Community
4 April, 2025
A rebrand and revamp for Derri’
DERRINALLUM’S Creative Hub @ 31 has been undergoing a revamp in an effort to draw more people through the doors, with plans to add a community garden also underway for the space.
The space has been renamed ‘Derrinallum Creative Gifts’ and will see a variety of gift items and artworks from local creators sold inside.
Outside, which has been a vacant garden space, is slowly seeing ideas and transformation as works begin on a community garden space.
Rae Pfeiffer, who is behind the revamp of the space, said the project to transform the space came from her past experience of a community garden in her old home of Daylesford.
“Just after COVID, the council offered us a grant for COVID recovery. I did a market – it was a great success,” she said.
“Then the girls got Creative Hub @ 31, which they called The Hub, and they’re not getting enough people through the doors.
“I said let me promote you, let’s revamp it, let’s rename it, let’s put a community garden out the back – we’ve got space for it. Let’s use the whole space to get people to come in.
“Once they come through the doors here, they’re more likely to go in to the hub knowing it’s a gift shop rather than just arts and crafts.
“I didn’t even think about it – I said to Kevin (Molesworth, Derrinallum Progress Association president) let’s put a community garden out the back of the hub, and he said it was a good idea.”
The garden will take inspiration from the garden set up in Daylesford as well as the Camperdown Community Garden run by the Camperdown and District Community House.
Ms Pfeiffer said there will be no pressure to pay for a box of vegetables grown from the garden but understands there will be those willing to pay for produce.
“People say they’re happy to pay a certain amount for a box, so why not – it’s a community garden. You share with everybody,” she said.
“If they’re happy to pay, let them pay. If they can’t pay, so be it – take a box.
“We just want to keep rotating it and just have vegetables going constantly – a whole range of veggies, not just normal everyday types of veggies.”
Plans for the outdoor space also include the provision of outdoor seating for people to have lunch, with off-lead dogs allowed due to the fencing being retained from when the 31 Main Street property served as a maternal and child health service.
“We’re a small community, but why not use what we’ve got,” Ms Pfeiffer said.
“It’s just sitting here doing nothing, so why not utilise it and give back to the community.
“We’re only in the early stages.
“If anybody wants to sell anything garden, the money goes back to the community garden.
“If it’s not for the garden, it goes back to the hub.”
Sales from Derrinallum Creative Gifts will operate under consignment, with the gift shop to take ten per cent of sales and provide the artist with their sales at the end of the month.
Ms Pfeiffer encouraged anyone who wished to sell items through the rebranded gift shop to approach her or those running Derrinallum Creative Gifts.
“They’re open Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 10.30am-2pm,” she said.
“If anybody wants to get in and help, by all means they’re welcome.
“If anybody has any great ideas, please bring them forward.”
Anyone interested in offering their assistance for the garden or selling items through the gift shop is encouraged to contact Ms Pfeiffer on 0427 764 299.
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