Meet the Team

We are an enthusiastic, welcoming group of passionate volunteers. Members contribute in so many different ways, and we appreciate everyone's efforts.

Here we shine a light on the team of people who've taken on roles in our management committee.

The Lost Plot Committee

Here are the current committee members of The Lost Plot. If you have ideas, questions or suggestions, talking to one of these people is a great way to start. And we are always keen to welcome new people onto the committee. Please let us know if you're interested.

We must also mention that while the committee is a hard-working bunch of active members, they are not the only ones. We have many non-committee or ex-committee members who contribute to the garden, and we value them greatly.

Graeme Evans

President and Garden Management

Reason for Involvement
I find gardening combines exercise for the mind and body. I joined The Lost Plot as it is a chance to give to the community but the benefits to me as a human being are enormous. I have always loved to garden and being part of a larger group has been a good learning process. I have made many new friends and expanded my knowledge of gardening.

Favourite Part of the Garden
I love the food forest. This is the newest part of the garden. I have enjoyed the creative process involved in mixing plants together in an holistic way to achieve a self-sustaining food area.

Favourite Tool in the Shed
A huge compost fork does it for me!

Karen Mann

Vice President

Reason for Involvement
I love gardening and get great pleasure from spending time with other passionate gardeners.

Favourite Part of the Garden

Anywhere that I find a new idea or plant that I can try in my home garden.

Most valuable thing I have learned as a member
That even the best gardeners have failures but these are great learning experiences.

Favourite Event

The social events are always fun and I enjoy meeting new people. However I also love the workshops as I am a life-long learner and there is always something new to learn about gardening.

Marcus Ludricks

Treasurer and Public Officer

Reason for Involvement

I have always been involved in community activities, starting with coaching kids soccer when our kids were young, then being involved in choirs and the local arts council. When the Lost Plot started, I was very excited as I loved the community aspect of the garden, so I joined straight away as a member. I loved being involved and learning about gardening, and sharing the wonderful produce! Last year I accepted the role of treasurer; it’s a great way to support this great initiative and continue my long involvement with community organisations.

Favourite Part of the Garden

Is the composting area. There are some very knowledgeable people who regularly volunteer in this area and I love working with them to gain knowledge about composting. I have used this knowledge to improve the soils at my home!

Favourite Tool in the Shed

Composting pitchfork!

Rohini Fischer

Secretary (joint)

Reason for Involvement
I enjoy gardening. Even when I'm not very productive, I enjoy loitering in my
garden. I love growing fruit trees and it's so exciting harvesting my first
fruit. I want a food forest/ garden with lots of flowers and native

wildlife. Favourite Part of the Garden

My favourite part of my garden is
my fruit trees and seedling area

Favourite part of the garden
The area around the pizza oven, as a lot happens around here. Chatting,
learning new things, sharing your ideas, eating yummy food, sharing produce and
much more.

Favourite Tool in the Shed

My favourite tools are the mattock, secateurs and also watering nozzle.

Wendy Watkins

Secretary (joint)

Reason for involvement:

I'm a newbie to the lovely town of Port Macquarie, having moved here in June 2024. I got involved in the Lost Plot to meet people and to get my gardening fix. I moved from a place with a large garden, and now have a villa with a small courtyard, so it's great to help and have a big garden to enjoy and share. I've also learnt heaps about gardening, because I'm doing things and helping to grow things I've never tried before. A great place to learn from some very knowledgeable and lovely people. The people I've met at the Lost Plot are great people to be involved with!

Favourite Part Of The Garden

I enjoy the raised beds and the table where we meet for morning tea! Wandering through the raised beds and watering, planting or harvesting gives me enjoyment. Sitting down and chatting while sharing some herbal brew is a great way to spend time in the garden.

Favourite Tool in the Shed:

Some of the smaller tools like the trowel and secateurs are my favourites as they are the ones I find most useful and enjoy using.

Mark Holmes

Membership Officer

Reason for Involvement

My interest in gardening stems from my childhood as I always have has my own vegetable gardens and getting great satisfaction seeing my vegetables grow from a tiny seed to finally ending up on my dinner plate.I also love the science element of gardening stemming from studying agriculture at school and university.

Favourite Part of the Garden
My favourite part is the centre of the garden near the Mulberry tree being surrounded by nature and just enjoying the serenity.

