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You may have noticed the BCLN River Garden taking shape next to the Bass River bridge as you drive down the Bass highway, just in the paddock below the Landcare office.
The 1ha River Garden community site is a space for our community to gather, learn and grow healthy food using regenerative growing techniques. We demonstrate these by establishing growing spaces using various horticultural innovations, and anyone can participate in our educational activities for all ages to learn more. This space has been conceived as a co-creation with the local community and we invite you to participate! To date we have planted a ‘water-wise’ orchard, a series of swale beds on our slope, including a kitchen garden demonstration and espaliered heritage fruit trees, a nuttery, and a berry trellis. A range of different raised garden beds and wicking beds for annual vegetables have been installed, with a variety of perennial herbs, companion plants and annual vegetables also growing in the swale beds.
In 2024 we planted a Conservation Zone and Seed orchard, comprised of a border of indigenous plants with over 60 different species. This acts as an attractor of pollinators, wind protection, a place to grow hard plants with harder to collect seed, with signage soon to be installed. A bushfood garden and wetlands area help to filter any water running off the site into the adjoining Bass River. We area also creating an eco-trail incorporating all of the above into an educational resource for passive recreation and walks for our community to enjoy. There is space and the opportunity at the River Garden for much, much more.... Future plans include establishing educational activity spaces for school groups, including a Training Nursery and an all-weather education shelter to be used in our various activities and workshops. |
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We can't wait to involve you in a range of Volunteer Blitz sessions and Master Classes with guest horticulture and permaculture trainers, as well as our knowledgeable Landcare staff who are always on hand to welcome new volunteers and participants.
We also have local groups participate in organised activities. If you, your group or organisation is interested in getting involved at the River Garden, please let us know by filling out the contact form below.
We also have local groups participate in organised activities. If you, your group or organisation is interested in getting involved at the River Garden, please let us know by filling out the contact form below.
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River Garden Blitz sessions are back for 2025!!
Thanks to funding from our BCLN Public fund, with proceeds from our 2024 Landcare art show, as well as funding from the Andrews Foundation, we are hosting River Garden Blitz sessions again, beginning on Saturday 10th of May 2025. These will run on the second Saturday of the month, with guest speakers including Rick Coleman from Southern Cross Permaculture sharing his wealth of practical permaculture knowledge, our own Lisa Wangman, Education, Training and Communications Manager who oversees the River Garden management, and Jess from Backyard Botany, sharing her extensive plant knowledge.
Two of our sessions will also be a part of the Living Lightly program, generously sponsored by the Bass Coast Shire Council in partnership with Bass Coast Adult Learning Centre trainers. Please keep checking our calendar below for updates and openings for bookings for the sessions.
Two of our sessions will also be a part of the Living Lightly program, generously sponsored by the Bass Coast Shire Council in partnership with Bass Coast Adult Learning Centre trainers. Please keep checking our calendar below for updates and openings for bookings for the sessions.
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River Garden Guiding Principles
Community Projects
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Current Projects
upcoming projects
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