NEWS

IT’S NEARLY EASTER!

Saturday 1/4/2023 ECO ART – Bilby workshop with Rachel Bunney

10.30-12noon (bookings essential $15/young person or $10/young person for 2 or more and accompanying adult free.

Bookings: https://events.humanitix.com/beloved-bilbies-1-april-2023

Volunteers working bee will happen concurrently 10am – 1pm

SCHOOL HOLIDAY WORKSHOP

Monday 17/4/2023 ECO ART – Orangutan workshop with Rachel Bunney

10.30-12noon (bookings essential $15/young person or 2 for $20 and accompanying adult free. Bookings: https://events.humanitix.com/copy-of-orang-utans-and-their-forest-home-a-children-s-eco-art-workshop-with-rachel-bunney-umlb071d

Volunteer working bee will happen concurrently 10am – 1pm

Weekly Volunteer Mondays in the Garden, 10am – 1pm

What’s happening on Mondays in Autumn?

• Re-designing our raised garden area in preparation for buying new raised beds.
• Weeding and re-setting the pavers in the Labyrinth path
• Painting the pavers in the Children’s Labyrinth path – rainbow colours!

CLEAN UP AUSTRALIA DAY

Sign up to clean up in Kariong – https://www.cleanupaustraliaday.org.au/fundraisers/lisawriley/kariong-commuter-car-park—skate-park-area

Saturday 4/3/23 – Julie is going to clean up the Kangoo Road Car Park again.  Let me know if you are available to help.  BYO gloves, hat, drinking water. Time: 9.30am.

Monday 6/3/23 – Kariong Skate Park and surrounding public land could use some love. 9-10am – before our regular garden volunteer time. BYO gloves, hat, drinking water. Meet at the corner of Mitchell Drive and Langford Drive, Kariong.

OUR MARCH WORKSHOP – Propagation

Saturday 11/3 Propagation workshop with Graeme Ingall – 10am – 11.30am $5/person (free for active members/volunteers), followed by working bee – bookings encouraged – message Lisa on 0429 431 889 or email: kariongecogarden@gmail.com.

Graeme has a wealth of knowledge about propagation and is an active member of the Australia Plant Society – Central Coast District Group (CCDG) where he has been able to indulge in his passion of propagating native plants, sometimes successfully and sometimes with failure – it is called a learning curve.

Currently, Graeme conducts, with others, the propagation of native plants for sale by the CCDG. Also, he is involved in teaching propagation at the Pearl Beach Arboretum.

For those who are interested, Graeme graduated with a Diploma of Agriculture from Wagga Agricultural College (now Charles Stuart University, Wagga Wagga Campus) and TAFE Ourimbah Campus where he gained Certificate II in Bush Regeneration.

Graeme recommends using an old ironing board for potting up, as you can adjust the height to suit. We will have tables to use at the workshop but feel free to BYO an ironing board! We will have posts and soil and Graeme will show how to take cuttings from plants in the eco garden as well as bring other specimens. BYO chop sticks if you have some you don’t mind getting dirty.

For more information or bookings please send your name and number of people to Lisa on 0429 431 889 or email kariongecogarden@gmail.com.

ECO ART WORKSHOPS COMING UP

• Saturday 1/4 ECO ART – Bilby workshop with Rachel Bunney 10.30-12noon (bookings essential $15/young person or $10/young person for 2 or more and accompanying adult free – yet to be advertised – will be on website and facebook) and volunteers working bee concurrently.
• Monday 17/4 (in school holidays) ECO ART – Orangutan workshop with Rachel Bunney 10.30-12noon (bookings essential $15/young person or 2 for $20 and accompanying adult free – yet to be advertised – will be on website and facebook) and volunteers working bee concurrently.
• Monday 3/7 (in school holidays) ECO ART – Platypus workshop with Rachel Bunney 10.30-12noon (bookings essential $15/young person or 2 for $20 – accompanying adult free – yet to be advertised – will be on website and facebook) and volunteers working bee concurrently.

