Western Plains App
Western Plains App
What's what out west!
What's OnShop WestEat Drink StayYour Local MemberYour CouncilAdvertise NOWEducationEmergency ContactsPuzzles & GamesRadio
Western Plains App

Walgett CWA ready their green thumbs

Western Plains App

Oliver Brown

08 December 2021, 5:31 AM

Walgett CWA ready their green thumbsWalgett CWA Branch Secretary Christine Ford and International Officer Coleen Edgar in part of the the space they hope will become a visual community garden for residents of the town to enjoy. Photo courtesy of Walgett CWA

Members of the Walgett Branch of the NSW Country Women's Association (CWA) are excited to begin work on a garden in its club rooms which will aim to brighten up the community spirit.

 

The organisation had been planning to make improvements to the space at the rooms - which have a broad group of users across the community - for several months.

 

The idea was first pitched by Walgett CWA International Officer Coleen Edgar who said the garden on the CWA block was in desperate need for renewal.

 

"At a recent meeting, we discussed doing something to make the club rooms more friendly that people would find visually attractive so I pitched fixing up the garden," Ms Edgar said.

 

"We have lots of other groups who come and use our rooms like juvenile justice and government organisations like to bring their clients there, so we thought giving them the opportunity to go out and enjoy a peaceful relaxing area would be really nice."

 

Ms Edgar thought a communal green space with visually appealing plants would be a nice contrast to the drought-ridden landscape the whole region experienced only a few years ago.

 

"You wouldn't think of it being dry at the moment but we went through a horrific drought period, so to walk out and see a bit of natural beauty would be amazing," she said.


 

While the garden project was always going to go ahead and a sub-committee in place to tackle it, Ms Edgar decided to seek financial support from the federal government to try and make it bigger and better.

 

Only a few months later, her application was successful and the Walgett CWA was allocated $13,860 through the Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal’s (FRRR) Tackling Tough Times Together initiative.

 

Federal Member for Parkes Mark Coulton said the grant would serve as a "shot in the arm" for the Walgett community as it continued to recover from the effects of the drought and, more recently, COVID-19.

 

"The funding will enable Walgett CWA to provide a green space of tranquillity at its CWA rooms in the town centre, which are utilised by a range of community groups for meetings, events and regular yoga and pilates sessions," Mr Coulton said.

 

"The garden will also provide disability access into the southern side of the rooms, with funds to be used for concreting a ramp, as well as the installation of a rainwater tank and irrigation system."

 

The fit-out of the garden itself - with plans for native plants and potentially some herbs - will mostly be taken care of by Ms Edgar and the rest of the Walgett CWA, as will the ground work.

 

However, Ms Edgar said the disability access would be useful to users who are physically disabled, aged members of the CWA and even mums with prams and she was thrilled the funding could help make it happen.

 

"I cannot thank the people from FRRR for their support and help throughout the process - they went over and above in assisting us in our application and putting it through," she said.

 

"We haven't actually received the funding yet - we have to fill out some documents first, but once we've done that, it will come into our bank and then we'll get started on the work as soon as possible."