A shared, local community garden
Shara Community Gardens is a member-based, volunteer-run community garden located on Shara Boulevard, between North Ocean Shores and South Golden Beach. The Gardens are a shared green space for locals from North Ocean Shores, South Golden Beach, Billinudgel, New Brighton and Ocean Shores.
At its core, Shara Community Gardens is about people coming together. Members grow food, share harvests, learn from one another and care for the space collectively. Some people come regularly with gloves on, others contribute in different ways, but everyone helps shape the Gardens in their own way.
How the Gardens work
The Gardens are run by a small volunteer committee who take care of the day-to-day essentials, including paying bills, organising maintenance, coordinating working bees and planning community activities and events.
We lease the site from Byron Shire Council, and ongoing costs include insurance, equipment and materials for the garden. Memberships and donations help keep the Gardens running.
You don’t need to be on the committee to be involved. All members have access to food grown in the Gardens and can choose how they participate. Some members are hands-on gardeners, others support the Gardens financially or help out occasionally or by other, non-gardening means. All contributions are valued.
Caring for the land
We look after the Gardens using low-impact, regenerative gardening practices where possible. We learn as we go, respond to the needs of the site and value local knowledge and shared experience.
The Gardens are a place for growing food, building skills and spending time outdoors, while caring for the land that supports us.
Our story
The site for Shara Community Gardens was chosen in 2010 by founding members David and Suzanne. From that initial seed of an idea, and with the support of members and volunteers over many years, the Gardens have grown into the community space they are today.
We acknowledge and thank David and Suzanne, along with all past committee members and volunteers, for their passion, care and dedication in creating this shared space.
“We can begin by doing small things at the local level, like planting community gardens or looking out for our neighbours. That is how change takes place in living systems, not from above but from within, from many local actions occurring simultaneously.”
Grace Lee Boggs
Shara Community Gardens 