Cranbourne & District Garden Club has closed after 51 years of operation.
Then-president Julie Muley said the shutdown was due to a lack of members.
“We had hardly any members, and most of them are getting too old and weren’t that interested anymore. We tried everything, but no one was interested in joining,” she said.
“So, we had to close it down.”
Ms Muley revealed that there were only 16 members before it was closed permanently.
The club used to meet every second Thursday of the month at Cranbourne Public Hall.
It also organised garden trips and social events to connect local gardening enthusiasts.
The club had its last meeting in June.
“It was just the same as any other meeting. It was a very good meeting. We had a special afternoon tea. We just all got together and enjoyed each other’s company,” she said.
“It’s 51 years. It’s pretty good for a club, isn’t it, when you think about it.
“Everyone was sad about it, but we’ve decided now that, seeing that didn’t work, we’ve made a friendship group. We’re going to go out for lunch once a month so we can get together that way.”
The club celebrated its 50th anniversary two years ago at the Cranbourne Public Hall. Then-research officer Marie Pazitka shared a written account from founding member Eileen Frost, who recalled the club’s beginnings in 1975 when she responded to a newspaper advertisement by a woman from Queensland seeking to start a garden club.
The initial meetings were held at the woman’s house, with their first guest speaker being Barry Blyth from Tempo Two Nursery.
The club faced early challenges but gained momentum after support from a horticultural body, leading to increased membership and activities.
Then-president Ms Muley observed that attracting younger members had been difficult, with most joining post-retirement for social interaction and shared interests in gardening.
Speaking with Star News after the closure, Ms Muley said all the retirement villages have their own garden clubs, so it took a lot of their members away.
When asked if the club could be reopened in the future, she said she couldn’t really answer the question.
“But it would be nice to think that we could start up again,” she said.
