THE Coolum Common Community Garden is flourishing once again, with new members, new projects and a renewed focus on bringing the community together.

Located on the western edge of Jack Morgan Park and close to the new amenities block and picnic area, the 800-square-metre garden is inviting more locals to get involved – whether it’s lending a hand on a Wednesday morning, leasing a garden bed or simply enjoying the space.

Volunteer Claire Baker said it had been encouraging to see the garden come back to life this year.

“It has been disheartening over the years with the vandalism, but this year, with better security, there’s been far less trouble,” Claire said.

“Most things we’ve done have been designed to be vandal-proof, and people are starting to feel comfortable coming back. We’d love to see more people come down and enjoy the space.”

The garden has undergone a major refresh, with volunteers reorganising the layout, building 11 new garden beds and expanding both the food forest and fruit tree orchard. More projects are also in the pipeline as membership continues to grow.

For many members, however, the garden is about much more than growing plants.

Ms Baker said the weekly Wednesday morning gatherings had become an opportunity for people to make friends, swap gardening tips and build connections.

“We have an amazing group of volunteers,” Claire said.

“It’s a really nice outdoor meeting place where people can share knowledge. Some have moved here from other parts of Australia and are learning about what grows well in this climate, while others have years of gardening experience to pass on.

“It’s rewarding to see what you’ve grown, but it’s also about creating a welcoming place where people feel connected.”

The community has also been lending a hand, and recently, 28 Year 10 students from The Industry School volunteered at the garden as part of the school’s community service program, helping with a range of improvement projects.

Ms Baker hopes more local groups will make use of the space, including homeschool families and playgroups, with a book library also available on site.

The garden’s compost group is also working with local cafes to divert food waste from landfill, turning it into compost that helps keep the gardens thriving.

People wanting to be involved can simply sign up for free online and keep in the loop via regular email newsletters. Those wanting to get more hands-on can lease a garden bed from $60 a year or officially sign up for just $10, which will cover a family, with the cost covering insurance and other running costs.

The growing and compost groups meet every Wednesday from 10 am, and new faces are always welcome.

“We want to hear people’s ideas and help bring them to life,” Ms Baker said.

“There’s a place for everyone here.”

For more information, please visit – https://www.coolumcommon.com
Or ‘Coolum Common’ on Facebook and Instagram