Background to the Project
Over the years there has been much conversation about creating communal productive gardens centrally within White Gum Valley (WGV), and the idea was raised at several Precinct meetings. When the Fremantle Council PlaySpace Strategy was discussed at the April, June and August 2013 Precinct meetings, residents saw the opportunity for changing the use of the parkland alongside the Hazel Orme Kindergarten (HOK), into a productive orchard. Many of these residents are also members of the WGV Playgroup that has been looking for a permanent home for almost 20 years.
These conversations brought the two ideas together – a perennial productive garden with a permanent home base for WGV Playgroup.
Support was sought and gained from a significant number of WGV residents, Hazel Orme Kindergarten, neighbours to the site and adjacent Italian Retirement Village. The White Gum Valley Orchard Project had begun.
In February 2014 the Orchard Committee submitted a Feasibility Plan to City of Fremantle and a grant application to the WA government. Both proposals are currently under review. In May soil testing is being undertaken by the City of Fremantle as part of assessing the site’s suitability.
In July 2014 we submitted an updated Feasibility Plan with additional detail requested by the City of Fremantle management. In September we got approval conditional with a successful first AGM. In October our first management committee of 8 was elected and we signed a 5 year site licence with the City of Fremantle shortly after.
In November 2014 we had a public launch of the orchard – our Spring Jam – with a Noongar welcome to country ceremony and the ceremonial planting of the first 3 fruit trees – a pomelo, lemon and a hakea (bush tucker for the birds).
Our vision and goals
Our vision is to engage and strengthen our community through activities in the growing, harvesting and processing of food as well as providing spaces for play, meeting and community celebration.
Our goals are:
- To develop a strong, continual presence in the open space adjacent to Hazel Orme Kindergarten through a long-term lease with the City of Fremantle managed through a Not for Profit Incorporated Association;
- To design, implement and sustain a combination of short, medium and long-term food crops on site (herbs, vegetables and trees);
- To create a multi-purpose building that provides a focus and catalyst for local food production and processing. This space will be a permanent home for WGV Playgroup and available for use by other community groups;
- To increase the harvest and processing of local food production in White Gum Valley, bringing people together and at the same time reducing waste of produce. This will also supplement on-site food production and enable the immediate start to processing of produce from slower growing fruit trees;
- build connections with the Italian Retirement Village across the road and also with individuals within the greater White Gum Valley area, to gain knowledge of “slow foods” held by an older generation and to have a vibrant cross generational use of the building;
- Continue to grow community support through building the current Orchard group membership into a vibrant community organisation.
Developing a Concept Plan and Funding it
Over 2014-15 we developed a concept plan for the proposed site and involved the community as well as fruit tree specialists in finalising the design. The concept plan identifies the basic infrastructure for the site and the 4 main planting zones.
Our attention has also turned to funding the orchard development and we are reaching out to a diverse mix – federal and state grants, our bank – Fremantle Bendigo Bank, our membership and the broader community including local businesses. We acknowledge with thanks our local council for assisting us with site security, Bendigo Bank for funding our initial retic costs and Fed Gov’s Stronger Communities Program for our grant to build our shed and plant further zones in 2016.
Who are we?
The orchard organisation is made up of around 70 members and led by a management committee is made of about 15 regular folk from the Valley and nearby suburbs like Hamilton Hill. Within this committee are 8 elected members including Steph Jennings as convenor, Teresa Matassa as deputy convenor and Mike Mackie as Treasurer.