On Monday 26 October, we celebrated the official opening of the Indigenous Garden and EcoLink Multipurpose Track, the culmination of many years of work by many people across our school.

The celebrations included an official welcome, a ribbon cutting, a walk around the track and a screening of the documentary made by local filmmaker Colleen Hughson with select students, followed by a delicious morning tea catered by Leanne.

The Indigenous Garden began in 2024, led by Mr Gordon and the Karrang Thookay (Gumtree Children) Indigenous students, with the support of our Hands on Learning (HOL) team and Grade 5/6 students. It includes many wonderful native plants and beautiful totem poles, designed by Karrang Thookay members in conjunction with Indigenous artist Sherry Johnstone and painted by year 7 student Destinee Kelly. 

At the heart of the garden is our Yarning Circle. Yarning circles have been used by First Nations communities for thousands of years as places to tell stories, share information and knowledge, protect beliefs and culture, and find ways to solve problems. Our Yarning Circle is a place for students to come together, feel connected to nature and connect with each other.

Planning for the multipurpose track also began in 2024 and was spearheaded by Mrs Quinlan, who successfully applied for a $30,000 grant from Active Schools to fund the project. The track follows the contours of our school boundary and meanders between our beautiful stands of native trees, making it a wonderful space to walk, jog or ride a bike.

In 2026, we joined forces with Anthea and Chon from GreenPrint Projects, in partnership with GPG Naturgy Group and Moyne Shire Council. Over six weeks in Term 3, they worked with students and staff to revegetate the track and gardens. Together we planted over 450 trees and shrubs, introduced 29 new species and created new habitat for local wildlife.
Each phase of the track was named by students and labelled with hand-crafted signs they designed and made. Specific plants were chosen for each section for different purposes. For example, the Spark Stopper section was planted with species chosen to help in bushfire conditions.
Working with HOL staff Mark and Shannon, our HOL students created nesting boxes and insect homes to put up in trees around the track and built a lovely wooden bench that sits in Spark Stopper. Destinee and Sheree also worked together to create a map of the different parts of the track, drawn from an Indigenous perspective.

Throughout the project, students learned about the importance of caring for Country and about the native plants being planted around the track to soften its edges and create ecosystems where native animals and insects can thrive.

Primary students enjoyed learning how native plants can be used in baking, and tried some delicious lemon myrtle cake. They also made insect homes and birds’ nests, and even made bush-flavoured ice creams. Secondary students learned how to test soil to make sure the plants will grow, and got hands-on with practical skills, working together to create a healthier, more biodiverse place for everyone to enjoy.

To capture all of this wonderful work, select students in Years 8–10 worked with Colleen Hughson, learning interview techniques, camera angles and shots. Together they created a documentary that tells the story of this phase of the project, which you can watch here: https://bit.ly/3UDU8BP

This has been a significant project for our school, creating valuable opportunities for students to connect with the environment, learn about Indigenous perspectives and care for our local landscape. We want to thank everyone involved in the creation of this wonderful space for all their hard work in bringing the project to life.