Improving food security in remote north-west NSW

Bourke Community Garden education partnership

Eva Lloyd applauded the example set by the Euragai Garden project, saying, “The Euragai Goondi Garden sets a valuable precedent for the use of wicking beds to assist in drought-proofing community gardens in semi-arid environments such as Bourke. The Bourke project team appreciates the opportunity to learn from and build upon this work.

Case study video coming soon!

What

The Bourke Community Garden education partnership involves landscape architecture students collaborating with the Bourke Aboriginal Corporation Health Service (BACHS) and Regional Enterprise Development Institute (REDI.E), in north-west NSW, as well as dietetic students from the University of Sydney.

Since 2022, students on professional placement have been contributing to community priorities related to the community garden, including research projects and practical support such as collaborating with Bourke High School on their garden, pest management and running workshops. Students go through a cultural induction before their placement, and live in Bourke for the duration of their 10 week placement, connecting with and learning from community.

Who

UNSW 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
BACHS
REDI.E
University of Sydney
NSW Botanic Gardens Community Greening team
Bourke High School

How

BACHS had heard about the work that UNSW staff and students had done at a 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 and other colleagues at UNSW to develop community-led student placements that would benefit both community and students.

Initially there was seed funding from UNSW for the partnership, and over time it has been supported by the NSW Botanic Gardens providing time, training and materials, and the nib foundation providing funding from 2023–2026, with the possibility of extension. The Global Water Institute has provided funding for student placements, and the Faculty of Arts, Design & Architecture has provided support for staff resources to be spent on the project.