GREEN thumbs, black thumbs, outdoor enthusiasts and just anyone who likes a good get-together, are officially invited to the ‘unofficial’ opening of the Casterton Community Garden, this Sunday.

After more than two years’ development, the community green space is going strong, providing plenty of fresh ingredients for local kitchens, educational opportunities, a relaxing hang-out and another attractive addition to Casterton.

Renee Killey, who initially raised the idea of the garden for the town said she was “surprised, but not surprised” at how successful the project had been and was looking forward to seeing the space used for this weekend’s community party.

“Glenelg Shire Council did a great job helping us kick-off the space, with the land, some planning and infrastructure, but it is the community – the residents, businesses and community groups – that have grown it, to what it is today,” she said.

“When you think about it, keeping what is essentially a market garden going is a big job, but the saying goes, many hands make light work and that has absolutely been the case here.

“When you’ve got people dropping in every day, grabbing some beetroot or carrots for dinner and pulling out a few weeds while they’re there, turning on a sprinkler for some water or helping out with one of the bigger projects, like the arbour, it adds up to a lot of hours’ work and not just a productive garden, but a beautiful community venue.”

This weekend will be an opportunity to celebrate that collaborative effort, with the Rotary Club serving up a gold coin donation barbecue lunch, some free, cool treats for the kids and live music with artist Matt Duerdan, from 11am until 2pm.

“We’ll also be unveiling the memorial plaques on the new arbour, which pay tribute to some of our earliest and most passionate contributors to the garden, who are no longer with us,” Mrs Killey said.

“It would be great to see a huge crowd of people there – not just people who have had a physical hand in the garden, but anyone who loves to celebrate what a great little community we live in.”