COMING UP

• Aboriginal Cultural Workshop with Tim Selwyn, Girri Girra – or he may come to one of the ECO ART workshops TBC
• Quick Pickling workshop with Vivian 2nd Saturday in May TBC
• No workshop or working bee on 2nd Saturday in June due to long weekend.
• First Aid in the Garden workshop 2nd Saturday in July TBC
• The ever popular Bird workshop with Kaye Pointer – August TBC

For more information please call Lisa 0429 431 889 on Mondays or between 4pm and 8pm on other days.

Our Annual General Meeting is taking place at the Eco Garden on Monday 24 October 2022 at 12noon. Come and join us and bring a plate to share for lunch after the meeting. All positions will be declared vacant. Many hands make light work!

WOYTOPIA is on Sunday 30 October 2022 at Woy Woy South Public School and will be an awesome day. Come and visit our stall or plan ahead to volunteer with us. Call Lisa if you would be happy to help out for an hour or so. Lisa 0429 431 889.

Don’t miss the inaugural Central Coast Edible Garden Trail on 19 & 20 November 2022. Kariong Eco Garden are one of the many places hosting visitors. We will have tours of the garden on Sunday 20/11/22 at 10.20am, 11.30am, 12.30pm and 1.30pm.

REPAIR CAFE – the last one for the year in on Sunday 20 November 10am – 1pm in Kariong Hall. Bring your items to be repaired or your bike to be serviced – volunteers help with sewing, tool sharpening, woodwork, jewellery repairs and you make a donation. There is also a SWAP TABLE for items you would like to swap.

On 12 September 2022 Kariong Public School Year 6 students came to Kariong Eco Garden for an ECO Day where they learned from Tracey Howie, Jake Cassar and artists Rachel Bunney and Lisa McArthur-Edwards.

If you are interested in the kinds of things we are doing to promote sustainability come and visit any Monday morning or monthly Saturday working bee. Volunteers always welcome and extra working bee days or meetings can be arranged.

We are also advocating for a Re-use and Repair Centre/ Service on the Central Coast and fully support Central Coast Council’s plans to introduce a Food Organics Garden Organics (FOGO) collection service.

Did you know there is a Central coast Council in Tasmania? This is their information about a FOGO service they introduced in 2019: http://www.centralcoast.tas.gov.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/FOGO-17092019.pdf

OUR SEPTEMBER WORKSHOP:

The Attraction of Birds

Saturday 10 September 2022

1 – 3pm

(following working bee 10am – 12.30pm)

Cost: $10 non-members. $5 active members or supporter members, or young people

Bookings: https://events.humanitix.com/for-the-love-of-birds

Local birders Kaye and Margaret Pointer will share their love of birds and gardening in a family friendly workshop.

Learn about:

• local birds
• how you can make your garden and suburb a great place for birds and wildlife
• the benefits of recording and sharing bird observations 
• their habitats and how you can assist
• how to provide safe nesting environments and materials for local birds.

The workshop will include a short gentle walk to see what birds are in the bush behind and around the Eco Garden.

Please wear enclosed shoes and bring a hat and water bottle.

There will be a bird inspired craft activity.

More about Kaye and Margaret:

The love of birds is in the blood. Both Kaye’s and Margaret’s interests started before they walked. They are two of the founding members of Central Coast Branch of Birding NSW (27 years) and are involved in guiding bird outings, and education on the Central Coast. They have participated in many surveys monitoring, or searching for birds including rare and endangered species. They have teamed up with other local birders over more than 20 years in the annual Twitchathon, to fundraise for bird conservation projects. Kaye and Margaret will knock back other activities to go birding in the garden, or across the Central Coast!

The workshop follows the monthly garden working bee from 10am – 12.30pm.  Feel free to come early and lend a hand or just enjoy a picnic lunch in the garden. 
For more information please call Lisa 0429 431 889.

