A nonagenarian Adelaide resident named Mario Minuzzo started a community garden in his backyard 30 years ago, after being motivated by a snake entering his house on Christmas morning. The garden, now known as Pioneer Court Community Garden, has grown into a thriving space with over 75 members and nearly 400 fruit and nut trees, vines, and plots of land. According to Minuzzo's vision, the garden was meant to be a community hub where people could connect and share stories like in an Italian piazza. The garden has been recognized for its charitable efforts, including winning the 2022 City of Tea Tree Gully Australia Day Award for Outstanding Community Group of the Year.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-04,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
Mario Minuzzo, an 88-year-old man with Italian heritage, had a vision for a community garden in his suburban Adelaide neighborhood of Highbury. Thirty years ago, he saw potential in an overgrown patch of land behind his house and was granted permission to mow and maintain it. After growing interest from neighbors, the Pioneer Court Community Garden was established in 1996. Today, the garden has 40 plots, 75 members, and features almost 400 fruit and nut trees and vines, including pomegranates, bananas, grapes, and macadamias. Minuzzo's goal was to create a sense of community, inspired by Italian tradition, where people could gather and connect like they do in an Italian piazza.
Written for “Community Garden Revival” on 2026-09-05,
grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.
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Thirty years ago, Mario Minuzzo looked at an overgrown patch of land behind his suburban Adelaide home and saw something special.
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Minuzzo → look → something
"In amongst all of that was vermin and snakes," Mr Minuzzo said.
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Minuzzo → say → that
"The critical thing that started me was when a red-bellied black snake ended up in our house amongst the children on Christmas morning."
Mr Minuzzo sought and was given permission to mow and maintain the land on Aqueduct Reserve at Highbury.
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Minuzzo → start → Highbury
Growing interest from neighbours led to the establishment of the community garden in 1996.
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interest → grow → 1996
Today, the 88-year-old is celebrating the legacy of the Pioneer Court Community Garden — a place where generations have grown together.
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generations → celebrate → Garden
"I recall standing on the mound thirty years ago and thinking this would make a great community garden," Mr Minuzzo said.
"
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Minuzzo → recall → garden
My heritage is Italian and in Italy, local people often meet in the piazza.
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people → meet → piazza
"They gather, walk, share stories, and connect, so my original vision for the garden was to create a sense of community and place — just like a piazza."
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vision → gather → piazza
It is on just under one hectare of land leased from the Department for Environment and Water and is one of the larger community gardens scattered across the state.
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It → lease → state
The garden's 'secret power'
Mr Minuzzo wanted the garden to be somewhere people could meet, share stories and connect.
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people → want → stories
"Australia in my view is one of the best multicultural examples in the world," he said.
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he → say → world
Their membership spans generations, cultures and gardening experience, with long-term members sharing their knowledge with people just starting out.
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members → span → people
Chairperson Marina Birch, who took over the reins from Mr Minuzzo in 2022, said she was proud of the garden.
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she → take → garden
"The secret power of our garden is actually the retired community," she said.
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she → retire → garden
"They keep it going and without them we wouldn't be anywhere.
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we → keep → them
"But we do have a mix of families with young children, people not quite yet at retirement and a good variety of people from different countries as well."
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we → have → countries
"It has been so nice to meet local residents and learn from them and grow things I've never grown before," she said.
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she → meet → things
"It's clearly a huge legacy for Mario and all the people that have been involved.
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that → involve → Mario
"It's not been without a lot of hard work and I'm really grateful that they've put this effort in."
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they → put → effort
The garden's impact also extended beyond its boundaries.
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impact → extend → boundaries
Members grow produce specifically for charity and donate surplus fruit and vegetables to Pathway Community Centre, which partners with OzHarvest to help feed families in need.
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which → grow → need
The garden members has also been recognised for its contribution to the community, including winning the 2022 City of Tea Tree Gully Australia Day Award for Outstanding Community Group of the Year.
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members → recognise → Year