In 2025, Monash Industrial Design students collaborated with Need-Knowers from SEEDs Communal Garden in Brunswick, a thriving community garden run by the disability support organisation, Milparinka.
SEEDs is a unique and diverse garden that offers meaningful roles, community connection, and friendships to Milparinka gardeners. Since its beginnings in September 2015, SEEDs has grown from a simple patch of lawn into an abundant garden that produces nearly a ton of food each year. The garden continues to flourish through natural networks, shared stories, events, and a strong sense of community. – Milparinka
Together, the SEEDs gardeners and Monash students identified and addressed several practical design challenges:
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Handling heavy buckets full of food scraps
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Cleaning compost buckets used for collecting scraps
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Filling bags with compost produced by the industrial dehydrator
Through this collaboration, the students developed creative, user-informed solutions that aimed to make everyday tasks at SEEDs easier and more accessible.
In addition to producing thoughtful designs, the students gained valuable experience in co-design and designing for disability. Working directly with Need-Knowers gave them insight into inclusive design processes grounded in lived experience. A common reflection from the students was how meaningful it was to help someone directly and work on a real-world project with tangible community impact.
A big thank you to Jo, Adam, and the entire SEEDs team for generously sharing your time, insights, and enthusiasm. Thank you also to the Monash students for your hard work and dedication in developing some amazing solutions. Your collaboration made this a rich and rewarding experience for everyone involved.