Growing Together Baw Baw is a group of individual community members, school personnel and community organisations who work together to share skills, resources and information on community and school gardening.

Its aim is to encourage shared gardening across Baw Baw shire to not only enhance production of healthy and nutritious food, but also to bring people together in an active and social activity that makes them feel a valued part of the community.  It is also about supporting the integration of gardening into schools’ curriculum to encourage community participation and student engagement.

Background:
The group has been meeting since 2007 and has offered a number of activities and workshops including:

• A bus trip to a number of Melbourne community gardens,
• A presentation by Cultivating Communities on creating a community garden
• A Landlearn Professional Development for schools  
• Monthly workshops at the George Street garden in Warragul.
• A number of children’s and family activities at the garden.

It has also provided an interactive display at the Drouin Lions Club Garden Expo at Lardner Park each year in October.

The membership comprises a number of schools both primary and secondary, Warragul Community House, Mawarra, Scope and Baw Baw Shire as well as individual community members.

The Steering Committee managed a funded project officer in 2010 to undertake a planning project to identify a specific, sustainable model for the group.

The Steering Committee meets once per month at Warragul Community House and is open to anyone interested. Further opportunities for funding the project are regularly pursued.

Vision: “Enhanced health and wellbeing in Baw Baw Shire by engaging community in a cooperative community gardens model.”