The 'Cherry Chatter' is a volunteer based community newsletter.
The Cherry Chatter was created to serve our community.
From the June edition in 1992 the Cherry Chatter has always been full of interesting goings on within the district and has given locals the opportunity to keep in touch, be a sounding board on important issues when needed, an advertiser for local businesses and for functions and as the Cherry Chatter grew we have been able to organise community activities and events such as the ANZAC Day services and the Christmas BBQ at the Rec Ground and importantly support other community organisations and clubs with donations for important infrastructure and needs.
Some of our donations – with your support – include:
Sponsorship of the local football club
Donation to the CFS towards purchase of a portable 2-way radio
Donation to the local Netball club to purchase additional chairs as a result of COVID restrictions.
Donation to the CFS Air Support group for materials to build a volunteer shelter.
Purchase of a defibrillator for the CFS
Equipment for Sturt Group CFS trucks
A Pool Table for the CFS volunteers
A large screen TV for the Rec Ground
A screen for the Video Projector at the Rec Ground
A BBQ for the Netball Club
Fridge for the Hall
A donation to the Hall for the re-roofing project
Purchase of a new floor polisher for the Hall
Funding to the CFS for a water tank and structure for training
Donations to Minton Farm for various needs
Sponsor of the IBCG football club
Training tops and bibs for local Netball club
BBQ for Memorial Hall
2 Exhaust fans for kitchen at Rec Ground
Equipment for CFS trucks
New 2 way radio for CFS
TV for volunteers at CFS
Prizes and trophies for Marion Riding Club
Thermal Imaging Camera for the CFS
Weights for football club training room and gym
Freezer for Netball Club
PA and Sound System for the Rec Ground
Large Fridge for the Rec Ground Bar
Spinal Recovery Board for the CFS
New Entrance Sign for Recreation Ground and Sporting Clubs
As well as making donations over the years our organisation has followed the original objects and been at the centre of most things going on within the Cherry Gardens district including:
Continuously publishing monthly newsletters for more than 26 years
Organising community events and functions such as:
ANZAC Day services and breakfast
Community Christmas functions at the Rec Ground
Community Fairs
Spotlight on history of the district evenings at the Hall
An Oral History project on Cherry Gardens and Ironbank
Collecting and cataloguing old photos of the district and the early families
Researching the WW1 soldiers from the district and writing a book on them
For the 100 year anniversary of the start of WW1 getting a replica WW1 honour board made for the Memorial Hall
Representing the local community when issues arise
Creating a website for the Cherry Gardens District
Running a Facebook page for Cherry Chatter
The Cherry Chatter newsletter is published 11 times per year and distributed to around 350 households. PLEASE TAKE NOTE: Opinions and articles printed in the Cherry Chatter are not necessarily shared by the members of the Cherry Chatter Committee. The Cherry Chatter Committee will not approve any controversial article for publishing unless the name and address of the author is supplied.
How you can help
join us at events, such as the Anzac day community BBQ
contribute stories to the newsletter
advertise in the Cherry Chatter
volunteer with the committee
How it all started
The foundations of the Cherry Chatter go back many years. A very long time ago the local school published a few community newsletters but not many of them have survived the years.
In August 1981 the committee of the Memorial Hall published the first Cherry Gardens newsletter and it was a one page flyer with information on an upcoming Bush Dance, a Back to Cherry Gardens Strawberry Fair to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the hall, a CWA luncheon and a message from the president, Clem Pope. Of course even back then Max Ricks reported the rainfall for the month!
In July 1983 the Cherry Gardens Community Association was incorporated and they continued to publish the local newsletter until April 1991 when the committee decided to disband and stop publishing a newsletter.
After one year without a newsletter and with their being no delivery of the Advertiser or Sunday mail or even the Messenger paper a group of interested locals got together early in 1992 and decided to start a new community newsletter. Over a few red wines and after talking to others from Cherry Gardens it was decided that we would call it the Cherry Chatter.
The first edition came out in May 1992 and just like the first one printed by the Memorial Hall it was just a one pager. In June 1992 the Cherry Chatter was incorporated and the objectives were to promote the interests of the local community of Cherry Gardens and to establish and carry on a newsletter for the benefit of the local community.
Where is Cherry Gardens?
Only 23 kilometres from Adelaide CBD, just a short drive from Blackwood but surrounded by cows, sheep, horses and beautiful open country combined with scrubland and heaps of native wildlife - watch out for those kangaroos on the road at night!
Living in Cherry Gardens
Cherry Gardens has it all (except for a local store). Our nearest store is in Blackwood – 9 kilometres away. We have a Community Hall (check out what's on in Events, Community Activities and Local Sport), a Recreation Ground and Club, which caters for cricket and tennis in the summer and football and netball in the winter. Blackwood Golf Course is also situated here, a friendly club with beautiful grounds.
A number of landholders are city people who have chosen to live in Cherry Gardens for the clean air and the quiet lifestyle.
There are many activities put on by the local community as you will see when you explore this website. You will also find our "List of Services" here. Cherry Gardens has an interesting history too.