History
This website was established as part of Growing Communities WA, a two-year project running from July 2008 to June 2010 that aimed to build the capacity of Western Australian communities to develop sustainable and accessible community gardens.
Growing Communities WA developed as a partnership initiative of the WA Community Garden Network, Learning Centre Link, City of Swan, City of Gosnells, Town of Cambridge, and DADAA (Disability in the Arts Disadvantage in the Arts Australia). The project was made possible with the generous support of its funding partners – Lotterywest, City of Swan and Town of Cambridge – and in-kind support from Learning Centre Link and WA community gardens such as Earthwise and Perth City Farm.
Growing Communities WA was coordinated by Anne Goodall, under the auspices of Learning Centre Link. The project enjoyed the support of a cross-sectoral Steering Committee that included representation from the WA Community Garden Network, Learning Centre Link, City of Swan, Town of Cambridge, Shire of Busselton, City of Perth, City of Gosnells, Mindarie Regional Council, Department for Child Protection, Department of Agriculture and Food, Disability Services Commission, DADAA and Murdoch University.
Key outcomes of the Growing Communities WA project include:
- Provision of direct support to established and new community gardens across WA
- Action research case studies with four gardens
- Development of new resource materials to support gardens
- Hosting the inaugural WA Community Gardens Forum (September 2009)
- Hosting a five-day visit to WA by Ben Neil (March 2009), then CEO of Cultivating Community and President of the Australian City Farms and Community Gardens Network
- Surveying and mapping community gardens in WA
- Development of this website for WA gardens
