Lions club helps restore destroyed Herbertville community garden

Rongotea Lions Club members work on filling the newly constructed garden beds with compost.

Cyclone Gabrielle has led to a strong bond being forged between two small rural communities and the creation of an invaluable asset.

A group of Rongotea and District Lions Club members travelled to Herbertville to spend an entire day rebuilding the community garden at the Herbertville camping ground.

The result was outstanding. What had been a single raised garden bed was transformed into five separate beds and an orchard, all completely fenced off.

The original garden bed was established during the first Covid lockdown and was looked after by local residents who could see the long-term benefits of creating a community garden.

But when Cyclone Gabrielle hit, the village was badly affected. It was cut off for two days, the hotel, homes and baches were flooded and some subsequently red and yellow stickered.

It also destroyed the community garden and the children’s play area, and left a 45cm layer of silt throughout the campground.

It was through Tararua District Mayor Tracey Collis that Rongotea Lions became involved in the rebuilding of the garden.

“Many people came forward to offer to help the community but many of them weren’t able to spend the amount of time needed to plan and carry out the work,” Collis said.

“I knew several members of the club and rebuilding the garden seemed the perfect project for them.”

The Lions accepted the challenge and a member visited Herbertville to assess what was needed.

Ultimately a group of 30 Lions members, wives, partners and children travelled out to Herbertville.

Lions club secretary John Silvester said only three or four members of the group had ever visited Herbertville before, but he said many of them would be returning.

That Rongotea Lions Club would undertake such a large project outside of their district was not unusual.

“We’re a rural club. We have a lot of members who are farmers or who work in the farming industry so we do support rural areas,” Silvester said.

“But it’s not just about getting out and doing the work, there is a strong social element to it as well.”

Donations came from many sources and included heavily discounted building materials, a truckload of compost, bedding plants and fruit trees.

A garden seat and picnic table were added and a Herbertville resident was supplying some paving stones.

Collis said Lions club members had taken the village to heart and many said they would be returning as visitors.

In appreciation for the work carried out by the Lions and members of the Herbertville community, dinner was provided in the hall.