How one neighbourhood in Hobart is working to transform itself 

For the past two years, a children’s class in South Hobart, Tasmania, has been contributing towards a more sustainable community while strengthening the Baha’i moral education process.  

The initiative began in 2022 when children’s class teacher Angela Bryan recognised the desire within locals to work towards a more environmentally conscious neighbourhood.

“This is a distinctive characteristic of the area,” Angela says.  

“Several years prior, the children’s class had been held in a nearby hall, but attendance had dropped to just a few families.”  

Having spent years making connections with local community garden groups, Angela says it was on a bush track near her home that she had a conversation with Janet Stone a grandmother passionate about environmental concerns with a drive to transform the local neighbourhood at the grassroots.  

“Janet suggested the children’s class may like to participate in the upcoming bushcare activity which she was leading to create a safe space for endangered bandicoots,” she says. “This lead to the eventual relocation of the class to the adjoining South Hobart Community Garden, which Janet helped to establish some years ago.  

“This chance encounter not only connected like-minded people in the locality but formed some lasting bonds of friendship as well.”

The children’s class has since moved to the community garden and is assisted by Angela’s daughter, Rebecca. As well as including gardening efforts that address the environmental concerns within the local area, the classes, titled Together We Grow, feature singing, prayers, blessings for the Earth and its peoples, stories and activities. One favourite activity has been a treasure hunt where children search for sections of quotes in the garden and put them together.

“An important step in the formation of this grassroots initiative involved a proper reading and response to the needs of the reality of the locality,” Angela says.  

“The group now has two plots which are used to teach the children about tending a garden and a Baha’i from another locality has also become very involved in teaching and providing some financial and material support.”  

The endeavour is currently supported by up to four families, with other friends attending intermittently, and also provides an outlet for junior youth to provide service to their neighbourhood. “One very committed mother, who has a young child and attends regularly, has agreed to participate more in running the session,” Angela says. “This young mum has lead groups of youths on wilderness adventures so has a wealth of experience and capacity in a range of outdoor activities.”

Publicised in the South Hobart Sustainable Community (SHSC) newsletter and with Angela participating in general community working bees and gatherings organised by the SHSC, she says it is hoped the broader community-building vision of the children’s classes and the institute as a whole might be shared with more “like-minded friends who may be inspired to join in this community initiative”.  

“I think everyone feels they are contributing to create a vibrant, outward-focused community.”