Fraser Coast Seed Library set to sprout

Fraser Coast residents and community groups will be able to access a “Plant to Plate” Seed Library to help grow their own gardens and then donate seeds back once their plants have grown.

Mayor George Seymour said Fraser Coast Libraries would establish the Seed Library with the support of a $50,000 grant from the Queensland Government through the State Library of Queensland. 

Plant to Plate Seed Libraries will be established at all Fraser Coast library branches at Hervey Bay, Maryborough, Howard, Burrum Heads and Tiaro.

“Plant to Plate seeds will be organic, non-GMO and open-pollinated.  Library members will be able to take seeds to grow and enjoy at home,” Cr Seymour said.

“Borrowers will be encouraged to help us grow the Seed Library by harvesting seeds from mature plants and donating them back to the library to share with others in the community.

“The project will also involve the establishment of a feature garden in the grounds of the Howard Library and collaboration with the existing Butchulla Seasonal Garden at the Hervey Bay Regional Gallery.

“We also hope to collaborate with community groups and incorporate activities such as videos, cooking and food-tasting workshops as part of the Plant to Plate Seed Library program.

“It’s all about building better communities together and shaping a healthy future for the Fraser Coast region. This project will encourage community resilience and engagement at a critical time with the increasing cost of living pressures on families.”

Cr Seymour said details of how the Plant to Plate Seed Library would operate would be developed further in the coming months, with the new service expected to begin in early to mid-2024.

“More than a third of our population are Fraser Coast Libraries members who take advantage of the range of services on offer such as borrowing books, toys, DVDs, magazines and jigsaw puzzles, or attending one of our many adult’s and children’s programs,” he said.

“In recent years, eBooks and eAudiobooks have been growing in popularity at our local libraries, and the Seed Library will provide another fantastic new service for our local community.”