A fruitful future

Renmark Paringa Community Museum preserves local agricultural history…

A TEAM of Riverland volunteers are working to ensure the history and legacy of the Renmark Paringa district remains for many years to come, with the group now preparing to showcase their newest agricultural venture to locals and visitors alike.

Volunteers of the Renmark Paringa Community Museum – located at Lot 15, Sturt Highway, Paringa – have been developing an agricultural exhibit for the past three years, with a ‘Fruit Salad Block’ showcasing the variety of produce grown the region.

“We had a lot of visitors, who having just driven back from the Woolshed (Brewery), asked us about the Almond trees in the district – they were surprised we grew almonds in the Riverland,” Renmark Paringa Community Museum chairman Wayne Howell said.

“That just got us thinking as volunteers that we should really try to capture the agricultural history of the Riverland because the diversity of what we grow did not seem to be well known – the most people were aware of is grapes and oranges.”

Reaching out to local growers, Renmark Paringa Community Museum were successful in acquiring, and now steadily growing a variety of plants, ranging from figs, apples, peaches, pears, nectarines, lemons, oranges, almonds, pistachios.

“We would really love to also get some seeds for the pecan nut, as well as persimmons, the granny smith apple, and the date palm,” Mr Howell said.

“However, it’s coming along really well and we’re definitely really proud of it.”

Alongside maintaining a garden bed, that features a range of plants and veggies able to be grown in Riverland, Mr Howell said the next step for the ‘Fruit Salad Block’ was to show it off to the public, with the museum set to be opening for this year’s Riverland Rose Garden Festival.

“It’s super exciting and will be something different that will be showcased in the festival,” he said.

“We have received so much positive feedback from the community already.

“We just want to be able to show people what the Riverland is all about – it’s important to expand the perception beyond just grape growing.”

For more information, visit the website (www.renmarkparinga.sa.gov.au/community/volunteering-in-the-renmark-paringa-community/renmark-paringa-community-museum).