Benalla Grow Your Own- Wicking Gardens

Benalla Grow Your Own is a successful project which has been running since 2016 and has installed over 50 garden beds in backyards across Benalla. The garden is built by a community team including St Vincent De Paul Society, Beechworth Corrections Centre and the Benalla Men's Shed. The project won the Vic Health Promoting Health Equity award in 2017. The popularity of the gardens has increased, with demand from local families to build more. All funding will be used to purchase local materials for the prisoners and volunteers to build the gardens.

The project has helped families save money, eat more healthy foods, be more active and feel more independent. It targets families in Benalla who are accessing Emergency Food Relief through local charities. Families include children (0-18) and their parents. The project also benefits the people involved with building the garden beds, such as the volunteers at the Benalla Men's Shed and prisoners from Beechworth Corrections. The project also involves garden coaches and local schools, who support and educate the families. The unique design of the gardens make it a simple low, maintenance garden bed suitable for disabled people.