Sustainable Macleod Community Garden
How the Sustainable Macleod Community Garden works
Sustainable Macleod Community Garden is gardened communally, growing a wide range of vegetables, berries, orchard fruit and herbs. There are no individual plots. The garden is overseen by a management group but essentially everyone who comes to the garden is involved in planning, gardening, growing seedlings, other projects and setting the direction of the garden.
At the end of each session, produce from the garden is divided between those people who have worked in the garden that day.
What goes on at the garden
The community garden hosts regular workshops and events which are free to members ($15 to non members). It also holds numerous social events including pizza nights, afternoon teas and the Sustainable Macleod Christmas and New Year parties.
Members of Sustainable Macleod Community Garden have in the last 8 years built a shelter, a commercial pizza oven, 2 polytunnels, 11 wicking beds, and a 6 bay compost system, as well as many raised garden beds. Members installed 20 x 1000 litre water tanks in 2016 but these have now been replaced (March 2024) with 2 x 15,000 litre and 1 x 2,500 litre commercial tanks, an off grid solar system and 2 shipping container secure storage units, one of which houses the reference library and the other the tool lending library
During the Coronavirus pandemic, Sustainable Macleod supplied BANSIC with hundreds of kilos of fruit and vegetables from the community garden plus seedlings, and masks made by members, for distribution to those doing it tough in the Banyule community
Membership of Sustainable Macleod which includes membership of the garden is $30 for a calendar year. Non members are always welcome to visit the garden as are children.
Garden Policy Documents
Visit us
Everyone is welcome to visit us! The Sustainable Macleod Community Garden is located on Somers Ave, directly across the oval from the end of Strathallan Road, Macleod.
Opening Hours
Please note that Macleod College has asked us not to bring cars (and therefore trailers) into the carpark area on Wednesdays while school is in session.
How the Sustainable Macleod Community Garden began
In 2015, Sustainable Macleod acquired 2 disused tennis courts at the back of Macleod College and set about transforming the En Tous Cas surface, which contained not an ounce of nutrient, into the flourishing, fertile garden it is today. The project was initially named the Macleod Organic Community Garden and subsequently changed to Sustainable Macleod Community Garden in 2023.
Latest gardening tips from our blog
Queensland Fruit Fly alert – November
The most important action in November is to get your insect seclusion netting in place. QFF will be active in Macleod and surrounds already. (It is so small you won't see it). Net: tomatoes at planting time as they are self fertile capsicum, chillies and eggplants as...
What to plant in November in Melbourne
Seeds planted in October in punnets that have reached the 4-leaf stage can be pricked out and planted in potting mix in trays or pots. These can be planted in the garden late November. Plant in punnets Capsicum and chilli, cucumber, eggplant, endive, lettuce and all...
Urgent jobs in the garden for November
Put out fruit fly lures and protein traps. Queensland fruit fly is already here in Macleod this season. Net your fruit trees with fine net, tying tightly at the base to prevent Queensland fruit fly entry and to protect from birds. Put out lures for codling moth in...
Join Sustainable Macleod
Become a member and get access to the community garden, the tool library and our seed library. We welcome all members of the community and have regular events and workshops to enjoy.