While it has been nine weeks since café managers Leon McAsey and Joel Raglus took up residence in the unique double-storey building, the official opening of the Gargarro Botanic Gardens will not be until May 10.
The café partners and Girgarre Development Committee’s Jan Smith were last week preparing for the ceremony at 11.30am on Wednesday, May 10 to officially rubber stamp the stage-two completion of the precinct.
From the front lawns of the calming and serene setting, Mrs Smith said following the stage-one completion of the community soundshell project, and the soon-to-be opened second stage, the Gargarro management committee would be seeking financial support for another four stages to complete the project.
“We made a decision a long time ago that we would save our money for something significant, but we never thought that this was where we would end up,” Mrs Smith said.
“We’ve been pretty blown away by its success and the café has well and truly exceeded our expectations.
“While we always knew it was going to be successful, this is next level.”
She said if she had her time again, she would build the café bigger.
“We identified there was a lack of options for older people, somewhere comfortable and quiet, with quality food and service to match,” Mrs Smith said.
Girgarre Development Committee has a 20-year history of co-ordinating local activities, and Mrs Smith said it was made up of representatives of all the major stakeholders in the community.
Being able to move with the times during the past 20 years has enabled the development group to cash in on its latest success.
And, through the widespread appeal of its new showpiece, it is attracting a diverse range of people and groups through the door.
The café managers and development committee have nurtured the relationship to the point that Gargarro Botanic Gardens has become one of the district’s must-visit locations.
“What has really blown us away is the distance people are travelling to visit us,” Mr McAsey said.
“And the comments they are leaving in the book are all so positive.
“We’ve had a Probus club, a car club, a garden group, Landcare and we even have our first wedding booked for October.
“My dad is having his 80th here on May 21.”
The café hosted an after-game event for the Girgarre Football Netball Club where 80 people enjoyed the facilities upstairs.
The café has become a popular meeting place, further enhancing the recent expansion of the tiny community.
Mrs Smith said relationships with significant business operators had also firmed up the future of the area.
One of the organisations that used to call Girgarre home, Heinz, will be represented at the opening after agreeing to gift the 24 acres on which the Gargarro Botanic Gardens was developed to the development group.
Within that came a large water right to ensure the summer survival of the project.
“Their generosity allowed us to build this project, so we are happy they are coming to the opening,” Mrs Smith said.
