Member for Cootamundra Steph Cooke joined Minister responsible for TAFE Adam Marshall today to hand over former TAFE land to a native plant nursery group.
Weddin Landcare Steering Committee and Weddin Community Native Nursery now officially own the disused land on East Street, Grenfell, and will continue their work nurturing and distributing native plants across Weddin Shire.
“This is a wonderful project which has been under way for a number of years, and today we formally complete the process which will enable Weddin Community Native Nursery to continue their amazing work,” Ms Cooke said.
“They have been helping support biodiversity and education on an ongoing basis at the nursery on the site, which is now officially under their ownership for a single dollar.
“The group are dedicated to collecting seeds, establishing them and then selling them on for distribution across Weddin.
“They’ve put in a lot of work to get to this point and it’s been a pleasure to play a part in helping them ensure a strong future for native plants, as well as create employment at the nursery,” Ms Cooke added.
Philip Diprose of the Weddin Landcare Steering Committee explained the background to the establishment of the nursery.
“In 2013 the Weddin Landcare Steering Committee decided to establish a native plant nursery,” Mr Diprose said.
“After a search, negotiations were held with TAFE who agreed to allow us to establish a nursery on land that once was a canteen and paved area.
“Eventually we worked with Minister Marshall to get to the stage where the committee could acquire the land.
“Members of the group go out and collect seeds in the shire, bring them back, plant them and propagate them, then get them to a condition where they can be ready for sale.
“There is a very strong connection between the nursery and TAFE, as TAFE run several courses which fit in well with what the nursery does,” Mr Diprose added.
