Meet two hosts showing how to grow your own food

A gardener with a food "forest" and another inspired by his heritage are among the hosts of the Illawarra Edible Garden Trail this year.

From Helensburgh to Gerringong, gardeners across the Illawarra will open their gates and backyards to the public.

The not-for-profit event allows the community to wander through vegie patches and inspect chook runs, native beehives and urban permaculture projects.

The trail runs from 10am to 3pm across two weekends and is guided by this year’s theme – "food for all".

Event coordinator Emily Fowler said the expansion of the trail was about more than simply admiring additional gardens.

“It’s all about meeting like-minded people and picking up practical skills and ideas to take home,” she said. 

“The point is to showcase what you can grow in your area – so that felt really important when we expanded because there are different soil types, microclimates and resources across the coast.” 

She also said the trail and gardens in general play a large role in contributing to food security.

“Growing any amount of food at home means you're reducing reliance on having to buy food from grocery stores, especially the bigger ones,” she said.

Among this year’s hosts are Oliver Risi from Woonona and April Sampson-Kelly from Mount Kembla. 

Oliver is 27 and has a small backyard suburban garden. Inspired by his Italian heritage and grandparents, he found a passion for horticulture which eventually led him to completing a trade in gardening.

This is his second year as a host and his favourite foods to grow are tomatoes and beans.

Oliver said he is excited to showcase and educate others on how easy it can be to grow food at home.

“Having food accessible in your own backyard is probably how it should be for everyone,” he said. 

“So many people believe it's easier to just go to the supermarket without considering how much rubbish, plastic and fossil fuels there are when you could just have a basic basil plant in your backyard.”

He hopes that those who visit his garden this year will consider where their food comes from.

“Hopefully it helps them slow down and realise where our food comes from and to realise what's possible,” he said.

“The inspiration and the conversation that the trail sparks is just incredible. Honestly the vibe is amazing and it is one of my favourite days of the year.” 

April has a food forest and enjoys building community knowledge. Her favourite foods to grow are custard apples, walking stick palm and bush lolly.

April said gardening began as part of a broader search for a more sustainable way of living, while the knowledge shared by others inspired her to eventually pass those lessons on herself.

“I believe that you can live by someone else's design or by your own. So I've been searching for a way to have a lifestyle that pollutes less and through that journey I began to grow food,” she said. 

“I am really grateful for the people who showed me how to do things so it's like I am paying them back.”

She feels her garden resonates with this year’s Food for All theme, not only by providing food for people but by creating a space where wildlife can also thrive.

“Not only do I grow food for myself and for other people but also to create a habitat for other beings like birds, possums and fruit bats,” she said.

“My garden looks a bit different from a vegie patch. Visitors will find a four-level forest with food, chickens, geese, bamboo and a creek.”

With one ticket providing access to gardens across both weekends, visitors can choose to explore a single local garden or plan a longer trip along the coast.

Presented in partnership with Food Fairness Illawarra and Healthy Cities Australia, with support from Gilly’s Kitchen Garden, the ticket proceeds go towards the cost of delivering the event.

With gardens of all shapes and sizes on display, the 2026 trail will showcase just how much can grow in Illawarra soil and will be split over two weekends:

• Saturday, October 31, and Sunday, November 1: Helensburgh to West Wollongong
• Saturday, November 7, and Sunday, November 8: Cringila to Gerringong