Local and sustainable food

Women and babies in veggie patch

From community gardens and innovative food businesses, to regenerative farming and good retail – our community has shown that local and sustainable food is important in the Surf Coast Shire.

In response, Council has put together a plan that outlines actions we can take to put ourselves in a healthy position for the future – through a sustainable local food system that is supported and celebrated.

Community Gardens

Being involved in a community garden has many benefits from learning new skills and expanding your knowledge of gardening, to providing you with opportunities to meet new people and share fresh fruit and vegetables, it can also help keep you fit and active.

Keen to visit or join one of our local community gardens? See our list of Community Gardens in the Surf Coast and their contact details.

Farmers Markets in the Surf Coast Shire

Eating locally produced food means getting food that's grown in sync with the seasons, is fresher, requires less energy to produce and transport, and supports local producers. It alleviates the reliance on long-distance transport and refrigeration of foods that are grown thousands of kilometres away.

Farmers markets are a great place to buy locally produced food and the Surf Coast is home to some of the regions best local farmers markets.

Commercial kitchens for hire

Whether you’re needing to preserve that excess harvest from your garden, or interested in starting a home based artisan food business, Council has a range of buildings with kitchen facilities that are available for hire.

For further information call Council on 5261 0600.

Recycling your food waste

Council is actively trying to reduce the amount of household food waste unnecessarily going to landfill.

Our kerbside service includes a FOGO (Food Organics and Garden Organics) bin for all households. All food scraps (including fruits and vegetables, meat, dairy, bread and bones) that would usually put into the landfill bin, now go into the kerbside green waste bin along with garden waste. 

Sustainable Food Policies and Strategies

Council recognises that we play a role in supporting food security and sustainable food in the Surf Coast Shire. Below is a list of documents that outline councils initiatives.

Edible Landscapes Initiatives 2014(PDF, 3MB)
Local Food Program 2018-2021(PDF, 2MB)
Council Plan 2017-2021