2007 The beginings!

The Curtin Vegie Garden Volunteers began in 2007 on an empty block at the entrance to Kurrajong Village, a 300+ residence on Curtin University’s Bentley Campus.  With large student residential populations on campus, it seemed appropriate to set in place a space students could use to network with each other socially, to recycle their kitchen waste through composting, and to grow vegetable and fruit gardens. CLICK TO ENLARGE THESE PICS

Never forget where we've come from...and how much we've done.

Scrubland! Lots of weeds & plenty of sand...theres nothing like a challenge..!

 

October 2010. A working garden, an eductional tool and a social space.

October 2010.....All systems GO!

We started building the garden by laying out pathways with newspaper & mulch to simply & quickly smother the weeds we didn’t need. By creating pathways first, we could then choose where to start building our garden beds.Our first “Busy Bees” or get togethers, were random meetings with volunteers who could give time during the week when they had no classes. Some lived on campus and a few were living off campus as well.A lot of clearing was done initially to simply develop workable space to garden. Student Volunteers have come from almost every nation on the planet to participate.The Garden idea connects with anyone who has had some association with growing food, cooking or simple social networking. Many herbs we grow remind people of home, and conversations start and friendships develop with these common themes.As the garden idea has grown,the student volunteer base group has also steadily grown with usually around 50 volunteers every semester. Students however are a nomadic bunch with busy lives and places to go and things to do and learn.Gardens take time and need daily attention, but those students who have seriously engaged in the project (especially those far from home), have found it to be a stabilizing factor in their time at Curtin, a place to go to find sanctuary and friendship and an escape from the rush & stress of student life.

..our T Shirts are prized possesions and worn with pride..!!