Michael Mobbs to launch Nundle Community Garden at winter solstice lunch

Upper Peel Landcare Group (UPLG) will host Off-Grid Guy, Michael Mobbs, for a Winter Solstice Lunch and Library Garden Launch on Sunday, June 20^th, 2021 from 11am-2pm.

The Winter Solstice-themed opening event will be held at the community garden site on the corner of Innes and Jenkins Streets, Nundle.

Environmental lawyer and sustainability writer, Michael Mobbs, will share his decades of experience of off-grid sustainable living and community food growing and recycling, as well as a hands-on ‘cool seat’ workshop making a combination bench/compost bin.

Michael’s off-grid home at Chippendale, known as the ‘Sustainable House,’ was the hub for many community- based sustainability activities, including suburb-wide composting and community gardens on road verges.

Nundle Community Garden is the first major project for the recently re-formed Upper Peel Landcare Group. The project is being run in partnership with Tamworth Regional Council and Tamworth Regional Landcare Association.

UPLG member Rachel Webster said the garden is to be used by the wider Nundle community and will operate during library opening hours. The library will benefit by harvesting selected seeds for its Seed Library, a free service operating through the CNRL network.

“Along with being a place to grow edible foods, the garden will also be a place for the local community to gather, socialise and will provide the site for educational workshops, school and pre-school excursions and events,” she said.

“The event will officially open the Nundle Community Garden and celebrate what will become another great asset for the greater Nundle Community and help increase the cohesiveness and wellbeing of the community as a whole.”

“The event will provide an opportunity to spread the message about how community-based action, growing your own food, minimising food and packaging waste and food miles are all critical in combatting the effects of climate change.”

A simple sit-down lunch will be catered by local food business owners using locally sourced, seasonal ingredients. The event is free, however RSVP is essential to Rachel Webster 0431 348 754, and participants are encouraged to bring their own mug and cutlery for the soup.

Upper Peel Landcare Group members raised more than $500 towards the Nundle Community Garden with a raffle at the Nundle Country Picnic.