A garden grows, connection follows in Waroona
A simple contribution is transforming the Waroona CRC garden into a thriving hub for healthy food, cultural learning and community connection.
A donation from our Western Australian Wagerup Power Station team has helped the Waroona Community Resource Centre (CRC) grow more than fresh produce – it’s truly building connection, wellbeing, and opportunity across their local community.
The donation funded a new rotary hoe and a secure garden shed, giving the CRC the tools needed to maintain and expand its much‑loved community garden.
“This support has helped us unlock the full potential of the space,” says the centre’s Family Support Officer, Jeanette Stampone. “It means we can grow more food, welcome more people in, and create a place where our community feels connected and supported.”
The rotary hoe allows their volunteer gardener, Sam, to work the compacted soil more effectively, improving yields and keeping the garden vibrant year‑round. The new shed ensures equipment is stored safely, allowing the garden to remain open as a welcoming, shared community space.
A garden with purpose
The garden has been part of the centre for several years, providing organic fruit and vegetables sold for a gold‑coin donation or used in the CRC’s community kitchen, where free, nutritious meals are served. But the space had the potential to do more.
With many locals facing financial pressure, loneliness and isolation, the CRC saw an opportunity to re‑imagine the garden as a place for connection within a relaxed, non‑clinical space where people could meet, learn and spend time together.
This support helps us reduce financial strain, improve health and create meaningful connections. It shows how a small change really can make a big difference in a regional town!
Jeanette, Waroona CRC Family Support Officer
That vision has come to life through strong local partnerships. Furniture was handcrafted by the Men’s Shed, with planting and artwork completed by Waroona Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Corporation rangers. Alongside seasonal vegetables, the garden now features native edible plants, supporting cultural education and use in the community kitchen.
Funding from the Alcoa Waroona Sustainability Fund helped deliver the plants and furniture, while the donation from Wagerup Power Station enabled the project to be completed in full.
Growing benefits for the community
The upgraded garden is already making a difference by:
- increasing fresh produce for the community kitchen
- providing low‑cost, healthy food options
- reducing social isolation through shared space and connection and
- supporting learning around First Nations culture, native plants, and cooking.
“This support helps us reduce financial strain, improve health and create meaningful connections,” Jeanette says. “It shows how a small change really can make a big difference in a regional town!”
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