Tucked away in Wimbledon Heights is a gardener’s paradise. Set on a hectare of land and boasting over 70 fruit trees and numerous garden beds is the Phillip Island Community Orchard.

Run entirely by volunteers, it’s a meeting place for gardeners of all ages and abilities. The orchard includes an array of stone fruit and citrus trees, avocados and tamarillos, as well as garden beds producing an impressive variety of vegetables and herbs.

Established eight years ago on land owned by Westernport Water, the community orchard has grown in scope and imagination and now has over 50 members who come together once a month for working bees. Whatever is harvested is shared between them and fresh herbs and excess produce from the orchard or garden beds is donated to the PICAL food pantry.

Find out more www.facebook.com/islandorchard