Autumn vibes in our Southbank

After an exceptionally hot summer, the current cooler weather is a relief for high-rise residents.

At our Southbank Sustainability Group (SSG) gardens, volunteers maintained the garden beds during a challenging summer with a record number of high 30-degree days. Our dedicated team of scheduled watering volunteers worked diligently throughout the hot days to minimise the loss to our flower beds, vegetable, and herb plants.

On the first day of March, marking the beginning of autumn, our SSG working bee was notably eventful. We were fortunate to have more than 20 volunteers assisting us.

The SSG garden received a green gift from the City of Melbourne. The garden needed help relocating 50 potted plants (herbs, vegetables, and natives) from Melbourne Town Hall to Southbank. Thanks to the council for this generous gift. The plants are thriving.

Recently, nine local Albert Park Joey Scouts visited SSG gardens with their leader Jeniffer. The energetic children, aged between five and nine, learned gardening basics, prepared garden beds, and replanted some gifted plants from the City of Melbourne.

The “Discover Adventure” motto of Joey Scouts was evident in their questions and curiosity about pollinators, worms, garden “critters”, and the functioning of gardens to produce food.

Team SSG hosted this group and provided educational insights. Children living in inner city Melbourne show a notable interest in nature. Albert Park Joey Scouts are effectively helping young citizens stay connected with the natural environment.

On March 15, SSG working bees hosted the event “Caring and Propagating Indoor Plants” for the second time, led by houseplant enthusiast and SSG team member Corrine. Despite the 37-degree heat, SSG had full attendance from both community members and volunteers at the workshop. Attendees had various questions about growing indoor houseplants. They left with valuable knowledge, as well as green stems, cuttings, and plants provided by Corrine.

Although there have been some minor incidents involving vandalism at the SSG Community Garden, our commitment to creating a pleasant and welcoming space for the community remains steadfast.

The SSG Community Gardens are open spaces where all community members can spend time in reflection. The garden offers an excellent opportunity for children living in high-rise buildings to connect with nature and observe bees, butterflies on flowers, various vegetables, herbs, and strawberry plants.

Several community members have sent us encouraging emails expressing their appreciation for this space and our volunteers. Please continue to share your thoughts and views on our Facebook or Instagram pages; we are eager to hear from you. Additionally, some community members have shown interest in learning how to assist their children in nurturing plants at schools as part of STEM education. We invite you to visit us at Boyd Community Hub during our SSG Working Bee sessions on April 12 and 26 between 10am and 12pm.

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 or Instagram on southbanksustainabilitygroup.

If you are interested in getting involved with Southbank Sustainability Group join us at a Saturday meet-up or send us an email. •