14/05/2026
What happens when a community comes together to grow something bigger than a garden? In Kojonup, in Western Australia's Great Southern, residents rolled up their sleeves to build wicking beds, get their hands in the soil, and learn practical skills for growing food through long, hot, dry summers.
Filmed across two community workshops delivered by Southern Dirt, this video captures the spirit of the Summer-Proof Your Garden project, a hands-on program focused on drought resilience, water-wise gardening, and the simple power of people working together.
From constructing water-efficient wicking beds to planting out a brand new community garden, the project gave local residents the knowledge and confidence to care for their gardens and their environment, no matter what the season brings.
The Summer-Proof Your Garden project was supported by the Great Southern Development Commission, through funding from the Australian Government’s Future Drought Fund and the WA Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development.
Filmed by Simple Ben Stories
🌱 Find out more and download our free wicking bed instruction booklet that was given to participants @ Southern Dirt: https://southerndirt.com.au/projects/summer-proof-our-gardens/
Great Southern Development Commission Department of Primary Industries and Regional DevelopmentAustralian Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry