Talking about compost on ABC Radio

On Monday 2 August at 9.40 am, on ABC Radio 702, Debra Cameron will be talking to me about Chippendale’s composting and it’ll be a chance for me to acknowledge locals and Council and the work we’re doing together to grow soil to grow plants to grow food.  There’s so many gardening now I’m sure I won’t remember you all but thanks to some recent folks here:  Annie, Nathan, Beth, John, Rachel, Joel, Michael, Kath, Becky, Helen and Don, Karli,... Read More

Lots of composters today

With Michael Neville from Sydney Council, his colleagues Joel and Kath, about six locals worked on the compost bins and road gardens today. John from the units in City Road is a newcomer and will use some of the compost for the gardens at the units, as well as bring some food from the units to the compost bins in the road. We’ll be working on our urban farm here from 9 to 12 each Friday – you’re very welcome to join us next Friday – just look for us... Read More

The world is outside my door

You may enjoy this soft burr in an online magazine, The Fifth Estate,  where in a little column  this week I wrote about some things in Chippo that give me pleasure: www.thefifthestate.com…  Read More

Road garden composting progress

This is just a brief report on progress of one part of our community gardening here: public composting. It’s also a thanks to Sydney City Council, it’s General Manager, Monica Barone, Councillors Harris and McInerney, and waste education coordinator officer, Michael Neville, and other staff and councillors; thanks for  your support and vision which is a real confidence booster for us all here.  Together I think we’re doing something positive that could not... Read More

Australia Post’s Safe Drop for parcels

Have you ever been at home and found a postcard from the Australia Post courier saying they came by but you were out so that to get the parcel you need to take the card to the Post Office? Over the years I’ve spoken to the couriers and arranged that if I don’t answer the door or am not home they can leave any parcel at an agreed location.  When couriers change I have to remake that arrangement. Now Australia Post has put in place a formal arrangement for this called,... Read More

Gardening in road gardens

Hi, there, Gardeners We’ll be gardening this Friday from 9 to 12 noon and some things we’ll do include: Auger and aerate the compost bins Remove any compost and distribute on gardens Put up some contact point signs on the bins Transplant a fruit tree that’s not getting enough (six hours) sun Put some ‘Pestoil’ that we’ll make ourselves on some fruit trees with bugs Talk to Michael Neville, Council’s Waste Officer, about the compost bins in Peace Park... Read More

Food scarcity in Australia soon

The ABC has initiated a terrific documentary on food production in Australia and worldwide and the first installment, Selling the farm, is here: www.abc.net… Some data in the program comes from Julian Cribb in a new book to be published this week, The Coming Famine, by University of California Press and the CSIRO. As far as my research shows the only government exploring Australia’s food growing capacity is Victoria’s.  It’s not on the agenda of the main... Read More

Stormwater control on billion dollar project

Billion dollar stormwater control Walking back down Broadway today I checked the stormwater pond on the north western corner of the billion dollar Frasers’ Broadway project.  The photo shows world best practice stormwater control which is directing muddy water off site to Blackwattle Bay.  A pit in the centre of the muddy pond has some fabric pinned into the mud by four star pickets and the water in the pond fills and enters through the fabric to the stormwater pipes... Read More

Painting Chippo’s bins and signal boxes

Painted signal box in Brisbane A project has been going in Brisbane for several years where artists paint traffic signal boxes, called Urban Smart Boxes: www.urbansmartprojects.com… I’m going to start things moving to have ours painted by artists, too, and wonder if anyone would like to be involved and help me? I’d like to have our compost bins painted, too, and make them as beaut as some of those boxes being painted in Brisbane. May the streets be alive with... Read More

Brown muddy stormwater in Broadway

Brown mud in grate from Fraser's building site, Broadway On Saturday, yesterday, I took a photo of brown muddy water in the stormwater grate on the southern side of Broadway at the intersection with Abercrombie.  The pollution was from the rain last week. Now the stormwater from the Fraser’s site has been piped underground along the footpath to discharge into the grate below ground we will no longer see this pollution when it happens.  From here the stormwater runs... Read More