By Derek Schlennstedt
Puffing Billy Railway and Johns Hill Landcare are inviting residents to pull on some gloves, roll up their sleeves and come down to Puffing Billy on 22 June 2019 from 11am to 1pm to help create a new community garden near Puffing Billy’s Emerald Station.
The stage one garden site, which is approximately 400 square metres of an overall 1300 square meter area, is located on the south-east corner of the Puffing Billy Railway, where it intersects with Kilvington Drive.
The garden will be planted out with indigenous species, including grasses, low flowering plants and mid-size shrubs to complement the established trees that are already located in the area.
Railway artefacts will be used as garden art, and old railway sleepers will border the garden beds, tying in to the iconic railway.
The Emerald Men’s Shed is supporting the event and has created some unique tables and chairs from old railway sleepers for the garden.
It will also supply signs to identify each plant species. The Emerald Scouts will also be on hand to help, having already assisted Johns Hill Landcare Group with the design and land preparation.
The garden will not only beautify this corner of the intersection and provide a new community space, but will also provide important habitat for the abundance of wildlife that calls the area home.
“This corner is Puffing Billy land and has been populated with these Puffing Billy items for years … old signalling boxes and a bit of concrete and rails,” Secretary of Johns Hill Landcare Group, Jenny Lyndon said.
“We’re putting in indigenous plants of Emerald and then we’re going to put placards and labels on them … the goal is for people to walk through and see what the local flora is, so hopefully they can plant some in their own backyard.”
Anyone wanting to volunteer some time to establishing the garden is welcome to meet onsite on Saturday 22 June 2019, or can call Jenny from Johns Hill Landcare on 0418 370 523 for further details. Morning tea will be provided.
