Naomi Lacey talks with CityChangers.org
Story by citychangers.org, June 2021
How Community Gardens Australia Helps Bring Residents Together
Community gardens are on the rise, no question about it. Whether it’s providing space for residents to grow their own food or offering a green space to escape the concrete jungles and building a community, their appeal certainly can’t be denied. But how exactly do you even start a garden and who can you turn to for support and answers to your questions? Community Gardens Australia is here to save the day!
The origin of community gardens dates all the way back to 1890’s, but they were especially important during World Wars in Europe and during the Civil Rights movement in America, as they supplemented food in times of crisis. In Australia specifically, the first community garden was established in 1977, and there are currently around 600 gardens dispersed over the country. Which is not bad, considering a recent research claiming Australia is concerned about food security and will most likely depend on local urban agriculture in the future. For context, community gardens produce on average 1.2 kg of food per plant over the four months.
We spoke with Naomi Lacey, the current president of Community Gardens Australia about the organisation, the benefits – and challenges – of community gardens, and how you can discover a garden in your neighbourhood. Topics varied, opinions were shared, Australian sunsets were enjoyed – it all led to this inspirational story of an organisation fighting for fellow gardeners and motivating anyone to create the change they envision in their city.