This is the last President’s report from me.  I will be stepping down at the AGM this 21st of October. Thank you for a wonderful two years!

Two years ago, at the AGM in 2021, the club committee committed itself to building the pavilion. I was elected president and shared the pavilion vision. However, the plan ahead was precarious. The covid future was unpredictable and costs for building the pavilion seemed to increase faster than we could fundraise. Despite all uncertainties, the new committee voted to spend what it had raised thus far on pouring the slab and purchasing the timber and tin for the job. Sandra stepped up as the project manager and key driver for fundraising. 2022 was a busy year with many fundraising events from movie nights, worm farm workshops, raffles, and a vibrant series of club nights.  The club pulled together and had an energy which was contagious and many local businesses came on board to help.  In October Bendigo Bank made a substantial donation. We received a second grant from Noosa Council and several wonderful private donations topped the account. In February 2023, a year after the slab was laid, the frame and roof went up.

Next was the building of the walls from clay, aggregate and straw – and thousands of volunteer hours. The committee nor the club was aware of the herculean effort the walls would require. I thought we could finish by June.  In August, we were still stomping on mud.  It was a heroic effort by Sandra and all the volunteers and contractors involved to finish. They made the pizza oven under the guidance of RockCote’s Bob Cameron as well. On the 2nd of September we finished, the Bendigo Bank Community Pavilion was christened and we all enjoyed a wonderful opening day.

As a member of the club in 2021, I learned of the club’s vision of making the pavilion.  I thought it was the most important project in Noosa.  As an elected Noosa councillor, I had been looking into local agriculture and found that we really need to be growing much more food for ourselves in the Noosa Shire. It seemed to me that the stumbling block was that we, in general – as Noosa residents, don’t eat crops that are climate appropriate. For example, we eat monocropped lettuce instead of the tropical greens which flourish here. I worried that we will not be able to adapt to the climate changing world fast enough if we do not start preparing now by growing our own food. I saw that we grow what we like to eat.  We need to learn to eat and like what grows best in our climate. I hoped the change will come by growing semi-tropical crops in the garden and then preparing and eating them in the pavilion.  From now on, I will now be actively working in the garden and the kitchen to realize this ambition.

My vision for the pavilion is just one.  All the participants in the project appeared to have their own motivation and vision for the pavilion.  This is good.  The pavilion is a grand structure which can accommodate many purposes and the garden is very big with room for many projects. I am confident that the next president will continue the incredible transformation of the garden and work within the pavilion. Please come to the AGM and celebrate the new beginnings of Permaculture Noosa.

Thank you for letting me be the president.  It has been an honour.

Sincerely,

Tom Wegener