The Cubbies Productive Food Garden

Revitalising the garden for community benefit

The Cubbies garden is an initiative aimed at creating a sustainable permaculture plot adjacent to the Atherton Public Housing Estate in Fitzroy. The project addresses food insecurity, while providing educational opportunities and life skills to local children and young people. It was supported by a grant from a Sub-Fund that was created by a substantial donation to FFV.

The Venny is a free communal backyard and safe space for children, as well as a provider of support services. The Venny delivers approximately 400 free healthy meals and snacks weekly to children at its Kensington site. The produce for these meals is sourced from donations and their own garden. The neglected garden required significant attention to be productive again. The Venny applied to FFV to establish a permaculture garden to produce fresh fruits and vegetables.

Cultivating skills and connections

The existing garden beds were revamped and upgraded, ensuring they were productive and capable of supporting the new permaculture system. A closed-loop waste system, including compost bays and worm farms, was implemented to convert food waste into compost and worm juice. Like all of The Venny’s activities, the project involves a volunteer maintenance team to maintain the garden, supporting community connections. Food is used in a number of The Venny’s programs and surplus is made available to the community.

Addressing food insecurity without stigma

The project has made significant strides, with garden beds refilled with fresh soil and new plants and new compost bays from Very Edible Gardens. Herbs and vegetables were planted and the first round ready for harvest in August 2024. Fruit trees are in the pipeline and the team is developing a seedling growing and planting schedule and recruiting more volunteers from the community. The produce grown on-site is used to provide healthy meals for children and young people during play sessions and for the Family Dinner Night program – a key opportunity for recruiting some parent volunteers! Support for this project ensures the garden’s longterm sustainability and growth, and aims to address food insecurity without stigma