
For the last nine years we have gathered together on, or close to, the Winter Solstice to share afternoon tea, make lanterns and celebrate the changing seasons by walking together through the neighbourhood on the shortest night of the year.
Come join us at the WGV Community Orchard in 2022 to celebrate and for a gold coin donation you can check out the Blacksmithing Van, Freo Recycling Truck, make a Flower Crown, take home a Makuru Seedling, create a Winter Heart and lots more. A completely volunteer run event this year we've been lucky enough to get funding from the City of Fremantle for which we are very grateful for!
It all kicks off from 3pm and by 5.30pm we'll listen for the wonderful Wasamba Drummers as they start up a beat that will lead us through the Valley.
also see our Facebook events
Come join us at the WGV Community Orchard in 2022 to celebrate and for a gold coin donation you can check out the Blacksmithing Van, Freo Recycling Truck, make a Flower Crown, take home a Makuru Seedling, create a Winter Heart and lots more. A completely volunteer run event this year we've been lucky enough to get funding from the City of Fremantle for which we are very grateful for!
It all kicks off from 3pm and by 5.30pm we'll listen for the wonderful Wasamba Drummers as they start up a beat that will lead us through the Valley.
also see our Facebook events
2022 Olive Oil Harvest - Sunday April 24th in Booyeembara
Join this Community Olive Harvest ::
- Sunday morning on 24th April in Booyeembara Park (the Olive Grove is located beyond the park entrance on Montreal Street near Public Golf Course ), between 8.30am - 12.30pm, with a byo picnic lunch in the olive grove afterwards. -Alternatively you can harvest anytime over the weekend at a time / place of your choosing. If you would like to do this, please register your involvement and we'll be in touch on how we can set you up to join the harvest. and oil pressing. (Note: All those that help pick can purchase a bottle of oil at cost price) Big thanks to Freo Ports for sponsoring our new ground sheets to greatly assist our harvest. Register here if you can help with the 2022 harvest. More information here |
2021 Mulberry Harvest Festival - Oct 17th
The first Fremantle Mulberry Harvest Festival hosted by WGV Orchard and funded through a City of Fremantle community arts grant.
10am Harvest teams gather and depart to local trees
12:15 Welcome to Country then Live Music
Mulberry Crafts/Dyeing, Mulberry processing and food making
4pm close
More here on Facebook
10am Harvest teams gather and depart to local trees
12:15 Welcome to Country then Live Music
Mulberry Crafts/Dyeing, Mulberry processing and food making
4pm close
More here on Facebook
2020 Summer Fiesta in the Orchard - Sunday Dec 6, 3 - 5:30pm

WGV Community Orchard, together with the Kindy and Crraftspark are putting on the Summer Fiesta on Sunday Dec 6th 3 - 5:30pm in the Orchard. This end of year event includes food stalls kids craft activities and local live music by THE ALFALFA MALES,
THE DAHLIAS &
TEX HOLMES
THE DAHLIAS &
TEX HOLMES
2020 Winter Solstice Lantern Walk - Through the Orchard Sunday June 21st 4:30-7:30
2020 is a bit different - it is a small group event, walk through the orchard and/or around the Valley on this mid-winter Sunday evening.
Make a lantern, drop it off to the Orchard on Sunday morning and we'll be decorating the Orchard for the Solstice evening. From 4:30pm - 7:30 enter from Samson St and enjoy the mid-winter magic in the Orchard. Exit via Mulberry Farm Lane. |
2019 AGM & Busy Bee - Saturday 23rd November 1pm and 2:30-4pm
Come and celebrate in the Orchard on Saturday afternoon Nov 23rd for our 6th AGM, meet others in this community, have a cuppa and join a busy bee.
Here is our AGM Agenda. Everyone welcome. A time to reflect and look forward.
For our last busy bee for the year (starting 2:30pm), we'll be extending reticulation, feeding trees and doing a general tidy up. Wear closed shoes, bring a hat and gloves. We look forward to seeing you
Here is our AGM Agenda. Everyone welcome. A time to reflect and look forward.
For our last busy bee for the year (starting 2:30pm), we'll be extending reticulation, feeding trees and doing a general tidy up. Wear closed shoes, bring a hat and gloves. We look forward to seeing you
Glass Houses & Green Futures - Friday 12th July 2-4pm

