Community gardens are shared spaces to grow food. They can be in public parks and gardens, on hospital grounds, adjoining community kitchens, at Community and Neighbourhood Houses, Churches and Schools.
There are a number of community gardens across the Greater Bendigo Region.
How to start a community garden in Greater Bendigo
If you are under the auspice of an existing community association e.g. a Neighbourhood House, their insurance cover can probably be extended to include the community garden. This may be cheaper than taking out a new policy.
Step 2: Discuss your Proposal with a Representative from the City
Contact the City’s Active and Healthy Communities Unit to discuss your community garden group and proposed community garden site. The City will assist you in assessing the suitability of your proposed site, identifying other potential community garden sites, possible community partners and any potential issues that will need to be addressed.
Initial enquires can be directed to the Food Systems team in the Active and Healthy Communities Unit via [email protected] or (03) 5434 6000 and you will be assigned a contact to help with your application.
Community gardens on Council owned or managed land are considered to be established on behalf of Council.
Step 4: Public Consultation
It is essential that you discuss your idea to establish a community garden with residents, businesses and other community groups that have an interest in the land you propose to use. This is best done following the City’s initial approval of a proposed site. As a guide, it is a good idea to consult neighbours/businesses within 100-500 metres of your proposed community garden site. However, the scale of consultation can vary dependent on the size and nature of your community garden and should be discussed with your Active and Healthy Communities contact.
You could arrange a community gathering to explain your initiative and give participants an opportunity to comment. Your group could advertise the meeting by doing a letterbox drop and putting up notices at the proposed garden site and local bulletin boards. Evidence of local consultation and community support will need to form part of your community garden application.
Applicants are required to provide the City with evidence of local consultation and a broad range of community support. Your group must be able to demonstrate that the project has substantial support within the community and will need to feature at least two of the following:
- Letters of support from local businesses, schools, aged care facilities, service clubs and/or community groups.
- A letter of support signed by local residents
- A minimum of 10 individual community garden members to ensure a breadth of commitment.
Step 5: Assessment Process
The draft community garden application and accompanying documents will be assessed by the City against the Community Garden Policy and these guidelines. A Community Garden Management Plan needs to be submitted as part of your application.
A Community Garden Management Plan will help your group plan for and establish the garden and provide for its ongoing maintenance and growth. A Management Plan is a good tool to demonstrate these requirements and to plan for the long-term management of the gardens.
At a minimum, the following should be included in your Management Plan:
- Aims and objectives of the group
- How decisions will be made
- The conflict-resolution process
- How new members will be recruited
- Proposed methods of fundraising
- Hours of operation and access
- Methods of gardening
- What is the water source and how will water be conserved
- What plants will be grown
- How organic waste will be managed
- How pests will be controlled
- How vandalism will be prevented
- How you will ensure the site stays tidy
- How you will minimise noise and odour
- An A3-sized basic Concept Plan of the Garden layout.
Step 6: Complete the Community Garden Application Form
Finalise your community garden application and submit it to your Council contact with the requested attachments to [email protected]. The information requested in the application form is required to provide the City with the information needed to assess the application against the Community Garden Policy, to prepare the Tenancy Agreement and highlight whether any permits are required.
Step 7: The Agreement & Permits
Following Council approval for the development of the community garden, the City will enter into a Tenancy Agreement with the responsible incorporated community organisation, depending on the land use of the area. A lease agreement provides exclusive rights to the community garden group for use of the land; a licence agreement will allow a community garden to use a specified area of land, but not have exclusive rights to that land. The fee for the lease agreement will be approximately $100 per year.
The Agreement will:
- Acknowledge and support the objectives of the garden
- Specify the permitted purpose(s) of the garden
- Ensure that participation in the garden is open to all
- Specify responsibilities of both the City and the Community Garden Group
- Allow for periodic reviews and reporting on the community gardens.
Planning and building permits may be required depending on the proposed site and structures. In the majority of circumstances, if the community garden is being carried out on behalf of Council and the works are under $1 million a planning permit will not be required. If a planning or building permit is required fees will apply with the cost dependent on the works being carried out. The City will provide you with this information.
Interested in starting a community garden group? Click the link below and fill out the online form.