Community gardens are about so much more than soil and vegetables with many being a central hub for families to gather and celebrate.
Shara Community Gardens in Ocean Shores is hoping new committee members can keep that community spirit alive and help lead the annual community Christmas party, Christmas in the Gardens.
Outgoing president, Paula Brown, says committee members don’t have to be gardeners – ‘The committee thrives on people who love community building and event management.’
As a much-loved green space in the North Ocean Shores/South Golden Beach community, Shara Community Gardens is much more than a garden. It’s a play space for families and kids who meet at the rotunda to enjoy the community toybox, it’s a space for local birthday parties, it’s a home for the chickens who live between the preschool and the gardens, and it’s a lovely green amphitheatre for outdoor community events.
Kicking goals
The current Shara Gardens committee has kicked many goals in their time together, including significant recent landscape improvements – new paths laid, new signage, new garden beds installed, and almost 100 new plants in the ground in the new bush tucker garden, native garden and bee gardens.
The committee also facilitates local produce exchange and local learning, hosting the regional community gardens gathering in May 2026 with fellow gardens advocates from Evans Head to Coolangatta.
After many years at the helm, two stalwarts of the leadership team are stepping down and the committee are looking for new people to come on board and help lift up the next big community event, a highlight of the South Golden Beach and North Ocean Shores Christmas season – including the Clifford St foot race, kids’ activities, local musicians, food trucks, and a visit from Santa with a big red sack of eco-friendly gifts.
Its also the biggest fundraiser and membership drive for Shara Gardens, which helps the committee with funding costs for this much loved local green space for the year to come.
President and secretary
The roles of president and secretary are available, and come with well established community gardens governance practices. You don’t have to reinvent the wheel as past leaders are happy to share the tips and tricks to making it work.
Ms Brown, says it has been a fantastic community journey for her on the Gardens’ committee. ‘We have seen community support for the Gardens grow year by year, with event attendance increasing annually and the Shara Community Gardens fundraiser t-shirts a big hit.’
‘Working with a great team makes it all possible and keeps us going and growing together.’
Event managers and creative thinkers will love these roles as the sky is the limit for future opportunities, and you can make your own mark as a future leader of Shara Community Gardens.
Contact Shara Community Gardens for more info at [email protected].
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