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                    Community gardens, street gardens and compost hubs

                    A person tending to plants in a community garden
                    Community and street gardens provide an opportunity to grow food and plants, learn new skills and meet new people. They range from formal community gardens on City of Melbourne land to street gardens located on nature strips or median strips.

                    Community composting provides public spaces where you can turn food waste into nutrients for soil. Composting helps reduce the amount of organic waste we send to landfill.  

                    There are a variety of community gardens and compost hubs across our city. Find out more about their locations, access and contact information in the map and further details below.

                    Important notice
                    To help slow the spread of COVID-19, community gardens and composts hubs have either closed, scaled back or modified their operations. Please contact the relevant site for more information.

                    Community gardens

                    Docklands Community Garden

                    Docklands Community Garden

                    Description:
                    Food growing, working bees and workshops.  

                    Location:
                    Geographe Street, Docklands 3008

                    Contact details:
                    Email: activators@docklandsgarden.org
                    Website: Docklands Community Garden 

                    Opening hours:
                    Garden is publicly accessible at all times 

                    Cost and conditions:
                    Open to everyone, however mostly aimed at Docklands residents and workers.

                    Drill Hall Community Garden

                    Drill Hall Residents Association

                    ​Description:
                    Community garden for food and flower growing, worm farms, plants workshops.

                    Location:
                    Corner Therry Street and Victoria Street, and along Victoria Street pavement.

                    Contact details:
                    Email: dhcga.melbourne@gmail.com
                    Website: Drill Hall Residents Association

                    Opening hours:
                    Garden is also a public place and amenity, open 24/7 to everyone.  Fully accessible.

                    Cost and conditions:
                    Free. Tended by local residents and workers centred in triangular perimeter of Elizabeth, Therry and Victoria streets.

                    Composting:
                    No compost bins available for residential food waste.

                    East Melbourne Community Garden

                    Description:
                    This community garden is for East Melbourne residents.

                    Location:
                    Sinclair’s Cottage, Fitzroy Gardens, East Melbourne 3002

                    Contact details:
                    Email: eastmelbcommgarden@gmail.com

                    Opening hours:
                    Open during daylight hours

                    Cost and conditions:
                    Fees set each year by the Committee of Management. Must be a resident of East Melbourne. To be placed on the waiting list email the membership secretary.

                    Composting:
                    No compost bins available for residential food waste

                    Kensington Community Garden – Westbourne Road

                    Description:
                    Kensington Community Garden provides the opportunity for local residents to grow herbs and vegetables for personal use. The gardens also provide a perfect community space for people to come together and socialise. Plots when available are allocated to 3031 residents on the waiting list.

                    Location:
                    118-128 Westbourne Road, Kensington, 3031

                    Contact details:
                    Email: kensington@ymca.org.au

                    Opening hours:
                    Please contact for more information

                    Cost and conditions:
                    There is currently a waiting list for this garden.

                    Kensington Neighbourhood House – Arden Street Community Garden

                    Kensington Neighbourhood House

                    ​Location:
                    321 Arden Street, Kensington 3031

                    Contact details:
                    Email: info@kenhouse.org.au 
                    Website: Kensington Neighbourhood House

                    Opening hours:
                    Garden is publically accessible at all times 

                    Cost and conditions:
                    Available for use by the public.

                    Composting:
                    Community garden does have compost bins and accepts residential waste.

                    Kensington Neighbourhood House – McCracken Street food share garden

                    Kensington Neighbourhood House 

                    Description:
                    ​Food share garden in McCracken Street. Shared raised garden beds with freshly grown herbs and vegetables.

                    Location:
                    89 McCracken Street, Kensington 3031

                    Contact details:
                    Tel: 9376 6366
                    Email: info@kenhouse.org.au
                    Website: Kensington Neighbourhood House

                    Opening hours:
                    Garden is publicly accessible at all times 

                    Cost and conditions:
                    Free and open to everyone.  A volunteer member base maintains the garden and harvest is generally for local residents.

