The tanks are in!

Sustainable Macleod Community Garden, courtesy of the Education Department, now has 2 new 15,000-litre tanks in place, and a water delivery has filled them. Last August the mains water line – which runs under the school oval – disintegrated and could not be repaired. To reinstate it requires permission from Melbourne Water as Salt Creek runs through a pipe beneath the oval. Macleod College is still awaiting approval. The Education Department has been very supportive in honouring our Memorandum of Understanding with the College.

With a great deal of hard work, using the old and inadequate IBC tanks, we managed on tank water until Cup Day in November, growing 3000 plants. From August to the end of February, we also grew 548kg of fruit and vegetables. Since then we have had 3 deliveries of water (13,000 litres per delivery) paid for by the Education Department which we have used frugally in line with our water conservation policy. The IBC tanks have been sold to someone who will cut them in half and use them as storage bins.

We are indebted to the Education Department and also to Councillor Tom Melican and Banyule City Council officers who liaised with the Education Department on our behalf, and to Paul Gale-Baker, our president, for the countless hours he has spent on securing tanks and water for the community garden and organising their installation.

Thanks to to those who literally put their backs into moving the tanks into place: Paul Gale-Baker, Yvonne Hanks, Marsha Merory, Nine Riella, Ilsa Tompos, Robin Gale-Baker, Chris Reischel, Lou Marks, David Lee, Peter Gillies, Sam Buckley, Shane Rogers, Sean Baker, Carol Wall and Lloyd Secombe