The Paddock Community Garden Group is a sub-group of the Newtown Sustainability Group – an Incorporated Association with a Management Committee elected annually by its members. This arrangement ensures that :
- the Garden belongs to the community
- funds are appropriately managed
- concerns of members are addressed, and
- Garden management responsibilities are shared
Want to join the committee?
Roles in the Committee
Committee members are volunteers and the group meets once a month in the Paddock or the local pub for a few hours.
There are three statutory roles which must be filled each year: President, Treasurer and Secretary with the other roles voted in by the majority on a needs basis.
President / Chairperson: General management of garden operations, and ensuring the garden is run according to this Plan of Management. Signatory for the association and an external contact for the official business. Camdenville Public School liaison and leasing arrangements. Media liaison. Our current President is Shelby Krestensen and she can be contacted on president@camdenvillepaddock.com
Vice President: Provide a support role to the President and ensure roles within the committee are clearly understood and functional. This position is currently vacant.
Secretary: Organises meetings and other correspondence with members; keeps records including minutes of meetings; manage general committee correspondence. Our current Secretary is Zoe Thayer and she can be contacted on secretary@camdenvillepaddock.com
Treasurer: Management of community garden finances; coordination of bank account(s) and facilitation of payments and receipts; preparation and budget management; preparation of financial reporting, including monthly/quarterly income statement and balance sheet. Responsible for ensuring compliance with all tax and external reporting requirements. Our current Treasurer is Trent Hillier.
Garden Coordinator: Someone with good knowledge of gardening skills. This could be a shared role with people who have specialist skills in various areas of gardening. Responsible for the day-to-day running of the garden and organisation of working bees. Our current Garden Coordinators are Caroline Sleap and Michael Rickert who can be contacted at garden@camdenvillepaddock.com
Chicken Coordinator: Ensures our chickens are cared for and healthy. Organises and manages the roster for chicken care and egg collection. Steps in to complete additional chicken care where relevant. Our current Chicken Coordinator is Andrea Nunez and she can be contacted on info@camdenvillepaddock.com
Membership Coordinator: Manages all aspects of membership to the garden, including maintaining the register of members. Organisation of waiting list for future members and ensuring membership payments are current. This position is currently vacant.
Projects Coordinator: Plans for and coordinates the delivery of capital improvement projects within the garden. This position is responsible for the management of budget allocated to each project. This position is currently not required.
Communications Coordinator: Manages the website, social media and member newsletter for the garden including photography, copywriting and media liaison. This position is currently vacant.
General Committee Members: Presence needed for creating a quorum to allow decision making.
Current members are:
Sarah Angus
Kate Bleasel
Harriet Blundell
Mario Capanna
Kath Earl
Georgina Eldershaw
Emma Furno
Gwilym Griffiths
Mark Hill
Lachlan Jobbins
Emily Mears
Craig Rudd
Committee Meetings
Time: 9am, on the day of Working Bee (see dates here), with a few additional special meetings below.
| Special Committee Meeting to Discuss Membership | 1 Feb 2026 3pm-5pm Botany View Hotel |
| AGM 2-3pm and Xmas Party | 12 Dec 2026 |
* Last Day of School: 17 Dec 2026 *
Management of the Newtown Sustainability Group is by committee, with roles allocated at each Annual General Meeting via a majority vote.
Persons allocated to these roles will be published as part of the AGM minutes which will be made available on the website, so members are aware of who the committee members are.
No one person can occupy a role within the committee for more than 4 (four) years, unless there is an agreement by the committee to extend their tenure.