A little community gardening group tucked away in Belgrave has received a beautiful new mural in late 2025, pointing the way to the peaceful space that brings the community together.
With a working bee approaching the third Sunday of this month, the launch of the wayfinding mural by Melbourne artist N20 Jo Travis has given the Belgrave Food Garden (BFG) a lovely start to the year.
Belgrave Food Garden (BFG) is a community space that works to promote local food security and build community knowledge and connection.
With the help of a local grant the group has welcomed the completion of the garden’s new mural – which complements another already on the site that was also painted by N20.
The vice president of the group’s committee, Kate, said the group were excited to again be working with N2O to further beautify the garden space.
“This time with an important wayfinding element to make the garden even more accessible and welcoming for the wider community,” she said.
“The BFG is such a special community garden, open to all, all of the time.”
“It’s a lovely community of people who enjoy gardening together, while also teaching really important food sovereignty skills in a time of wild weather and ever-rising costs.”
With nine raised garden beds, compost and worm farms and a pergola, the garden group regularly hosts working bees, free and low-cost gardening education workshops and school holiday programming at the site, and is open 24 hours a day for harvest, leisure and reflection.
Established stencil and mural artist N20 said coming back to do another mural was a lot of fun, with the community stopping by to ask about what she was up to and what the garden was about.
With plans for plants, bugs and critters to accompany the stencil work leading to the garden, N20 said as an artist she is a bit obsessed with entomology, which comes through in her work.
“I love anything creepy crawly,” she said.
In particular, a passion for the environment has led to a lot of the artists’ work showcasing native insects, like pollinators, although she is hard pressed to pick a favourite.
“There’s a theme running through the work, with that childhood element to it and the delight of discovery,” she said.
N20 said painting the secondary mural has been great and the process fun as well.
“It’s a combination of both stencils and painting and I have found that process really, really enjoyable,” she said.
Tucked away at the back of the car park behind Cameo Cinemas, the BFG Committee said they are grateful for the grant funding support provided by Yarra Ranges Council that helped to get the mural painted.
“We welcome everyone to get involved with a working bee, or just head down anytime to enjoy a quiet moment amongst the flowers and the bugs,” said Kate.
Community are all welcome to attend working bees at the garden on the third Sunday of every month, with one soon approaching for Sunday 15 February from 10am-12pm in Belgrave along Burwood Highway.
People can come along to learn and share gardening know-how, help maintain the garden, and enjoy a delicious morning tea.
Find more information about the Belgrave Food Garden and sign up as a volunteer at bfg.earth or on the garden’s Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/BelgraveFoodGarden.
