Joy EdmondsPrint Page

The sculpture of the "Peace Soldier" commemorates Joy Edmonds (1926 - 2013) who played a major role in establishing the Yunung Community Garden.

UNSUNG HERO
JOY EDMONDS
COMMUNITY GARDENER

Joy Edmonds will never stop learning and she will never stop teaching either. The 85-year-old has loved gardening ever since she grew flowers for her aunty's shop in South Australia.

She has continued her passion for living a self-sustained life and has played a major role in the continuing success of the Morisset Yunung Indigenous and Community Gardens. The gardens, located at the Morisset Multi Purpose Centre, have been running for more than two years and Mrs Edmonds has been the co-ordinator for most of that time.

"It started as a bush food garden but it's gradually enlarged and now we grow a lot of different vegetables and native garden trees," she said. "It's all set out in the shape of a turtle or Yunung in the indigenous language."

Mrs Edmonds' latest addition to the garden is an Armistice and Anzac garden. A flag pole and sign have been erected and the community is now waiting for a 1.2 metre statue of a soldier to complete the commemoration.

Mrs Edmonds grew up in Murray Bridge, South Australia, before moving to the Hunter in 1956. She worked as a nurse at the Morisset hospital but after retiring at 67 decided to continue helping the community through volunteer work.

She holds the position of vice-president for the South Lakes Carers Association which provides transport for people from their homes to the Morisset centre.

"We get them out and do activities with them, get in the garden and give them a chance to socialise," she said. "Volunteering becomes a part of your life, it really is an enjoyable part of it."

Mrs Edmonds has continued studying throughout the latter years of her life. Already holding a degree in social science and a post-graduate qualification in welfare law, she has completed a number of other diplomas. She has plans to enrol in a basic herb course to further develop her culinary education. She is also a member of a sustainability committee that works with the local council and she described it as a strong advocate for caring for the environment.

"I've been gardening all my life and I'm really against genetically modified foods," she said. "I want to teach people how easy it is to grow vegetables in their homes, even just in small boxes on their window sills. "You can grow herbs, lettuce, cucumbers, carrots, tomatoes, and it's so easy."

Mrs Edmonds said that to address the challenges of climate change, people needed to change their way of life. "Our agricultural lands are being sold to mines and there's no future in coal and gas, the land is useless afterwards," she said. "People need to realise that living self-sustained lives is the right option."
Newcastle Herald, 16 January 2012. 

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