Coriander might be the world’s most controversial herb but – whether you love it, or think it tastes like soap – it has become a clear symbol of the success of the Inveresk Community Garden.

“We have four of our smaller beds growing coriander and it looks like lawn,” Jeff McClintock said, laughing. “It’s kept down and lush because of all the people just walking by and pruning some off. We don’t have to worry about it bolting and going to seed because people are constantly grazing on it. It’s wonderful to see.”

Jeff is the Community Garden Coordinator at the University of Tasmania’s Inveresk campus and has been in the role since the garden was first established in 2022 as part of the University’s Inveresk precinct. A passion­ate organic gardener and sustainability advocate, Jeff sees a lot to be optimistic about in the way the Community Garden has been embraced by locals, on campus and off.

With about 650m2 of raised garden beds, the Inveresk Community Garden sits in a sprawling, open urban area on the Inveresk campus, which is open to the public. The garden is tended to by volunteers – with public gardening sessions every Thursday – and everything it produces is free to be taken by anyone who wants to harvest it.

“We have signs up asking people to harvest respectfully, to acknowledge that other people have grown this, so take only what you need for yourself, only take what’s in plentiful supply,” Jeff said. “And people are being really mindful of that, which is great. Students who live on campus often come down to pick some veggies to cook with their meals.”

The University also has community gardens at its Newnham, Cradle Coast, and Sandy Bay campuses, as well as in some student accommodation.

Originally from Queensland, Jeff studied Landscape Architecture at Queensland University of Technology and has lived in Tasmania for over 25 years. Jeff is a firm believer in establishing grassroots projects that build their own resilience through steady growth and community ownership.

And the Community Garden ticks a lot of boxes. Not only does it teach self-suf­ficiency through growing food at home and turning food scraps into compost, there are carbon footprint reductions and mental health benefits as well.

“Growing food close to where it’s consumed reduces the carbon emissions associated with transport,” Jeff said. “Rather than food that’s grown hundreds of miles away, put into plastic bags, transported to the supermarket in trucks, transported home in your car, and so on.”

By allowing people to freely come and take what they need from the garden, it also helps address food insecurity, a growing issue amid a cost-of-living crisis.

As well as the public gardening sessions, groups of students from the University and the nearby Big Picture School regu­larly attend their own sessions. And mini compost caddies are distributed among University offices and students in accom­modation, to contribute to the compost feeding the garden.

The Community Garden was a great example of how education and empower­ment could lead to widespread improve­ments to sustainable living in a variety of ways. “Gardening is one of those things where you don’t see instant results for your work, it’s a future benefit. If, during their time at uni, students learn those skills, they might keep doing it, eventu­ally have a family of their own, and pass those skills on to their own kids,” Jeff said. “Then, we have generational change that will benefit their children and the whole community, and maybe be passed on again. And I’m encouraged by that.”

You can visit every Thursday from 10am-noon for a community gardening session to learn about composting and seasonal produce.

Jeff’s Top Tips For Gardening at Home

Find a good location: It doesn’t have to be a large area, but it does need to be sunny. Raised beds can be a good option, or pots if space is limited.

Ensure soil is healthy: Add compost and manure to create a free-draining soil, rich in organic matter (or buy quality ‘veggie mix’ if importing soil).

Start with easy-to-grow veggies: Leafy greens (lettuce, silverbeet, mizuna, etc) are best as the leaf is the part that’s eaten.

Grow high-value plants: Herbs such as coriander, basil and parsley can be used daily in cooking but are expen­sive to buy.

Save seed: Letting one or two veggie plants flower and go to seed ensures an ongoing supply of free seeds.