Trinder Park Rest Home is an aged care facility run by the Lutheran Church at Woodridge in Logan. The site is surrounded on three sides by Karawatha Forest and much of the 20.6 hectare site retains significant trees and other vegetation representative of the local bushland.

The Community Garden project was initiated by the rest home to create a parkland setting for the enjoyment of residents, visitors and members of the local community.  Only a very small budget was able to be committed to the project which necessitated the input and labour of dedicated volunteers and groups such as Boystown and Greening Australia.

verge developed a brief with the project’s manager, Trinder Park’s Sarah Shepherd, and produced concept documents for discussion with the facility’s managers, staff and residents. The final concept master plan that ensued was developed to protect all existing trees, enhance ecological values of the site through weed management and revegetation, and provide a setting that could invite social activity and interaction or allow for contemplation, rest and reflection.

The community links forged by the process – not just the outcomes – have led to rich relationships and the potential for ongoing works both in the Community Garden and other areas of the site. There is also potential for organisations such as Boystown to continue building social capital in the centre and the surrounds through ongoing roles in vegetation management, including seed collection, propagation and revegetation.