History of the Garden

A Brief History of the Nowra East Public School Community Garden 

·         2012 -Wendy Theobald, Andy Mark, Troy Lenihan, Sonia Curley, Sharon Davies John Stovin-Bradford began to formulate ideas for a community garden.

·         2012 -Later in the year- Principal at the time Michael Honeywood agreed that the ‘old' preschool site could be used for a garden. 

·         April 2013 -We were successful in gaining funding from Shoalhaven Clubs ( $6000) to pay for the gates and plumbing in the garden.

·         May 2013 -Andy Mark from the Heart Foundation secured funding from the Australian Government Department of Health and Aging, Local Community Campaign for the Be Stronger Live Longer project. $20,000 of this grant was dedicated to the Nowra East Public School ($20,000) for the cooking program and garden development (1 year). This funding enabled us to fund materials and the fortnightly Garden Ambassador Workhops till the end of Term 2 2014.  

·         19^th June 2013 -Work began to clear the garden area and 100 cubic metres of mulch was spread out over the first stage of the garden. 

·         27^th July 2013 -Principal Peter Collins opened the garden with community representatives planting citrus trees.  

·         27^th August 2013–Pipe and two taps in the garden put in.

·         28^th August 2013 -Our first garden workshop was run by Dan Dieghton and Aaron Sorenson teaching 30 students about permaculture, dry bed gardening, using tools safely and building and planting two garden beds. 

·         3^rd September 2013-Gates put in at Journal Street to allow access for dumping garden materials.

·         20^th December 2013 -The Nowra Men's Shed came and put in boards for to put garden tools on.

·         6^th May 2014 -The Aboriginal Medical Service agreed to fund the fortnightly ‘Garden Ambassador' workshops till the end of 2014.

·         13^th-19^th May 2014 -Stuart Barber painted graphics on the outside of the garden tool shed.