Favourite Tool in the Shed

My favourite tool would be the compost twirler mixing up all he compost and the beautiful soil it produces.

Victoria Cooper

Communications Officer

Reason for involvement

I learned about The Lost Plot when my children and I attended the Spring Fair in 2022. I was blown away by the beauty of the gardens and the strong sense of community, so when I learned about the Parents/Carers Working Bee I knew I wanted to be a part of it. I am passionate about spending as much time outdoors with my children as possible, and the gardens has offered us the perfect opportunity to do that, learn new skills and to make some fantastic friends.

Favourite part of the garden

Naturally we spend the majority of our time in the kids area of the gardens, and it truly is my favourite spot. It fills my heart with joy to see the kids climbing, jumping and digging.

Favourite tool in the shed

Not a tool from the shed but my favourite gardening ‘tool’ is the tap. With a group of babies, toddlers and preschoolers, we spend a lot of time filling watering cans, and on hot days the kids love sticking their heads under the tap. Because why not!

Allison Sanbrook

Events Coordinator

Reason for Involvement
To be completed

Favourite Part of the Garden

Favourite Tool in the Shed
x

Noel Bootes

General Committee

Reason for Involvement
Eating Graeme’s pizzas!

Favourite Part of the Garden

The pizza oven!

Favourite Tool in the Shed
Tractor (if only we had one!)
(Noel likes pizzas and tractors) He’s also been a massive driving force in the development of our Food Forest that is located down the back of the garden, over the bridge. And of course in design and construction of our compost bays, among other things.

Kim Browne

General Committee

Reason for Involvement
Jeff and I joined up when we moved back to Port Macquarie in 2017. We have our own garden including vegie patch at home, but love the idea of a community garden, love the workshops and the social contact, and are keen to learn as much as we can. It’s also an opportunity to give back.

Favourite Part of the Garden
This is a hard one. I love it all. It’s such a happy place and always feels so alive and welcoming. I love pottering around and doing different tasks in the garden each week. I love the magic compost we produce, and the weed tea, and all the different plants, fruits and vegies, especially the more unusual ones. I also really like getting to know all the great people who hang out at the Lost Plot. It’s lovely to see new people being welcomed in too. Oh, and I do love the pizza oven – especially when Graeme’s cooking up a storm!!

Favourite Tool in the Shed
Again, not sure I have a favourite. But I do think the compost aerating tool is a very clever, simple bit of gear.

Maryanne McKay

General Committee

Reason for Involvement
So many reasons!…l grew up on a farm and love Permaculture ethics and values, whilst also despairing at what we have done to our home, The Earth. My involvement on this committee is a part my contribution toward building connections within our Community, our Soil, our Food Supply and developing the skills required for Community Self Sufficiency into the future.

Favourite Part of the Garden
Port Macquarie is very fortunate to have this wonderful garden, which has been so well supported over the last ten years by some very capable Volunteers, along with input from our Council. I love every part of this garden, what it represents and how it can be utilised to build resilience for our Community both now and in the future.

Favourite Tool in the Shed
My favourite aspect both in the shed and beyond, is the People!…the Volunteers who contribute hours to the garden upkeep, planting, planning, weeding and pruning; the visitors at Workshops and Celebrations; the children who come both regularly and irregularly and every visitor who comes to explore the delights of the produce.

Karen Parsons

General Committee

Reason for Involvement
To be completed

Favourite Part of the Garden

Favourite Tool in the Shed
x

Shannon Pulham

General Committee

Reason for Involvement
Being new to Port and new father it was a great way to get myself and family involved with the community,

And being a keen gardener, it was a great way learn about the ecology of Port Macquarie, and what I could do with my own garden.

Favourite Part of the Garden

I think every kid loves the Mullberry tree, don't they?

Climbing and Berries, What's better than that?

Raspberries and Pizza Oven would have to be 2nd and 3rd.

Favourite Tool in the Shed
Probably Me :) I do love a good shovel though.

Perinne Tyler

General Committee Member

Reason for involvement

To be completed

Favourite Part of the Garden

Favourite Tool in the Shed

Not a member yet? Don't miss our wonderful benefits!

Spending time in the community garden is simply wonderful but don't take our word for it, here is what some of our visitors have thought when they visited our garden...