Koala Rescue - Delungra Public School

 With less than 30 students, Delungra Public School had previously championed an initiative to protect koalas devastated by bushfires and drought. Students cared for the koalas' trees and set up water stations, and the school became a release point for koalas in the area.

After receiving a Sustainable School Grant, the school have been able to further their Koala Rescue program. Students and teachers have been helping the environment to recover propagate and grow koala-friendly seedlings to distribute to the community.

Despite the impacts of Covid-19 throughout the year, Koala Rescue continues to progress. A small greenhouse has been built, shelving has been set up and seedlings have been planted. These seedlings will be distributed throughout the community for residents to plant around their properties in an attempt to regenerate habitat and food for wildlife.

The project has enabled the school to empower student’s knowledge of sustainability strategies and teachers have used it as an opportunity to transform the school's curriculum.  Most excitingly, ABC Landline has been working with the school to document their heart-warming story. Watch the feature: ‘Koala Trees: School children helping save koalas’. 

Sensory Garden – Krambach Public School

“Our students and staff really stepped up and as a team working hard, we are so proud of our garden.” – Renae Durbin, Sensory Garden Coordinator, Krambach Public School

Covid-19 wasn’t going to stop Krambach Public School from bringing their sensory garden to life and improving the school’s sustainability. The now completed sensory garden is used as calm area for students during playtime and also an outdoor learning area where teachers can ignite student’s imaginations, engage them in learning activities and foster creativity.

With the cost of materials covered by the Sustainable Schools Grants, students and staff helped design and build three new garden beds including a bush tucker garden, butterfly garden and native bee sanctuary. Contemporary aboriginal artist, Lara Went from Yukal art worked with the school to create a rainbow serpent path and PVC pipe ball run. The students loved learning about Aboriginal culture and were proud to leave their own special mark on the garden. An oasis in the heart of the school grounds, the garden is also dotted with cheery ornaments, and a living green wall. An exciting place for kids and adults to connect with nature!

Bee Plus - Bonnet Bay Public School

Bonnet Bay Public School has developed a whole school project called Bee Plus which is based around increasing the numbers of native bees in the school and local area. Thanks to the Sustainable Schools Grants, the school was able to purchase two bee hives, safety equipment, tools, plants, signage, mulch, thermometers and pay for expert advice on establishing their bee hives.

During science lessons students worked to: build bee friendly gardens, design and build native bee ‘hotels,’ and create educational resources about local native bees.

As promised, the students have created their own educational resources about the life cycles, behaviours and needs of native bees as well as their importance as pollinators in our local and global ecology. Check out this video of students talking about the unique books that they authored and illustrated about the Bee Plus program.