The late Mr Brooks’ photo and gardening tip was chosen by a panel of judges from the Yellow Pages, White Pages and the Australian City Farms and Community Gardens Network.

OEC Community Garden’s Lorna Dicks said she wasn’t surprised to hear the gardener had been chosen for the front. It was a great photo and he was a great man, she said.

“He was an original member of the community garden. He drove into the paddock on Macquarie Street with a hoe over his shoulder. He may have been our oldest member but he was the most energetic and the hardest working,” Ms Dicks said.

“He was gardening his whole life. It was only in the last couple of months that he wasn’t able to drive himself to the garden.”

As well as having his image sent to homes and businesses in Dubbo, Parkes, Forbes, Wellington, Cobar and Coonamble, a gardening tip will appear on the inside front cover.