Armidale’s local Ezidi community is bringing a piece of home to their Australian backyard with the creation of a new Shingal Community Garden.
The garden, built by not-for-profit refugee support service, the NSW Service for the Treatment and Rehabilitation of Torture and Trauma Survivors (STARTTS) and co-designed alongside the Ezidi community with the help of the local Men’s Shed and Bunnings Armidale, provides a tranquil and therapeutic space for the Ezidi community in Armidale.
The garden was an outcome of a larger project led by Embrace Multicultural Mental Health, which focused on designing community-led mental health and well-being initiatives for multicultural communities across Australia.
“The Shingal Community Garden is more than just a plot of land; it’s a symbol of hope, resilience, and cultural continuity for those in the Armidale community who have experienced conflict and trauma,” said STARTTS Community Living Supports for Refugees team leader Catherine Kelly.
Ms Kelly says the garden would not only provide fresh, nutritious food but would also foster a sense of belonging and empower community members to rebuild their lives in Australia.
The community garden project, which has been underway for several months, has been supported by the Men’s Shed and Bunnings Armidale, which donated peoplepower and 22 sleepers to build 13 garden beds located onsite at STARTTS’ Armidale office.
“It is so rewarding to be involved in a project that will make a real difference in the lives of people who have escaped traumatic circumstances and are rebuilding their lives in Australia,” said Bunnings Armidale Activities Organiser Morgane Sercombe.
“Bunnings Armidale is proud to have helped raise and contribute close to $60,000 to support 33 local community groups and organisations over the past year.”
STARTTS hopes the garden space will help provide a positive recovery environment for the Ezidi refugees, part of an ethnic and religious minority who were forced to flee their homes to escape Islamic State genocide in Northern Iraq.
Around 650 Ezidis resettled in Armidale between 2018 and 2022.
“This garden bed will not only be a place to remember my parents, but also where members of our community can come together to work towards a shared goal,” said Swzan, a 29-year-old Ezidi woman.
“It will be a space for healing and hope, where I can honour their memory, and we can rebuild our lives here in Australia.”
The garden has also been designed to encourage connection and communication within the community and features a yarning circle at its heart.
“The garden will be a vibrant hub for our community,” Bakarat, an Ezidi man living in Armidale said.
“We’ll share traditional gardening techniques, exchange stories, and create a space where we can connect with nature and each other. It’s a chance to heal, grow, and build a stronger community together.”
The Shingal Community Garden will also host gardening workshops.
Hunter New England Local Health District Psychiatrist Dr Bipin Ravindran, who has worked with the region’s Ezidi refugees, described the project as uplifting.
“It captures the spirit of the Ezidi community and the extraordinary support of the local Armidale community members and organisations,” he said.
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