The Gathering Tree Community Garden

Ireland M¹*, Simmons K¹*

1. Adelaide Central Community Health Service Prospect East, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia

The Gathering Tree Community Garden is currently built in the backyard of a Kilburn South Australian Housing Trust home. The garden is a joint initiative between Adelaide Central Community Health Service, the South Australian Housing Trust and the Community Mental Health Service, Royal Adelaide Hospital. The house is being used as a community meeting and information place. The atmosphere of the garden is one of community collaboration and ownership.

The garden’s aims and objectives incorporate key elements from The 3rd National Mental Health Plan including the promotion of mental health and the prevention of mental health problems and mental illness, increasing service responsiveness by providing increased access to recovery and rehabilitation programs outside of clinical frameworks, strengthening consumer and carer participation and fostering research, innovation and sustainability.

The garden provides an outstanding example of how marginalized and disadvantaged people can be encouraged to participate in community development activities which add to their daily quality of life.

This presentation will tell the story of the garden’s evolution, its struggle for survival and the capacity of marginalised communities to make a difference in their local area.

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