Local café goes green with Borough’s community garden project

THE Borough of Queenscliffe has converted a nature strip on King Street into a kitchen garden as part of an innovative approach to supporting local traders and the environment.
The garden, containing citrus trees and a variety of herbs, will provide ingredients for use in the Queenscliff General Store restaurant.
Borough officers and local traders worked together to design and implement the project, which was opened for use on Thursday.
“The Borough is always looking for new ways to support local businesses and take care of our environment,” Borough of Queenscliffe Mayor Bob Merriman said.
“This project will reduce the cost and carbon emissions of importing food from outside our community and support a local business with a supply of fresh produce right outside their doors.”
Garreth Jones, owner of the Queenscliffe General Store, was excited to have fresh fruits and herbs growing right outside his café.
“I first contacted Council looking to improve seating outside the store, and since then we’ve worked together on a range of improvements, including this garden,” Mr Jones said.
“We use a lot of fresh herbs in the restaurant, and I’m looking forward to using locally-grown produce to create some of our customers’ favourite dishes.”
The new garden arrives alongside upgraded parking and line markings at the intersection of Stevens and King streets, allowing for safer pedestrian access to the garden and local businesses.
The project also incorporates other environmentally-friendly features, like recycled rubber kerbing.
Visitors can sample some of the food created using the garden at the Queenscliff General Store, open every day except Monday, from 6.30am until 3pm.