                    Kensington Stockyard Food Garden

                    Kensington Stockyard Food Garden logo

                    Description​:
                    Community garden for organic food growing, workshops and food swaps.

                    Location:
                    Corner Bluestone Street and Serong Street, Kensington 3031

                    Contact details:
                    Email: kenstockyardfoodgardeninc@gmail.com 
                    Facebook: @KensingtonStockyardFoodGarden

                    Opening hours:
                    Garden is accessible to members and has regular opens days for the broader community.

                    Cost and conditions:
                    Free and open to everyone. Harvest is generally for people who contribute to the running of the garden and local residents. New members welcomed.

                    Composting:
                    No compost bins available for residential food waste. 

                    Melbourne University Community Garden

                    Melbourne University Community Garden (logo)

                    Description:
                    Community garden accessible to students, ex-students and locals to participate in food growing and workshops.

                    Location: 
                    Monash Road, Parkville 3052

                    Contact details:
                    Email: mucgarden@gmail.com
                    Facebook: @MU.CommunityGarden

                    Opening hours:
                    Garden can be accessed all times

                    Cost and conditions:
                    Free. Open to everyone

                    Composting:
                    No compost bins available for residential food waste. 

                    North West Patch

                    North West Patch logo

                    Description:
                    North West Patch is a community garden which is situated in the North Melbourne Meat Market art centre, with the support of the City of Melbourne. The community garden has been set up by local residents of West Melbourne and North Melbourne.

                    Location:
                    36-54 Courtney Street, North Melbourne

                    Contact details:
                    Website: North West Patch

                    Opening hours:
                    Monday to Friday: 9am to 5pm
                    Saturday and Sunday: by appointment

                    Cost and conditions: 
                    For more information and to join the waiting list, send a request via the North West Patch website.

                    Southbank Sustainability Group communal garden and orchard

                    Southbank Sustainability Group logo

                    Location:
                    Boyd Community Hub, 207 City Road, Southbank 3006

                    Contact details:
                    Email: southbanksustainability@gmail.com
                    Facebook: @SouthbankSustainabilityGroup

                    Opening hours:
                    First and third Saturdays of the month at 10am. The group meets to catch up on sustainability issues over coffee and then tend to the garden. Contact the group beforehand if there are any changes to the times and other events.

                    Cost and conditions:
                    Free and open to everyone. 

                    Composting:
                    No compost bins available for residential food waste.

                    Community compost hubs

                    Kensington Town Hall Compost Hub

                    Kensington Town Hall compost hub signs and compost bays behind wire fence

                    Description:
                    The Compost Hub consists of compost bays, located at the back of the Kensington Town Hall building.

                    Location:
                    Kensington Town Hall, 30-34 Bellair Street, Kensington 3031

                    Contact details:|
                    Facebook: @KensingtonCompostHub

                    Opening hours:
                    Always open

                    Cost and conditions:
                    Free and open to everyone. 

                    Composting:
                    Compost bays have been installed at the back of the Kensington Town Hall to be easily accessible to the wider community 24/7.

                    Public housing community gardens

                    Public housing community garden – Alfred Street

                    Location:
                    33 Alfred Street, North Melbourne

                    Opening hours
                    Access times vary for each garden.

                    Cost and conditions:
                    You must be a public housing resident to use these gardens. 

                    Public housing community garden – Buncle Street

                    Location:
                    Corner Buncle and Mark streets, North Melbourne

                    Opening hours:
                    Access times vary for each garden.

                    Cost and conditions:
                    You must be a public housing resident to use these gardens. 

                    Public housing community garden – Lygon Street

                    Location:
                    530 Lygon Street Carlton

                    Opening hours:
                    Access times vary for each garden.

                    Cost and conditions:
                    You must be a public housing resident to use these gardens. 

                    Public housing community garden – Drummond Street

                    Location:
                    478 Drummond Street, Carlton 

                    Opening hours:
                    Access times vary for each garden.

                    Cost and conditions:
                    You must be a public housing resident to use these gardens. 

                    More information

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