Another year of green gains for Southbank

It has been a busy year for Southbank Sustainability Group (SSG).

Over the year we had a series of sustainability-themed events, worked with the three-year-old kindergarten children and their teachers at OAC South Melbourne to turn over and replenish their old vegetable garden beds, and run a range of activities with children’s play groups at the Boyd Community Hub.

We continued our fortnightly meet-ups to plant and maintained the garden beds at Boyd, successfully planting and growing a range of vegetables and herbs that members of the Southbank community can harvest and eat.

We have been delighted to hear from fellow Southbankers who have told us how much they enjoy watching the Boyd Hub Community Garden over the different seasons and how much they have appreciated being able to harvest something fresh from the garden during the year.

SSG members have enjoyed the many conversations they have had with people wandering through the gardens. The feedback we receive helps us make the gardens a better place for everyone.

Many residents in Southbank are new to the area and often new to the country. It has been pleasing to hear from our new members this year that they have found the fortnightly Saturday meet-ups a relaxed and easy way to meet fellow residents and make new friendships while gardening and discussing sustainability issues.

Our meet-ups in December will be on the 9th and the 23rd, while our January 2024 meet ups will be on the 6th and 20th. So come and join us anytime between 10am and noon in the garden at the Boyd Community Hub.

With the year fast coming to an end, bringing with it various events and celebrations. You may be thinking about how to make them more sustainable. This is an ideal time to ask yourself can you reduce, reuse, repair or recycle as you participate in various events and celebrations.

For example, if you need to buy gifts, look for gifts made from recycled materials and locally sourced; you can visit the many local Op Shops as a source of goods to be repurposed. Also, look for alternatives to battery operated toys. Such an approach is not only good for the environment but can be a lot less expensive.

If you are interested in getting involved with SSG, send us an email, or come to one of the upcoming meet-ups.

About the group

Southbank Sustainability Group is a solutions-focused community group of Southbank residents working to bring positive change in sustainability practices. •

Reach us at [email protected] or facebook.com/SouthbankSustainabilityGroup