WORKING BEE at the garden: Saturday 10 September 2022, 10am – 12.30pm

We will be preparing the bush circle for Kariong Public School Year 6 students’ visit and weeding the labyrinth path. BYO hat, water, picnic lunch and stay for the bird workshop if you can. You are welcome to bring something to share for morning tea – it is always a highlight of the working bees.

OTHER LOCAL ECO EVENTS

Community Environment Network: Love Trees Love COSS event /weekend.

Community Day Saturday 17 September 10am – 3pm at Ourimbah campus of university of Newcastle.  KEG is having a stall. Volunteers needed; https://cen.org.au/events/cen-event-list/733-love-trees-love-coss

COSS Crawl Sunday 18 September https://cen.org.au/events/cen-event-list/732-coss-crawl-love-trees-love-coss

Narara Eco Village Experience weekend 30 September – 2 October (3 October optional), https://nararaecovillage.com/narara-ecovillage-experience-weekend-october-2022/

WOYTOPIA – Sustainable Living Festival – Sunday 30 October 2022, 9am-4pm at Woy Woy South PS. https://woytopia.org/  KEG is having a stall – volunteers needed

Sustainable Future Festival, 10-13 November at Mingara – stay tuned for details.

For more information and to volunteer at one of our stalls, call Lisa 0429 431 889

All donations, no matter how small, are always welcome!

We are with Bendigo Bank and our BSB is 633-000; Account No: 154480586; Account name: Kariong Eco Garden. (Please include your surname and ‘Membership’ or ‘Donation’ in the description)

If you make a deposit please email us to tell us so we can issue you with a receipt. Our email address is kariongecogarden@gmail.com (use SUBJECT: MEMBERSHIP or DONATION)

MEMBERSHIP PAYMENTS CAN ALSO BE MADE AT ANY ECO GARDEN EVENT OR WORKING BEE.

Active Member (Volunteer): $5/year (after volunteering for 10 hours you are entitled to a member discount at any of our ticketed events)

Supporter: $20/year (you are entitled to a member discount at four ticketed events)

Sponsor: $100/year (we can arrange to have a small plaque made to put on a post in the garden)

We had an awesome Permablitz in the Eco Garden on Sunday 19 June and hosted the PCC meeting. We want to say a huge thank you to our friends at Permaculture Central Coast. Join PCC and get involved in future Permablitz’s – as they are fun and a great way to learn.

You can also come along to Kariong Eco Garden any Monday morning or second Saturday of the month, 10am – 1pm to lend a hand in looking after our space.

There are many different jobs – light, heavy, creative and administrative.

Something to suit everyone!

MONTHLY WORKING BEES

This Saturday 9 July is our monthly second Saturday working bee, 10am – 1pm

Weather permitting we will do some track maintenance in the bush kids
kindy bushland include in our Licence area behind the eco garden.

Other jobs in the garden include labelling plants and mural maintenance.

All welcome. Bring protective clothes and shoes, hat and water bottle. Bring food to share if you are able. Tea & coffee provided.

OTHER EVENTS COMING UP

School holiday ECO-ART workshop with Rachel Bunney: Beloved Bilbies Monday 11 July, 10.30am -12.30pm

More information and bookings: https://events.humanitix.com/beloved-bilbies-in-july

OTHER LOCAL ECO EVENTS

Permaculture Central Coast Talk on FROG PONDS at Bateau Bay Community Garden, SUNDAY 17 JULY, 2-4PM. https://permaculturecc.org.au/events/frog-ponds/

Narara Eco Village Experience weekend 30 September – 2 October (3 October optional), https://nararaecovillage.com/narara-ecovillage-experience-weekend-october-2022/

WOYTOPIA – Sustainable Living Festival – Sunday 30 October 2022, 9am-4pm at Woy Woy South PS. https://woytopia.org/

Sustainable Future Festival, 10-13 November at Mingara – stay tuned for details.

