Littleton Gardens - A Community Success Story - About Regional with Ian Campbell Episode 10

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About Regional – podcast 10, March 30 2017.

Welcome to About Regional – a new place for the stories of South East NSW.

My partners for this week’s program are Light to Light Camps, who let you explore the track between Boyd’s Tower and Green Cape Lighthouse in style, check their website for more info.

The Gang Gang Cockatoos have arrived in the bush around my place, a sure sign autumn is here.

Mind you I was in Cooma this week and the trees in Centennial Park aren’t showing any signs of it.

Given that we are about to tick over in to April, those leaves will soon be changing.

Autumn is a theme that runs through our conversation today. In August 2013 many in the Bega community were outraged when Bega Valley Shire Council cut down a stand of mature Blue Gums in the town’s park.

Council felt the risk of falling limbs was too great, and to be fair some in the community backed them.

Littleton Gardens was levelled to make way for a new civic precinct.

New trees were planted but the site has been the victim of vandalism a number of times – on one night in May last year around 50 mature trees were snapped, hacked or pulled out of the ground – the communities love and connection with the space had been broken.

In the last 6 months Littleton Gardens has got its mojo back, a partnership between Bega Valley Shire Council and SCPA – South East Producers - who use the space for a weekly farmer’s market, has seen leafy greens and other vegetables planted in the park.

The community is invited to pick the crop free of charge. With autumn plantings going in a local charity will soon start grazing in the park, taking ingredients for the weekly meals they cook and serve to people and families doing it tough. I caught up with the two volunteer gardeners working this space, Geoffrey Grigg and Marshall Campbell, also joining the conversation Sharon Zweck Coordinator of Ricky’s Place.

Thanks for tuning.

Your feedback and stories ideas are always welcome – flick me a note to hello@aboutregional.com.au

About Regional – a new place for the stories of South East NSW.

Cheers Ian