Pentridge Community Garden

We are a community garden in Coburg, located within the grounds of the historic Pentridge Prison. Our space has kindly been set aside by Shayher Group, and we are completely volunteer-run.

Pentridge is different to most community gardens. Rather than focus on personal plots, our emphasis is on communal gardening, where we plant and maintain the garden together. It’s a lovely way to meet neighbours, and means there’s always something tasty to harvest.

Due to the metropolitan Melbourne coronavirus lockdown, we have temporarily suspended new membership applications. We hope to welcome new members again when the lockdown eases.

Gardening Membership

$70 Full | $35 Concession | $120 Families

Gardening Membership provides you with access to the large communal gardening space at any time. We supply seeds and seedlings (although you are welcome to bring your own) as well as fertiliser, soil, compost, tools and everything else needed to make the garden thrive. Other gardeners will be very happy to help you as we garden together and your skills develop.

All gardening members share the harvest of fresh fruit, veggies, flowers and herbs that come from our hard work. There’s always plenty to go around!

Friends of the Garden

$20 Full | $10 Concession

This membership is for those who want to show support for our mission and access the compost at any time (you will receive the gate combination).

Don’t want to pay by Credit/Debit card?

Would you rather pay another way? Click below to send us an email. If you tell us who you are and what you’d like to do, we’ll try to help.

Note:

Information about eligible concession cards.
All Members of the Pentridge Community Garden automatically become members of our parent organisation, Moreland Community Gardening (MCG). This gives you a say in how the garden is run, the opportunity to become an organiser or board member, and a vote at the AGM. A family membership entitles you to nominate two MCG members.
All of our memberships are annual.

Drop off your compost

Members of the public are welcome to deposit scraps during open hours. Check our Facebook page for up-to-date times. If you’d like to contribute to the compost any time, we recommend a Friend of the Garden membership.

Contact Pentridge Community Garden

Like our Facebook Page

Email us: hello.pentridge@morelandcommunitygardening.org

Location

Pentridge Community Garden is located at the corner of Murray Road and Stockade Avenue, Coburg – opposite Coburg Lake.

The 526 and 561 buses go right past and the 530 and 534 or the No 19 tram are pretty close.

Limited parking is available in Stockade Ave or the new side street, Moonering Drive.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the garden open only to Pentridge residents? No! Anyone is welcome to join us.

Do I need to have gardening experience? No! We all bring different skills to the garden and we are looking forward to learning from each other.

How big is the space? The site is around 1500m2, of which 1250m2 is usable for gardening.

Can I volunteer my building/painting/woodworking skills?
Yes! The garden is up and running, but it’s still a work in progress. We’ll continue to build and fill garden beds and complete the site over the coming months.

Will there be private allotments?
We are building a handful of personal plots for Gardening Members who are interested in tending their own private space. We notify members periodically via email when these become available. An additional annual fee is charged for use of a personal plot.

Is the garden wheelchair accessible?
The entrance to the garden is accessible from the footpath with a slight lip where the concrete ends. There are no steps in the garden, and the ground is made of gravel with some larger rocks that may be difficult to navigate. The shed (shipping container) is not wheelchair accessible.

Do you have a toilet onsite?
Yes! We have a composting toilet. Instructions are posted on the sign inside the cubicle.

What can I put in the community garden compost?
You can compost fruit and vegetable scraps, tea bags, coffee grounds, pet and human hair, dried leaves, straw or hay, non-glossy paper (torn up) and cardboard (torn up).

When can I access the compost?
Members can access the compost around-the-clock, and anyone is welcome to drop off their compost during open garden sessions (or whenever the gate is open).