Garden Insights + Share Table

Toowoomba Community Organic Gardens

Sunday 1 June 2025

2.00 pm - 4.30 pm

at 22A Goggs Street, Toowoomba City, Q 4350

This event is organised by Permaculture Toowoomba Inc.

Bookings are Essential

Please book so we have your contact details and know how many will be attending.

What We'll Do

We’ll start at 2.00 pm with a welcome and introduction. We like to visit a range of gardens, each as unique as the gardeners who live and work there. Visiting a community organic garden provides an excellent opportunity to see diverse garden styles and approaches in the one location.

This month, members of Toowoomba Community Organic Gardens (TCOGA) will provide us with an overview of their aims and activities, then take us on tour of the Gardens.

We’ll see:

Individual garden plots
Shared planting areas
Fruit trees
Permaculture garden
Native plantings
Composting and garden infrastructure.

This organic, chemical-free community garden is run by members and volunteers. Social gardening mornings are held on Wednesday and Sunday mornings at this convenient inner-city location.

There are several garden areas each with its own purpose and gardening style.

The Founder’s Garden comprises a total of 12 distinct hired garden plots, along with supplementary communal spaces that provide an inviting environment for gardening enthusiasts.

The Member’s Garden boasts 12 raised garden plots; some of which are still available to hire. Alongside these, there are also a few communal plots thoughtfully incorporated into the layout.

The Communal Garden is more than just a space; at its heart are four field plots, once known as the maize gardens, which serve as a vital community resource. These plots carry deep historical significance, providing a connection to the past while nurturing the future.

Tended with care by members who emigrated from Africa, these gardens flourish with maize, pumpkins, beans, and more—each crop telling a story of heritage and sustenance. For many years, we have welcomed new immigrants into this space, offering them the opportunity to grow the familiar foods of their homeland while learning to navigate the unique conditions of the Australian climate.

The Permaculture Forage Garden emphasises reaping and sharing a bounteous harvest. It’s a canvas for fostering community among gardeners, encouraging diverse food exploration, troubleshooting, and nurturing an ecosystem mirroring nature. Nourishing the soil establishes a reciprocal relationship, sustaining and nurturing plant life. This tapestry includes herbs, vegetables, climbers, pollinator-friendly blooms, healing flora, and below-ground crops.

The Accessible Garden was built in 2021 with grant funds, and occupies a prominent space in the public enclave of the gardens. It is characterised by its commitment to inclusivity, featuring 8 elevated wicking beds.

Bush Tucker Native Garden pays tribute to indigenous flora. It houses bush tucker plants, native species, and indigenous trees, celebrating the region’s natural heritage. This garden serves as a gateway to traditional bush foods and remedies, encouraging visitors to explore and learn.

The Orchard Garden hosts a diverse collection of fruit-bearing trees, each in various stages of growth, creating a rich tapestry of flavours and seasons.

The Story Behind the Garden

The vision is that the Toowoomba Community Organic Gardens (TCOG) is a welcoming and inclusive community space where people come together in a spirit of friendship and cooperation, to learn, implement and demonstrate sustainable, organic food growing practices, which support the health and well-being of participants, preserve and improve the site for the benefit of the local community, and have a positive environmental impact

TCOGA’s major partner is Toowoomba Regional Council who own the land that TCOGA manages.

Afternoon Tea (provided)

A light afternoon tea will be provided (including Gluten Free and Vegan options).

What to Bring

KeepCup or similar for your drink at afternoon tea (we're trying to minimise waste)
Chair
Water bottle
Sun protection
Clothes and footwear suitable for outdoor weather conditions
Donations of surplus produce for the Share Table

Share Table

Do you have surplus?

We encourage you to bring your surplus produce, plants, seeds, books, craft supplies, and resources to share with others at our events.

Some ideas of what you could bring include – fruit, vegetables, herbs, eggs, honey, milk, jams, pickles, preserves, jars, ferments, starters, SCOBYs, seeds, plants, seedlings, cuttings, tubers, pots, tools, gardening magazines, permaculture books, recipes, patterns, manure, coffee grounds, compost additives, worms, mealworms, wool, fabric, craft supplies, soap, natural cleaning products, plastic alternatives, produce bags – the list is extensive.

Please bring whatever you can and then take home whatever you need within our culture of generosity and free sharing.

Directions and Parking

Parking is available on site via the Goggs Street entrance. Please park as indicated.

22A Goggs Street is relatively close to the city centre and runs parallel with James Street. Exit James Street onto Prescott Street and then take your next left onto Goggs Street.

Access

This garden is suitable for mobility aids and strollers.

Cost

Financial Members of Permaculture Toowoomba Inc. - Free
First-time Visitors to a Permaculture Toowoomba Inc. Event - $10 per person
Non-Members - $20 per person
Children attending with an Adult - Free (but please book so we know the total numbers)

Membership 2025

Annual Membership of Permaculture Toowoomba Inc. is due by 31 December each year. It's only $50 per person or $40 for a second or subsequent adult living in the same home.

Financial Members can attend events and workshops during the year at no cost.

You can pay your membership for 2025 at checkout when you book to attend this event.

Membership forms will be available at the event for anyone wishing to join, or available here for download at http://www.permaculturetoowoomba.com.au/membership/