GARDENING AUSTRALIA'S HANNAH MOLONEY SHARES TIPS IN IERAMUGADU

BY CAMILIA SAMSON AND ASAD KHAN

The Ieramugadu community garden had a visit from a familiar face last week, with Gardening Australia presenter Hannah Moloney dropping by to see the space taking root in Roebourne.

Ms Moloney visited the Ngarluma Yindjibarndi Foundation’s garden project, which is growing a mix of native and exotic produce to support the not-for-profit Ieramugadu Store Maya.

During her visit, Ms Moloney shared gardening tips with local leaders Yindjibarndi man Kevin Guiness and Ngarluma woman Dolly Samson, who are heading up the project.

NYFL CEO Sean-Paul Stephens told Ngaarda Media that Moloney’s advice included a method known as companion planting – using “nurse trees” to support soil health and plant growth.

“She said grow something called nurse trees and they're often natives from that area. Even if they don't grow fruit they fix the soil,” he said.

“Because they're from that area you plant them just on the outside of the garden and they nurse the soil. So we're gonna plant some nurse trees as our next step. I thought that was a really great piece of advice.”

The Ieramugadu garden is one of several community-led projects supported by NYFL to boost local food security and provide training opportunities.

Listen to Ngaarda Media’s Camilia Samson speak with Sean-Paul Stephens: