New life growing on empty Salvation Army land in Canberra
Updated: 19 hours ago
BY LAUREN MARTIN
An empty piece of Salvation Army land in Canberra is now bursting with green shoots of fruit and vegetables, thanks to a community partnership with an urban farm project.
The Salvation Army has partnered with Café Stepping Stone and the Stepping Stone Urban Farm in Dickson, Canberra, to allow the social enterprise to use its vacant land adjacent to the café.
The initiative offers employment opportunities and tailored training to migrant and refugee women who face significant barriers to employment.
“It’s a brilliant concept,” said The Salvation Army’s Canberra Area Officer, Major Vannessa Garven.
Vannessa added that partnering with Stepping Stone was a “no-brainer” given the synergy between Stepping Stone and The Salvation Army’s mission to transform lives.
“We are just providing the land, but who knows where the partnership will lead … we want to develop greater connections.”
The Stepping Stone social enterprise cafe is the brainchild of Vanessa Brettell and Hannah Costello, who were named 2025 Australian of the Year Local Heroes.
It began in 2020 and now has two sites, supporting migrant and refugee women who face the greatest barriers to entering the Australian workforce.
In February 2025, Vanessa and Hannah began discussions with Fiona Buining, who completed her Churchill Fellowship in 2022, investigating urban farm ventures that provide vocational pathways for aspiring food growers. Her research took her to the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada and the Netherlands, where she was inspired to set up what she calls a “heart project” – an Urban Farm training program for people with barriers to employment.
Working with Stepping Stone in Canberra was an ideal fit.
“When we found out that the vacant land next to the Stepping Stone Café at Dickson was leased by The Salvation Army, we began to have conversations about its potential use for the program,” said Fiona.
“Robyn Black [NSW/ACT Divisional Commander] has been really instrumental in arranging it for us.”
A working bee in January 2026, in 40-degree heat, saw 20 garden beds established and the project commenced.
The Salvation Army has allowed the Stepping Stone Urban Farm initiative to use its land at Dickson, ACT, to provide training and employment opportunities for migrant and refugee women.
So far, five women have completed at least 12 weeks of Urban Farming, and one has already begun taking on additional landscaping work.
“We have created a really physically, emotionally and psychologically safe workspace,” said Fiona. “The women say they feel really safe and happy … as a team they go out on social outings together … their English is improving, and they are learning a lot.”
Recently, The Salvation Army increased the amount of land available to Stepping Stone’s Urban Farm, and another working bee was held to construct an extra 20 garden beds. This will double the amount of produce (for the adjacent café) and increase the number of paid Urban Farm Assistants.
“I know a bit about The Salvation Army,” said Fiona, “and I think the vision is very similar. Stepping Stone’s vision is to provide stepping stones for people to get into meaningful employment as well as supporting them on the journey of learning a language … [we want to] lift them up and support them on their journey.”
