Welcoming autumn in Southbank: community gardening update

Autumn in Melbourne is just as beautiful as spring, and the sight of leaves turning vibrant shades of red, orange, and yellow is truly breathtaking.

As the weather turns cooler, the beautiful autumn colours lining City Rd and the streets around Southbank really lift everyone’s spirits, from the residents in the high-rises to those driving by.

During the Southbank Sustainability Group (SSG) gardening sessions, in addition to preparing beds for new crops, weeding, and pruning, we also take on the task of clearing fallen leaves. The hard work we put in is undoubtedly rewarded by the breathtaking beauty of the nearby trees that we encounter every time we step into the Boyd garden spaces.

After a particularly dry January and February, the welcome rains that fell on the first two days of autumn provided much-needed relief to our volunteers on the watering roster. The weather was hot and humid on both of our Saturday working bees on February 14 and 28. Despite the challenges posed by the warm weather, the dedicated volunteers continued to lovingly tend to the community garden beds and they also welcomed a few new members.

The last working bee of summer was particularly busy preparing the garden beds for autumn. Our leader Faye meticulously prepared a task list, and all our volunteers efficiently accomplished it.

The new vegetables planted were spinach, Chinese cabbage, and lettuce. The existing planter beds were refreshed, and some of the herb produce, such as mints, was used to propagate new plants. As always, harvesting and sharing green beans, radishes, and silver beet was a joyful experience. This activity freed up the beds for the new planting cycle. The garden beds were nourished with worm juice or Seasol. Mulching was also carried out to help retain moisture and encourage healthy soil microbes.

The community garden spaces require regular cleaning of leaves and litter, especially after windy days. Senior volunteer Rob diligently takes care of the gardens, particularly on weekends when we don’t have a working bee.

It has been disheartening to witness a rise in instances of litter being left on our garden beds. This has become a growing concern in the past few months. We kindly request the assistance of our community residents in preserving this unique open community garden space. If you notice any littering or improper waste disposal, please contact the City of Melbourne team. We have already collected soiled paper napkins, food scraps, glass bottles, discarded clothes, and umbrellas from our garden beds.

Our dedicated team of volunteers works tirelessly, dedicating nearly four to six hours every weekend throughout the year, regardless of the season. We kindly request that community residents acknowledge their hard work by reporting any littering in the garden space. Together, we strive to maintain the beauty and inviting atmosphere of this garden for everyone to enjoy.

Inspired by the joys of community gardening witnessed at the SSG community garden, a new community garden space has been recently added at Melbourne Square, adjacent to the basketball courts. Currently, the volunteer team meets every Monday morning. Everyone in the community is welcome to join. For more details, please email [email protected].

The community gardens and other green spaces in Southbank foster a vibrant and diverse community of insects and pollinators. The Urban Forest and Ecology team of the City of Melbourne conducted an exciting new event and a Citizen Science initiative called Insect BioBlitz 2026. This initiative, running from March 1 to 7, was hosted by the Melbourne Community Gardens and included a garden walk.

Another exciting campaign we participated in and voted for was “Choosing Melbourne’s Floral Emblem: Introducing Melbourne’s New Floral Emblem.”

Upcoming event by SSG: we’ll be featuring a special segment on herbs. Look out for announcement on our social pages.

About the group

Southbank Sustainability Group is a community group of Southbank residents dedicated to bringing positive change in sustainability practices. You can reach us at

[email protected],visit our Facebook page at facebook.com/SouthbankSustainabilityGroup, or follow us on Instagram at @southbanksustainabilitygroup.

If you’re interested in learning more, join us for our next catch-up in March. It’s this Saturday, March 14, at 10am at Boyd. •