By Margaret Maccoll
The Peregian Beach Vegie Village was begun by a man who wanted to know how to grow vegetables and a decade on has become a place that brings people together.
The Vegie Village celebrated its 10th anniversary last week with a winter solstice lantern parade and community gathering.
Bruce Molloy knew nothing about gardening when he called a community meeting attended by about 60 residents, including Lin Martin, that led to the group’s establishment.
“A proposal was put to council to have a garden and they were happy to work with us,” Lin said.
“We have real issues growing vegies on sand. We thought it would be good to have a community garden where people can learn to grow vegies and like-minded people can come together.”
Lin said experts provided a lot of advice in the beginning.
The garden now has raised beds where vegetables are grown in built-up soil replenished with compost and watered with natural spring water tapped from a spear and pumped using solar power. There are experimental garden areas and gardens people can rent.
“In the community we have young families and older people,” she said. “We have over 100 people.”
“We’re just maintaining it and keeping it a healthy, happy place to come to,” she said.
