Welcome to the Australian Local Food System Policy Database. This is a collection of policies from New South Wales (NSW) and Victorian local governments that relate to healthy, sustainable, and equitable food systems.
For further information about using the database and how it was created see How to use the database. You can search the database by using the fields below. Domain refers to eight broad categories under which various topics are situated. The domains and topics are based on a framework of recommendations for local government action on creating a healthy, sustainable, and equitable food system (also located on the ‘How to use the database’ page linked above).
To cite the database: Reeve B, Carrad A, Rose N, Charlton K & Aguirre-Bielschowsky I (2021) Australian Local Food System Policy Database. Available at: https://law-food-systems.sydney.edu.au/policy-database (access date).
Suggested search terms
Hold Ctrl to select multiple terms. Using ‘any words’ functions as an “OR” search. Using ‘all words’ functions as and “AND” search.
Search Criteria:
| Document title | Relevant text in the policy | Domain | Topic | State | Local Government name | Council type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GREATER BENDIGO’S FOOD SYSTEM STRATEGY 2020-2030 | 3 Update the City’s 2006 Nature Strip Policy to include the City’s position on nature strip edible planting and incorporate Greening Greater Bendigo principles | Sustainability and Environment | Food production on LG land | Victoria | Greater Bendigo | Regional |
| GREATER BENDIGO’S FOOD SYSTEM STRATEGY 2020-2030 | 3.4 Develop and maintain an ‘information hub’ that provides a platform for sharing resources to support existing and new community gardens including policies, guidelines, relevant resources, grant opportunities and promote opportunities for people to participate | Sustainability and Environment | Food production on LG land | Victoria | Greater Bendigo | Regional |
| GREATER BENDIGO’S FOOD SYSTEM STRATEGY 2020-2030 | Advocate and apply for food systems funding (for labour to develop / implement key projects i.e. funding to implement next phase of Grow, Cook, Share project) | Sustainability and Environment | Food production on LG land | Victoria | Greater Bendigo | Regional |
| GREATER BENDIGO’S FOOD SYSTEM STRATEGY 2020-2030 | Bendigo Foodshare Over 12,400 people every week have improved food security through the work of over 120 volunteers at Bendigo Foodshare. An incredible 650,000 kgs of food that would otherwise go to waste (food that would have ended up in landfill) was donated by over 30 local producers and retailers in 201819. The rescue of this food not only helps people in need, but also reduces CO2 emissions from landfill and prevents the waste of the water used in its production. The food is distributed to those in need by 87 partner organisations, including schools, charities, neighbourhood houses, health services and community organisations. The current ‘Grow a Row or Pick a Branch’ campaign has engaged over 400 people and doubled the volume of fresh food donations from backyards, schools, community gardens and retailers. The food that is donated supports schools to provide breakfast and lunches to children who would otherwise go hungry, provides food for community meals and cooking programs and food for those experiencing food poverty. | Sustainability and Environment | Food production on LG land | Victoria | Greater Bendigo | Regional |
| GREATER BENDIGO’S FOOD SYSTEM STRATEGY 2020-2030 | Better utilise the knowledge and skill base of community gardens and schools for example, as demonstration sites for organic waste | Sustainability and Environment | Food production on LG land | Victoria | Greater Bendigo | Regional |
| GREATER BENDIGO’S FOOD SYSTEM STRATEGY 2020-2030 | Community gardens There are over 10 community gardens in the municipality and even more school gardens. There are community gardens in the following areas: • Bendigo • Quarry Hill • Long Gully • Eaglehawk • Kangaroo Flat • Heathcote Edible Oasis House Made House Grown Gravel Hill Community Garden Growing food in public spaces using raised wicking garden boxes – 12 boxes across various locations in Greater Bendigo Vocational training program in a community garden, including food swap | Sustainability and Environment | Food production on LG land | Victoria | Greater Bendigo | Regional |
| GREATER BENDIGO’S FOOD SYSTEM STRATEGY 2020-2030 | Continue to build water efficient wicking beds for community and key settings such as aged care facilities 3.28 Build a therapeutic horticulture community garden to enhance the wellbeing and health of community members | Sustainability and Environment | Food production on LG land | Victoria | Greater Bendigo | Regional |
| GREATER BENDIGO’S FOOD SYSTEM STRATEGY 2020-2030 | Edible planting i.e. in the Bendigo conservatory gardens | Sustainability and Environment | Food production on LG land | Victoria | Greater Bendigo | Regional |
