THANKS to the efforts of the Rotary Club of Nelson Bay, the Tomaree Community Hospital now has a beautiful and fully accessible sensory garden.

This project was first explored in the 2021-22 Rotary year by President Doug Craike who worked with hospital management and the Hospital Auxiliary to explore possible projects the club could consider to provide useful facilities at the hospital.

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The construction of a sensory garden adjacent to the Palliative Care Ward was decided upon.

The funding of the garden was achieved through grants and support provided by local businesses.

Member for Paterson Meryl Swanson secured $20,000 for the project through the Stronger Communities grants program and Port Stephens Council contributed $6,000 to the project, which had a total budget of $50,000.

The major engineering tasks were managed by Geoff Diemar and Warwick Mathieson.

Geoff and Warwick’s knowledge and contact with local contractors facilitated the layout, placement of retaining walls and major earthworks associated with the project.

Local excavation contractors, bricklayers and concreters built the foundations of the garden and completed concreting paths and the foundation for the shelter.

Warwick spent many hours constructing the seating off site.

All work was completed without disruption to the hospital and in accordance with correct OH&S protocol.

The final stage of the project of planting and placement of garden features saw involvement from all club members, who placed the trees, shrubs and plants in location according to the garden plan provided by the landscape architect.

The sensory garden will offer both patients and staff an opportunity to relax.

The space is already getting utilised, allowing children to explore and families to share some final moments together in a space filled with birdsong and beauty.
“A three-president project is pretty impressive,” Member for Paterson Meryl Swanson said.

“Thank you to the Council for its contribution to this project.

“This is an incredible facility.

“The influx is constant.

“This is a place of healing and wellbeing as well as the acute health side of it as well.

“To the members of Rotary this is a perfect example of service before self – this is just testimony to that.

“Garden projects are things that I really feel connected to.

“I come from a family of gardeners, intergenerational genetic gardeners.

“My father was a very good gardener and we had a very special garden – it was beautiful.

“Lots of brides used to come on a saturday and have their photos taken in dad’s garden.

“Gardening is something that is really close to my heart, and the palliative care nature of this garden is so important.

“We all know that nature is so healing for all of us.

“Thanks for all of your forethought,” she said.

By Marian SAMPSON