Today he worked with Taree Community Garden horticulturalist, Darren Harrison to prepare metres of soil in readiness for the garlic planting working bee this Sunday, May 28.

Hours earlier he had been travelling on a Greyhound bus from the small town of Harlin in Queensland. He stopped in Taree as it was as far as his funds could take him in his plan to travel to Coonabarabran.

Life had been hard in recent months – he had to sell his property, had to wait for funds and had to make the choice to accept the hospitality of friends while he found work – but first he had to get to Coonabarabran.

Darren saw Graham near Martin Bridge and decided to stop to offer him a lift in his car and as they drove towards Taree Service Centre he listened to the 64-year-old ask “if he knew anyone who could give him fair and honest work.”

“Darren took me to the highway and then about five minutes later came back and said, ‘Get in mate, I’ve got some work for you’. That’s how I ended up here in this great garden,” Graham said.

The pair worked for hours with the new rotary tiller recently purchased with funds provided by MidCoast Council through its Stronger Communities Fund.

“It looks good now because before it was all weeds,” Graham said.

This afternoon Graham is on a train to Maitland and will now get to Coonabarabran with cash in his pocket after “good honest work” generously offered and paid for by Darren. It is a kindness that Graham will always remember.

The garden beds now need to be planted out with garlic and volunteers are wanted to help this Sunday from 10am. 

It will be the second crop planted by Darren at Taree Community Garden – an initiative that is designed to generate income to support its future development.

Taree Community Garden is located at 80 Wynter Street and the entrance is opposite the Aldi carpark.