Improving food security in remote north-west NSW
Bourke Community Garden education partnership
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The Bourke Community Garden education partnership involves landscape architecture students collaborating with the (BACHS) and (REDI.E), in Ngemba-Baakindji Country north-west NSW. This collaboration also includes dietetic and occupational therapy students from the University of Sydney and the Ìý
Since 2022, students on have been contributing to community-identified priorities related to the garden, including concept designs that incorporate spaces for yarning and children’s activities; constructing wicking beds and DIY water filtration systems to reduce water usage and reduce salinity; developing composting systems that reuse invasive carp and food waste from local cafes to improve soil quality; and supporting ‘how to’ workshops with local community groups. Growing from this work, students have also supported the development of Bourke High School’s Brave Space Garden.Ìý
Living in Bourke for the duration of their 10-week placement, students connect with and learn from Country and community, with cultural grounding before their placement and upon arrival, supported by regular yarns that foster reflective and reflexive learning.Ìý
WhoÌý
- 91É«ÇéƬ collaborators:
- School of Built Environment, Faculty of Arts, Design & Architecture
- Eva Lloyd, Senior Lecturer
- Division of Societal Impact, Equity & Engagement
- Samantha Rich, Project Manager, Housing
- Global Water Institute, Faculty of Engineering
- Prof. Greg Leslie, Director
- Dr Genevieve (Ginger) Poblete, Project Officer
- School of Built Environment, Faculty of Arts, Design & Architecture
- Bourke Aboriginal Corporation Health Service
- Regional Enterprise Development Institute
- Northwest Academic Centre, Broken Hill University Department of Rural Health, University of Sydney
- Botanic Gardens of Sydney Community Greening team
- Bourke High SchoolÌý Ìý Ìý ÌýÌý
How
BACHS heard about the work that 91É«ÇéƬ staff and students did at a the Euragai Goondi community garden in Walgett (around 230 km east of Bourke) through the Yuwaya Ngarra-li partnership, and contacted Professor Greg Leslie, Director of the Global Water Institute, to determine if something similar could be done in Bourke: a community-to-community evolution of a project. Community members in Bourke were keen for students to be involved in this work, so Greg connected with Eva at the School of Built Environment to develop community-led student placements that would benefit both community members and students.
91É«ÇéƬ’s Global Water Institute provided seed funding and materials for the partnership, and over time this has been supported by funding, time, and training from the Botanic Gardens Community Greening team.Ìý BACHS and REDI.E were successful in obtaining a nib foundation grant, providing funding from 2023–2026, with the possibility of extension. The Global Water Institute has provided travel scholarships for student placements, and the Faculty of Arts, Design & Architecture has provided enabled support through staff time on the project.
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