Alpine Home Harvest

Photo: Katie Murray - Alpine Health, Health Promotion Officer pictured with the first of the wicking garden beds. Proudly supported by seed funding from the Alpine Shire Council and Bendigo Bank.

The Alpine Home Harvest is a ‘grow your own at home’ initiative for families with children and Community members who, for a variety of reasons, may not be able to access fresh food consistently.

The project aims to address food insecurity, which is running out of food and not being able to access or afford more. This occurs in 5.1% of people in the Alpine community, higher than the Victorian State average of 4.6%.

Myrtleford is the first community to pilot this initiative in the Alpine Shire, modelled on a Vic Health award- winning project in Benalla. Ten families will receive a  1 x 1 metre water-wise wicking garden bed, seedlings (in the first spring and autumn seasons) and coaching to build skills and confidence in growing, storing, preparing and consuming fresh produce. This project will be evaluated and, if successful, extended to other townships within the Shire.

Project Partnerships

Partnerships that have been developed to plan and implement the project, and importantly, to engage participants, include the Department of Health and Housing, Alpine Shire Council, Benalla Health, Myrtleford Men’s Shed, Myrtleford Community Garden, Beechworth Corrections and Beyond Housing.

Central Hume Primary Care Partnership