| GREATER BENDIGO’S FOOD SYSTEM STRATEGY 2020-2030 | Expanding the growing capacity of gardens to produce fresh food to feed those in need (providing for the Grow, Cook, Share cooking clubs) | Sustainability and Environment | Food production on LG land | Victoria | Greater Bendigo | Regional |
| GREATER BENDIGO’S FOOD SYSTEM STRATEGY 2020-2030 | Facilitate healthy cooking classes for community, with garden to plate approach, using produce grown onsite 3.30 Seek funding opportunities to extend ‘Grow a Row, Pick a Branch’ campaign to support community gardens and engagement with young people | Sustainability and Environment | Food production on LG land | Victoria | Greater Bendigo | Regional |
| GREATER BENDIGO’S FOOD SYSTEM STRATEGY 2020-2030 | Facilitate partnerships between community gardens, local producers and growers, schools and emergency food relief agencies | Sustainability and Environment | Food production on LG land | Victoria | Greater Bendigo | Regional |
| GREATER BENDIGO’S FOOD SYSTEM STRATEGY 2020-2030 | Grow, Cook, Share Project The Bendigo Regional Food Alliance, in partnership with The Salvation Army, Bendigo Foodshare, Bendigo Kangan TAFE, Loddon Prison and Coliban Water, received funding from the Victorian Government’s Pick My Project community grants to implement the Grow Cook Share Project. The project aims to establish and support local Cooking Clubs at food relief and community meal sites throughout the Greater Bendigo region. The clubs will utilise fresh produce from the Gravel Hill Community Garden and Bendigo Foodshare (community and school gardens have started donating fresh produce to Bendigo Foodshare through the ‘Grow a Row, Pick a Branch’ campaign) and provide an opportunity for people accessing food relief to develop the confidence and skills to prepare healthy meals for themselves and their families. | Sustainability and Environment | Food production on LG land | Victoria | Greater Bendigo | Regional |
| GREATER BENDIGO’S FOOD SYSTEM STRATEGY 2020-2030 | Include indigenous food growing at Gravel Hill Community Garden | Sustainability and Environment | Food production on LG land | Victoria | Greater Bendigo | Regional |
| GREATER BENDIGO’S FOOD SYSTEM STRATEGY 2020-2030 | Local chefs, volunteers and organisations are establishing and support cooking clubs using food harvested from community gardens. The clubs will provide low income and vulnerable people with the knowledge, skills and confidence to cook and choose healthy food for themselves and their families. Gravel Hill Community Garden will be expanded to grow more food for the program and at least 6 cooking clubs will be established | Sustainability and Environment | Food production on LG land | Victoria | Greater Bendigo | Regional |
| GREATER BENDIGO’S FOOD SYSTEM STRATEGY 2020-2030 | Opportunities to obtain locally-grown produce within the region include: • bimonthly accredited farmers’ markets • non-accredited farmers markets • some grocery stores • butchers, cafes and speciality food stores that stock local produce • food swaps • community gardens | Sustainability and Environment | Food production on LG land | Victoria | Greater Bendigo | Regional |
| GREATER BENDIGO’S FOOD SYSTEM STRATEGY 2020-2030 | Space for growing food, educating and processing | Sustainability and Environment | Food production on LG land | Victoria | Greater Bendigo | Regional |
| GREATER BENDIGO’S FOOD SYSTEM STRATEGY 2020-2030 | Support for community gardens (network, information hub) | Sustainability and Environment | Food production on LG land | Victoria | Greater Bendigo | Regional |
| GREATER BENDIGO’S FOOD SYSTEM STRATEGY 2020-2030 | Support the establishment of new community gardens where there is a demonstrated need and interest 3.6 Review the Community Gardens Policy for City of Greater Bendigo and update as required | Sustainability and Environment | Food production on LG land | Victoria | Greater Bendigo | Regional |
| GREATER BENDIGO’S FOOD SYSTEM STRATEGY 2020-2030 | The City have coordinated edible planting displays at various locations throughout the municipality such as the edible planting display at the Conservatory Gardens in March 2019. Residents were encouraged to engage in the display by picking a handful of produce as they passed by. | Sustainability and Environment | Food production on LG land | Victoria | Greater Bendigo | Regional |
| GREATER BENDIGO’S FOOD SYSTEM STRATEGY 2020-2030 | the Grow a Row, Pick a Branch campaign that encourages residents, community and school gardens to donate excess fresh produce to Bendigo Foodshare and local cooking clubs | Sustainability and Environment | Food production on LG land | Victoria | Greater Bendigo | Regional |
| GREATER BENDIGO’S FOOD SYSTEM STRATEGY 2020-2030 | There are over 10 community gardens at various locations throughout Greater Bendigo, including central Bendigo, Quarry Hill, Long Gully, Eaglehawk, Kangaroo Flat and Heathcote. Some of these are already at capacity or require (re)activation. Currently there is no coordination of the community or schools gardens as a collective. | Sustainability and Environment | Food production on LG land | Victoria | Greater Bendigo | Regional |
