The lush gardens and stately rooms of Victoria’s Government House are a long way from mountains of Afghanistan or the tea terraces of Sri Lanka.  

But each school term a group of migrant and refugee women are enjoying food, horticulture and each other’s company under a remarkable program that is building capacity and encouraging connections between women from migrant and refugee communities across Melbourne.

The latest group of migrant women to take part are from Brimbank, members of community hubs based at Deer Park North and Stevensville primary schools.  

For several years, the ‘Peace and Prosperity Kitchen Garden Program’ has been building a sense of community, empowering women and fostering a sense of belonging among them and, ultimately, their communities. 

The initiative runs under the umbrella of the Victorian Community Hubs program which sees a group of 12 women from Community Hubs take part each school term. 

The Victorian Community Hubs program is embedded in primary schools and connects families from diverse cultural backgrounds with each other and the wider community.  

The kitchen garden program was the brainchild of the previous Governor Linda Desai who wanted to open up Government House, the largest, vide regal building in Australia, to a wider section of the community.

AMES Australia Community Hub Support Coordinator Marta Makkai said Governor Desai wanted ordinary Victorians to have access to the house, not just a privileged few. 

“She wanted women from migrant and refugee backgrounds to be able to visit government house, learn about its history and our political system and feel welcome,” Marta said. 

“A lot of migrants and refugees come from places where their interaction with, and experience of, government is very different to what we know if Australia. 

“So, part of the aim of the program is to show that in Australia, Government is not something to be afraid of.” 

Governor Desai said as the first female governor of Victoria, she wanted to do something to privately to mark that. 

“We knew as lawyers working the courts that when people settle in Australia, it is often the men who go out to work and the women who are left at home. So, we put down this garden plot so we could welcome a different group of people to Government House,” Governor Desai told the ‘Better Homes and Gardens’ TV program. 

“The garden is really just a garden for getting together,” she said. 

The program has continued and been expanded by the current Governor, Professor Margaret Gardner, AC.  

It has been expanded to include women who may be experiencing social isolation, such as the elderly, people with disability, or women who are victims of domestic and family violence – developing new partnerships with local councils, and other not for profit and community service organisations.

A particular highlight for the Governor was hosting groups of recently arrived women from Ukraine, giving them the chance to create friendships in their new city.  

Marta said the program also provided practical benefits and opportunities for the women. 

“The program is an opportunity for the women to come together and practice their English for two or three hours,” she said. 

“They learn about gardening, they get to propagate seeds, and they take seedlings home. 

“We have seen them form amazing relationships and go on to support each other in the long term. In fact, we have introduced another program through Community hubs to make sure they maintain these ties.” 

The program runs over four weeks, with the first week including a tour of Government House and a meeting with the Governor. 

Over the following three weeks, the women decide what they want to cook and use the house’s extensive kitchen garden, established in the early 1800s, to source vegetables and herbs. 

“They cook and eat together, sharing their cultures and cuisines; learning from each other,” Marta said. 

“The women also engage in other activities; they do flower arranging, planting and they learn about the garden and its history. 

“They walk around the garden and see trees planted by the Queen or other historical figures.” 

Marta said the program offers wellbeing and emotional support. 

“It is also a respite from many of the participants. They may be looking after large families or have suffered difficulties. This gives them some time to themselves and to connect with other women and find support,” she said.  

Indian migrant and program participant Soman said the program gave her a window on Australia’s multiculturalism. 

“It was amazing. It was a great experience meeting the women and getting to know about their cultures,” Sonam said. 

“The stories we heard about Government House and what happens there are things I will tell my kids. 

“Also, it was lovely to sit together and share stories with people from different cultures; and to learn about traditional foods and the role food plays in culture was really nice.  

“It was awesome learning about gardening and cooking together,” Soman said.