Kareela Ngura
(Country Of Trees & Water)
Traditional Garden & Blak Cede Enterprise
Kareela Ngura
The Women’s traditional food project is located at Waminda’s property Kareela Ngura (Country of Trees and Water) at Terara. Kareela provides a culturally safe space for First Nations Women to Care for Country and to be a part of the reclamation of their land and traditional knowledge of plants on country.
The community garden provides healthy and nutritious food to community by delivering produce to various programs and groups at Waminda, including Bulwul Balaang, Elders groups, Dead or Deadly, Balaang Gunyah and also provides ingredients for our social enterprise Blak Cede.
Kareela Ngura gives First Nations women the opportunity to learn and share knowledge of their traditional food economy within the Shoalhaven, and the important role they play in our First Nations women’s lives, from food to medicine; to sharing stories; healing; and ceremonies that strengthen our songlines and create new ones.
PREVENT THE SPREAD
Please self-isolate if you have any symptoms of COVID-19, including a sore throat, coughing or sneezing, or flu-like symptoms. Call our reception to make a telehealth appointment with one of our doctors.
How You Can Get Involved With Kareela Ngura
Aboriginal women and families can participate in the workshops and events, and through the other Waminda programs that operate from the site. We have working bees from time to time, and will advertise garden-based workshops through our networks and social media.
We can also host specific workshops or activities for local school groups, and community groups wishing to connect and re connect to culture through our natural environment.
Blak Cede
Blak Cede is part of Waminda’s ongoing initiative to challenge and disrupt practices, beliefs and barriers that discriminate and marginalise Aboriginal peoples and communities and ensure Aboriginal voices are heard and supported. Blak Cede is unique in its entirety as it is culturally-centred and is committed to keeping our community healthy through culture.
Blak Cede is an Aboriginal women-led social and cultural enterprise which cultivates traditional bush foods from our community garden to produce high quality products for our cafe and online store.
We want to grow and share our ways of Knowing, Being and Doing, and make a powerful cultural experience that will give back to the Community who leads it.
Kareela Ngura FAQ’s
What Food Do You Grow?
Some of the traditional foods grown out at Kareela are the Magenta Lilly Pilly, Bolwarra, Mylong, Illawarra Plum Pine, Wattle’s and Murnong Yam Daisy. These foods are also used within our social enterprise project Blak Cede.
Growing, producing and harvesting traditional foods at Kareela is providing community with access to traditional plants and foods that can be vital for ones’s culture, wellbeing and health. This ensures we are passing down our cultural knowledge to community and are leading the way with Self Determination and sustainability practices.
What Do You Do With The Food That's Grown At Kareela?
The food that is harvested from site is taken into our cooking program Nyully Tucker where the team cook up amazing meals for our community Diabetes program. We also supply ingredients for our Blak Cede Enterprise. We make up community hampers to give to families in need. It is one big cycle. Grow for our community, community help grow our garden.
What Projects Are Running At Kareela Ngura?
Currently we have two community groups based at Kareela Ngura which run on a weekly basis. We have local women who participate in learning about traditional foods and the importance of sustainable growing. We grow supplies for our Blak Cede enterprise, and our market garden supplies our Dead Or Deadly program.
How Can I Get Involved In The Garden?
To be a part of our garden project you can either self-refer and attend our garden space at 5 Nobblers Lane Terara and ask to speak to one of our team members to sign you up. Or you can call our front office on (02) 4421 7400 and be referred internally . You will need to leave your personal details so one our team members can contact you. If you would like to volunteer at the garden you will need to apply, ask for Bianca and she will follow it up for you.
Do You Run Any Workshops At Kareela?
Over time Waminda has been approached by external services e.g. Community College, Nowra TAFE and Sydney Botanical Gardens to run workshops for community members to learn about gardening, the health and wellbeing benefits of this and how live sustainably and grow your own produce. Our team at Kareela Ngura also run workshops from time to time. Call (02) 4421 7400 for more information.
Kareela Ngura
Contact Kareela Ngura
5 Nobblers Lane, Nowra NSW 2541
Program operating hours are between
9:00am – 4:30pm Monday – Friday.
For more information, including appointment times and transport availability, please call;