A very excited group of members headed to the Premier's Sustainability Awards presentation evening at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre September 20th to hear "Winner of Community Champion for Sustainable Places and Destinations .... Warrnambool Community Garden". It was also a very humble group, because the calibre of award winners on the night was amazing and being included with them brought home just what a huge task our community has achieved.
This project, going back to 2016 and even before, is a testament to the garden and our broader local community. The long-term focus on the project has been able to be maintained even as some of the key people involved have moved on and others have stepped up. Some people have come in just for specific parts of the project. Others have been there the whole way through and remain amazing supporters and patient advisors as we negotiate a complex bureaucratic maze. Once again, well done to everyone who has played a part.
Stage one of the project is close to completed, with some minor drainage realignments to be done and the bollards for power and water to be fitted. We have just received the final approvals that should enable the $150,000 grant from Warrnambool City Council to be released, which will enable Stage 2 to start. This is the Rainforest Gully (the mini Gellibrand) to start. Bridging the two, all-abilities access is also being worked on.
Well done to all involved, whether voting for the project in the Pick My Project process, helping plant along the steep slopes and for all the hard work that has enabled this project to win such a wonderful award.
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