General News
14 June, 2026
A garden worth sharing
Steve Gliese was supposed to open his garden in spring. The plants would be bigger, the ponds more established and the vision he had spent years building on his Pomonal Road property would be closer to complete. But Steve knows he won’t be here in spring.
Diagnosed with stage four cancer last year, the former organic grower and alpaca breeder recently stopped treatment after chemotherapy and immunotherapy failed to halt the disease’s progression.
Instead, he turned his attention to the garden.
The 40-acre property he shares with wife Glenda has become the focus of his final major project, with ponds, pathways, native plantings and wildlife habitat taking shape across the property.
“I really wanted to wait another six months until it was established,” he said.
“Everything’s still small now in my eyes because I visualise the plant two metres high, two and a half metres wide.
“But I won’t be here in six months.”
This Sunday’s open garden day is partly about sharing that work with the community and partly about supporting the Stawell Hospital Oncology Department, where Steve received treatment.
All proceeds from the event will be donated to the department, with Steve hoping to help fund a treatment trolley for the oncology nurses who cared for him.
“They’re all angels out there,” he said.
The garden helped carry him through the past year.
“At the end of the day, I was so happy and satisfied with what I achieved,” he said.
“It gave me something to get up for tomorrow morning.”
Steve hopes the day will also send a message to others facing serious illness.
“Don’t give up,” he said.
“Do something. Learn something. Build something.
“Don’t just lie in bed asking, ‘Why me?’”
The open garden will be held at 340 Pomonal Road from 10am to 4pm on Sunday. A food truck and assorted refreshments will be available, with all donations going to the Stawell Hospital Oncology Department.
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