| GREATER BENDIGO’S FOOD SYSTEM STRATEGY 2020-2030 | Through the recent success of joining the UNESCO Creative Cities Network (for Gastronomy) in 2019, (the City) will partner with the Traditional Owners of a large part of the region, the Dja Dja Wurrung, as well as government and non-government organisations, schools and the wider community to develop knowledge and understanding of sustainable land-use practices and the cultural life of the region through indigenous food plants. Central to this will be the Dhelkunya Dja Country Plan which includes projects to restore Indigenous food and fibre plants as part of a broader ambition to heal the country and connect with the cultural heritage of this region. This project will be led by the Dja Dja Wurrung with support from the City of Greater Bendigo (the City) and other partners. The project will also include the development of a calendar detailing the six seasons of food and fibre plants, weather and animals that guided Traditional Owners in their reading of the landscape. The calendar will be used to guide planting and storytelling around the edible plants of the region and growing more sustainable and resilient sources of food – knowledge that will be shared with community organisations and gardens, schools, local businesses and the general public. | Sustainability and Environment | Food production on LG land | Victoria | Greater Bendigo | Regional |
| GREATER BENDIGO’S FOOD SYSTEM STRATEGY 2020-2030 | Vocational training program in a community garden, including food swap | Sustainability and Environment | Food production on LG land | Victoria | Greater Bendigo | Regional |
| GREATER BENDIGO’S FOOD SYSTEM STRATEGY 2020-2030 | A fifty year vision has been prepared to transition Bendigo to a Water Sensitive City. The Vision and Transition Strategy for Water Sensitive Bendigo includes strategies and desired outcomes for a sustainable water future. A key desired outcome is ‘Bendigo is resilient to climate extremes and has integrated, efficient and adaptive regional water, energy and food systems’. Progressing this will require collaboration from the involved organisations, industries and the broader community to better integrate our local food production and water supply systems, whilst exploring alternative water supplies and innovative food production techniques | Sustainability and Environment | Sustainable water management in food production | Victoria | Greater Bendigo | Regional |
| GREATER BENDIGO’S FOOD SYSTEM STRATEGY 2020-2030 | Continue to build water efficient wicking beds for community and key settings such as aged care facilities | Sustainability and Environment | Sustainable water management in food production | Victoria | Greater Bendigo | Regional |
| GREATER BENDIGO’S FOOD SYSTEM STRATEGY 2020-2030 | • Residents in urban Bendigo and Marong receive a fortnightly organics collection service for all food and garden waste • Organics bins are available at events • Organics collection turned into compost that community groups and organisations can apply for • Organics trial with food businesses in Bendigo • Organics trial with schools and child care centres within Bendigo and Marong areas – schools also receive a free compost bin when participating in the organics collection • 6 schools not receiving organics collection received worm farms in 2018/2019 | Sustainability and Environment | Home and community gardening | Victoria | Greater Bendigo | Regional |
| GREATER BENDIGO’S FOOD SYSTEM STRATEGY 2020-2030 | • Schools are supported to implement the SAKGP or equivalent • Number of schools supported to implement the program • Case studies on schools implementing the program | Sustainability and Environment | Home and community gardening | Victoria | Greater Bendigo | Regional |
| GREATER BENDIGO’S FOOD SYSTEM STRATEGY 2020-2030 | 3 Update the City’s 2006 Nature Strip Policy to include the City’s position on nature strip edible planting and incorporate Greening Greater Bendigo principles | Sustainability and Environment | Home and community gardening | Victoria | Greater Bendigo | Regional |
| GREATER BENDIGO’S FOOD SYSTEM STRATEGY 2020-2030 | 3. Support local food growing and producing, sourcing, cooking and sharing knowledge, skills and culture | Sustainability and Environment | Home and community gardening | Victoria | Greater Bendigo | Regional |
| GREATER BENDIGO’S FOOD SYSTEM STRATEGY 2020-2030 | 3.22 Support older adults (and other communities) to share their food growing and cooking knowledge with cross generational groups in a setting that may include a variety of food growing and cooking opportunities, such as a community garden/hub | Sustainability and Environment | Home and community gardening | Victoria | Greater Bendigo | Regional |