Saturday 11 December 2021, 10am – 1pm – working bee

Saturday 11 December 2021, 1.30pm – 3pm – workshop

Ben MacAndrew, from The Wild Pollinator, will take us through information on Australian Native Bees, broadly covering:

1. Biodiversity and resilient ecosystems
2. Role of insect pollinators
3. Identifying native bees – stingless vs solitary
4. Creating native bee habitat; and

ALSO 

you can create your own solitary bee hotel; with materials and instruction provided, in time for Christmas ($5/bee hotel for cost of materials). 

Adult ticket $10, 13-18 year olds $5 and children up to 12 years free.

Current public health rules require all participants to be fully vaccinated.

Bookings: https://events.humanitix.com/native-bees-and-creating-a-bee-hotel

PLANS FOR 2022

Thanks to Bendigo Bank we have some big plans for early 2022.

Check back at this website and on our facebook page for event details

• Solar Cooking
• storytelling
• Frogs
• Bush Tucker
• For the Love of Birds
• and the Easter Bilby.

ANNUAL FUNDRAISING TRIVIA NIGHT

Kariong Eco Garden Trivia night is on Saturday 28/8/21 at 6.30pm on ZOOM, to raise money to pay for our public liability and volunteer insurance and the licence fee to use the land.

Here is the link to book in: https://events.humanitix.com/kariongecotrivia

Ron Dilger, the Quiz master (local chiropractor/ podiatrist and founding member of KEG) has prepared 4 rounds of great questions to get us all thinking.

These will be displayed on the screen and you will be asked to record your answers and later mark them! So it is a very trusting trivia night  – just for fun and so we can see each other on the screen at least, if not in person. 

Get into the spirit of our ANIMAL theme by digging out your penguin onesie or a koala mask.  We are also inviting you to donate to our Silent Auction if you have an item or can offer a service you think someone else would like.

The Zoom link will be emailed 2 days, and an hour before the event, to everyone who buys a ticket through Humanitix. Tickets are $10. Thanks to Kariong Progress Association for sharing their Zoom account with us for this event.

Here is the link again to book in: https://events.humanitix.com/kariongecotrivia

You can also renew your membership or become a KEG sponsor through the booking page.  If you don’t like Trivia or would rather donate direct to our website the details are on our website:  https://kariongecogarden.org.auindex.php/support/
(If you donate this way and want to join the trivia you will just need to contact us for the Zoom link. Text Lisa on 0429 431 889 with your email address & say “TRIVIA”)

Please share this event.  Play on your own or make a team with friends if you like. You will be able to message friends privately via the zoom chat so you can still work as a team, from your own homes!

And who knows what treasures may be had through the silent auction. We already have a beautiful quilt donated. Thank you to Colleen!

PS We would have loved to have this evening face to face but who knows when that will be allowed… When things open up we will have a social night at the garden – like our old 4 Seasons nights with music and merriment!

PPS The garden is doing OK, some secret gardeners have been in to plant seedlings. If you are a local out for exercise or you need some mental health time in nature, the garden is there for you. Feel free to water, weed and harvest the native raspberries!

We have been repairing one of the raised gardens beds, weeding the labyrinth path, removing some of the vigorous native raspberry, planting silverbeet, onions and beetroot, doing path and drain maintenance. We have some great new workshops planned for the rest of the year. Time for some more planting, cooking and eating!

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We hosted 120 students from Central Coast Sports College who took part in ADAM activities to understand the essential things to make good compost – ALIVENESS, DIVERSITY, AIR & MOISTURE.

PEG Nature Playgroup has visited the ECO garden on several occasions.

We played the EARTHCARE game – see www.earthcaregame.org to check it out.

SUP & Yoga with Tina started Wednesday morning yoga in the garden at 9.30am

Central Coast Quakers meets at the garden every 1st and 3rd Sunday at 10am.

Troubadours meet at the garden every 1st Sunday from 1pm for folk music.