As part of the new Fremantle Festival in wintertime, the WGV Orchard will be hosting an afternoon tea with a difference! Live cooking demonstrations, warming fires, delicious lemon myrtle tea fresh from a billy and five unique glass houses on site where you can discover the joys of growing! Free entry
See more here https://www.10nightsinport.com.au/whats-on/glass-houses-green-futures/
See more here https://www.10nightsinport.com.au/whats-on/glass-houses-green-futures/
2019 Winter Solstice & Lantern Parade - 21 June

Winter has arrived - which means it's time to enjoy the replenishing rain and cosy times - and our annual Winter Solstice Lantern Walk - coming up on Friday 21st June. Come down to the Orchard from 3pm to make your own lantern, have a turn at blacksmithing, or simply catch up with friends. Our lantern walk starts at 5.30pm. Everyone welcome - entry is gold coin donation.
Songs of Summer Community Event - Dec 2018
Once again the Orchard and our neighbours, Hazel Orme Kindy, combine for an end of your community event and fundraiser. The Orchard shed 'stage' will feature local music including Voicemale, Fremantle-based bunch of blokes who will sing anything from ACDC to Georgian round dances. There will be food stalls, craft activities and spin the wheel - spin till you win.
Sunday Dec 2nd, 3-5pm in the Orchard |
2018 Winter Solstice and Lantern Parade
Celebrate the longest night of the year with neighbours, friends and family!
Afternoon Tea: Please BYO a plate of food for the “Table of Afternoon Tea Delights”. First we feast and then we walk! Make a lantern: For a gold coin donation you can make your very own led tea light lantern Blacksmith’s Van: Look into the fire of the forge and see how people have been shaping metal through the ages at our Blacksmith’s Van (On-site throughout the afternoon) Lantern Walk: Walk takes place approx. 5.30/6pm |
Community Olive Harvest and Long Table Lunch April 29th 9am - 3pm

For the 3rd year we are organising a community olive (for oil) harvest in WGV with the main Sunday pick in Booyeembara's olive grove followed by (for the first time!) a celebratory long-table lunch. See more details in the poster or register here or just come along
Busy Bee & Sapling + Seedlings Sale - April 8th 3:30 - 5pm
Our second busy bee of 2018 is scheduled for Sunday April 8th 3:30 - 5pm and a seedlings sale too to raise much needed orchard funds. There will be some fruity options for your yard - banana palms, ice-cream bean and some interesting understory seedlings including yacon and river mint. The busy bee tasks will be diverse from planting understory seedlings to pruning the banana palms. All welcome.
Summer Fiesta - an Orchard - Kindy Partnership Sunday Nov 26th, 2017 2-5pm
3rd Birthday and Shed Artwork Community Celebration Sunday Oct 22nd, 2017 3pm

The community art project is complete so time to celebrate and thanks Lynne Tinley, our local artist who led this project and created 4 separate art pieces on canvas, doors and shutters of our shed...plus some delightful magpies from Ken.
BIG Winter Planting Day - Saturday July 29th 10-1pm
Everyone is welcome. Come and help us develop the Orchard vision and get some fruit and nut trees in the ground on our Samson St boundary plus some understory seedlings. Bring a digging tool and wheelbarrow if you have one.
Winter Solstice Lantern Walk and Shared Feast - Sullivan Hall June 20th
Come & celebrate the longest night of the year with friends, family and neighbours as we light the Valley for the 5th Annual Winter Solstice Lantern Walk on Tuesday 20th June.
Lantern making at Sullivan Hall for all ages and skills will be happening from 3.30pm so come down & get creative. You can pick from a kid friendly, beautifully simple paper and string option, or be a bit more ambitious with bark, recycled rope fibre & sticks! Starting from Sullivan Hall we'll walk together at 6pm before having a shared feast from 6.30pm. Bring a plate of your favourite food to share. Four on Six will be playing whilst we feast and delighting us with their incredible Gypsy Jazz inspired tunes. |
Creating Glorious Home Compost Saturday May 20th 2:30 -4pm

