, for the warmth, support, encouragement that only another can give.

Although a nebulous and so ill-defined thing, social capital has meanings as numerous as those who have attempted to define it.

One definition of social capital declares it is about the value of social networks that bond similar people and build bridges between diverse people, with norms of mutuality.

Social capital is also about sharing information, having trust in others and living a life of reciprocity, which in colloquial terms means you return a favour, and often the help given is often simply humane or philanthropic and so not ignited by any previous actions that warrant re-payment.

The Goulburn Valley was once as xenophobic as most places in the world, but that intolerance was first softened when Chinese people arrived in the area about the time of Victoria’s 19^th century gold rush, followed by an surge in the arrival of southern Europeans after the Second World War and continues with the flood of settlers from Middle Eastern countries and many from parts of Africa.

The arrival of new people enriches a community’s social capital and the diversity of Greater Shepparton is such that it is becoming one of Australia’s richest resources.

Social capital’s arrival in the Goulburn Valley, and Shepparton and Mooroopna in particular, has been partly organic, becoming a growth that is orchestrated by a few, but in general is a response by new arrivals to the tolerance, generosity and support given by those already living here – that is social capital at work.

The strength and social validity of the community has become known and so, simply, more people want to live here.

We have generous dollop of social capital, but not for a second should we assume plain sailing for loitering on the horizon are the “Five” Horsemen of the Apocalypse – energy scarcity, burgeoning populations, human-induced climate difficulties, the militarization and fracturing of the world’s economy, and a strange and inexplicable reluctance of most to consider their behaviour.

Social capital is the only thing that will help us confront, and move those horsemen on.