Community Projects
Alexandra and District Open Gardens is committed to supporting our local community in a variety of ways.
Below are just some of the recent projects that we have enjoyed delivering and supporting.
Alexandra Primary School Sensory Garden - Stage 2
Alexandra Primary School Sensory Garden - Stage 1 complete
Queen’s Jubilee Commemorative Tree Planting Event - now in completion October 2023
Queen’s Jubilee Commemorative Tree Planting Event
Alexandra and District Open Gardens Inc. held a Ceremony to Commemorate the Queen’s Jubilee Tree Planting on Tues. 8th November, 2022. The occasion honours Her Majesty’s Jubilee through community tree planting events across Australia.
Community members were invited to attend the event where we held a short ceremony which included:
- Unveiling of the Commemorative Plaque by our Murrindindi Shire CEO Livia Bonazzi, beside a recently planted specimen tree, Brachychiton acerifolius, in Rotary Park.
- Local media documented the event.
- This commemorative event was the beginning of our Queen’s Jubilee Tree Planting project.
- Light refreshments were served.
- The next steps were to plant an avenue of trees, Acer x freemanii, along the Maroondah Highway/Downey Street entrance to Alexandra and a further specimen tree, a Red Oak, Quercus rubra, which will be planted in Jack Shiel Garden, Perkins Street Alexandra by the end of 2023. These plantings have been financed with a Federal Government grant and locally raised funds.
Alexandra Football/Netball Club
Contributed funds towards installation of instant turf in front of the new clubrooms.
1st Alexandra Scout Group
Contribution to the landscaping around the new building (opened 2020).
Circle of Trees, Leckie Park
In 2020, we purchased 11 mature 'Jeffersred Maple' trees (to mark the 30th Anniversary of Alexandra & District Open Gardens). These trees were planted in a circle in Leckie Park, Alexandra. Thank you to Murrindindi Shire Council Staff for planting them and providing water for them.
In November 2021, a huge 3 tonne rock (to be used for seating), was kindly donated by Bedrock Garden Supplies. It was installed by ITEC Earthworks and placed in the centre of the Circle of Trees to promote 'Harmony and Unity Within Our Community'. Take a look and enjoy the space next time you walk through Leckie Park.
Alexandra & District Kindergarten
Contribution to shade sail to foster more outdoor play.
Kellock Lodge
Alexandra’s aged care facility Kellock Lodge is aiming to raise $500,000 to assist the facility to become a registered care provider and bed licence holder. This follows the resolution to transfer the ownership of Kellock Lodge aged care residential facility from the Diocese of Wangaratta to the community of Alexandra. We are proud to have donated $10,000 to the appeal to help purchase the 50 bed licence which will benefit the local community by keeping Kellock Lodge in the hands of local, not-for-profit ownership.
Significant Tree Names
Alexandra’s early inhabitants left our town with the gift of many mature trees that we now all love and enjoy. This foresight means our council building is shaded by century old oak trees and Leckie Park has many unique mature specimen trees. Alexandra and District Open Gardens wanted everyone who stops to admire these trees to learn of their proper botanical names. This was done in 2018 with the placement of signs stating the botanical and common name of the significant trees. A leaf sample from each tree was identified by a Royal Botanical Gardens botanist to ensure that the names were correct.
Alexandra Returned Services League (RSL)
We are very proud of our local RSL and their beautiful headquarters, adorned with murals of those who served. In 2019 the Alexandra and District Open Gardens gifted this organisation a professionally designed and constructed garden at these headquarters for both the members and guests to enjoy. The new garden at the RSL has turned a useless corner into a multi-functional space that can be used for meetings, ceremonies, or by the public. It now has an all-weather surface, seating and a planting design that will look beautiful year round. The RSL was so excited with their new space that they erected a plaque acknowledging all those who served and the Alexandra and District Open Gardens for the gift.
Rotary Park
This project involved taking our very tired and over grown town park and giving it a new lease on life. Rotary Park is situated in the heart of Alexandra and is also home to our busy Visitor Information Centre. The improvements to this park were designed and constructed in 2018 and included the reshaping and replanting of garden beds, installation of new and improved access paths and additional seating for people to enjoy the picturesque views across this beautiful park. This project was initiated by the Alexandra and District Open Gardens and was funded collaboratively with Rotary Club of Alexandra and the Alexandra Truck Show committee.
Jack Shiel Gardens
In 2015 we funded the installation of several tables and bench seats, so people could better enjoy the Jack Shiel Gardens in Alexandra.