Led by experienced home composter, Zoe Williamson, learn how to hot and cold compost your vegie scraps at home, while getting some hands on experience in our Orchard .
All About Olives Workshop April 1st, 2017 2-4pm

In this month as the olives ripen, we are putting on an afternoon workshop on olives for oil and olive curing and marinating, presented by Teresa with family and friends. Learn about the humble olive and watch demos of how to get the best out of them.
Flicks in the Hall - Sullivan Hall Friday night March 24th 6:30pm

Set aside Friday night March 24th in your calendar for the Orchard's second Flicks in the Hall. The movie is the British comedy, Grow Your Own, that was inspired by a real project in Liverpool that connected refugees with community gardens. Watch the trailer here. Rated M (coarse language).
The movie will be followed by tea, coffee and cake and a dance on Sullivan's sprung floors!
The movie will be followed by tea, coffee and cake and a dance on Sullivan's sprung floors!
Feb 25th, 2017: First of our 2017 workshops - Understanding Drip Irrigation

Thanks to a sponsorship grant from the City of Fremantle, we are pleased to run a series of workshops starting with this practical session, led by retic expert and WGV local, David Jenkins.
October 23rd Learn to Love your Citrus Workshop

Starting at 1 Fisher St, fruit tree expert Peter Coppin will take participant through the ropes of maintaining a healthy, productive citrus tree in your backyard, treating common diseases and insect attack through to how to plant and establish a tree as we plant the citrus grove in the orchard together. Also time to ask Peter some general fruit tree questions.
June 25th, 2016 Winter Solstice Lantern Parade and Community Feast
This annual lantern parade at the darkest time of the year is now coupled with a community feast at Sullivan Hall. Bring a lantern to the orchard between 4:30 and 5:30 and join the parade or join the welcoming party at Sullivan Hall and bring a dish for a shared dinner from 6:30 to the sounds of live music.
|
May 14th, 2016 Hullabaloo - Community Planting Day and much more

Join us on May 14th Saturday morning from 9am for our big planting Hullabaloo!
Activities for young and old, live music and a bake sale!
Activities for young and old, live music and a bake sale!
April 2016 Olive Picking Weekend in WGV and nearby reaps 35 Litres of Olive Oil
Flicks in the Hall & Orchard Raffle Fundraiser November 2015

Sullivan Hall was transformed with couches and soft lighting for a showing of "The Castle" followed by a dance.
Many thanks to the local Fremantle businesses that supported us through the raffle and donations to our evening in the Hall that raised much needed funds.
Many thanks to the local Fremantle businesses that supported us through the raffle and donations to our evening in the Hall that raised much needed funds.
Winter Solstice Planting and Lantern Parade June 2015

After a week's postponement we got delightful mid-winter day for planting of the freshly prepared tropical zone (only for the trees to be stolen two weeks later, but we won't dwell on this!), some lantern making led by our WGV Playgroup partners to the gentle sounds of live music from Tony Saxophoney. It culminated with a brisk lantern parade through the orchard and Valley Park as darkness descended.
Orchard Launch - Spring Jam Event - Sunday November 2nd 2014 3:30-5:30pm
The Orchard had its official launch as part of the Fremantle Festival on Sunday November 2nd 2014 3:30 - 5:30pm. There was music, mexican icypoles and tortillas, jam making and tasting plates, a welcome to country celebration and the planting of the first 3 trees.
Fruit Tree Survey
We got a terrific response to our fruit tree survey and we thank you all for participating.
The top fruit trees in order were: Avocado (65% of respondents) Fig Mulberry Lemon Lime Mango Passionfruit Plum Macadamia Mandarin Blueberry Quondong Pecan Grapes Orange Banana Fejoa Papaya Gooseberries ...
The results are being incorporated into the selection of fruit trees for the community orchard, along with expert advice on fruit tree choices and siting. We'll keep you posted how this and how you can get involved.
The top fruit trees in order were: Avocado (65% of respondents) Fig Mulberry Lemon Lime Mango Passionfruit Plum Macadamia Mandarin Blueberry Quondong Pecan Grapes Orange Banana Fejoa Papaya Gooseberries ...
The results are being incorporated into the selection of fruit trees for the community orchard, along with expert advice on fruit tree choices and siting. We'll keep you posted how this and how you can get involved.