Victorian Schools Garden Program

Every school a garden, every garden a classroom.

You are here: Home / Archives for News

2024 School Garden Champion

By

This year, the Victorian Schools Garden Program introduced a School Garden Champion award for those unsung heroes of the school garden, the garden educator/volunteers who go above and beyond to make their school garden program thrive for the benefit of the students and school community.

To our surprise, we were thrilled to receive an impressive 24 nominees, but it made judging incredibly challenging as each nominee truly stood out, demonstrating exceptional dedication and going above and beyond in their role within their school garden.

List of 2024 School Garden Champion Award nominees: 

Bryan Hunter Athol Road Primary School
Chris Flynn Bayswater Secondary College
Jane Barnett Carrum Primary School
Yvonne Kerr Cheltenham East Primary School
Peter Falkner Cohuna St Mary’s Primary School
Desley Insall Collingwood College
Catherine Campbell East Bentleigh Primary School
Kristyn Preen Glen Waverley Secondary College
Kristyn Preen Glen Waverley Secondary College
Cameron Adgar Jackson School
Jane Honey Mount Macedon Primary School
Steve Gray Newborough East Primary School
Ann Skeete Our Lady’s Primary School Surrey Hills
Andrew Walker Parade College Bundoora
Cathryn Templeton Red Rock Christian Colege
Aga Jones Riddells Creek Primary School
Denise Webb St Liborius Primary Eaglehawk
Frank Overberg St Louis de Montfort’s PS, Aspendale
Franceen Inness St Mary’s Primary Inglewood
Belinda White Tanjil South Primary School
Karina Bruce Vermont South Special School
Jill Dowling (Farmer) Wandin Yallock Primary School
Allesha Gardner Warrnambool East Primary School
Stephen McNeight Wendouree Primary School

2024 School Garden Champion – Bryan Hunter

An exceptional educator and a true school garden champion, Bryan has for over 12 years poured his heart into creating a vibrant, educational garden that has become a cornerstone of learning and sustainability at Athol Road Primary School in Springvale South.

Bryan not only teaches gardening and specialty skills like grafting, pruning, and espalier, but inspires curiosity, connecting students to nature. He has turned the garden into a hands-on classroom where students learn more than about plants but about sustainable living and innovative designs like aquaponics systems, crop rotation, vertical gardens, and wicking beds. He’s also enriched the ecosystem with bee hives, wetlands, and an onsite farm. He empowers students, listens to their ideas, and involves families through fresh produce markets and the Hunter Community Garden. His dedication goes beyond school days to weekends and holidays.

Bryan’s work has inspired students, staff, and families to appreciate the importance of sustainability and the beauty of nature.

Shining Success at the 47th Victorian Schools Garden Award Presentation Ceremony

By

The Royal Botanic Gardens’ Oak Lawns was the perfect backdrop for a memorable 47th Victorian Schools Garden Award Presentation Ceremony, offering an inspiring setting surrounded by nature’s beauty with the sun shining and 400 students, teachers, sponsors, and special guests in attendance.

 

Schools from across the state gathered to

celebrate their school garden achievements and to learn which award their school had received.  This year, 38 successful schools will share in over $46,000 worth of funds and garden products, enabling them to continue developing their green spaces and enriching student experiences. Congratulations to all the participants for their outstanding efforts in outdoor education and sustainability!

The three state finalists this year, each showcasing distinct approaches to their school garden programs but achieving transformative learning experiences, were St James Parish Primary School in Sebastopol, East Bentleigh Primary School and Keilor Downs College.

St James Primary School students with Parliamentary Secretary of Education, Nina Taylor MP

Taking the top honour, St James Parish Primary School received the prestigious Kevin Heinze Perpetual Award for their exceptional efforts. The school’s native habitat garden serves as a vibrant outdoor classroom, enhancing cross-curricular learning and offering a dedicated nature play area that fosters students’ connection to the earth and their local Indigenous community.

 

The Victorian Schools Garden Program encourages all schools to view their outdoor spaces as an opportunity to extend learning beyond the classroom. These green spaces not only provide engaging, hands-on educational experiences but also support the health and well-being of students, making them vital to every school and student’s development.

Click here to view 2024 VSGP Awards Results

 

The VSGP would like to extend our gratitude to all our sponsors for their generous support and belief in the importance of school garden programs. Together, we are sowing the seeds for a greener, healthier, and more sustainable future.

 

Find out how a school garden, can plant seeds of health, wellbeing, knowledge, and community right in your own school yard!

By

Find out how a school garden, can plant seeds of health, wellbeing, knowledge, and community right in your own school yard!

This event will be an opportunity for garden specialists and their Principal or Business Manager to feast on a delicious breakfast, while hearing from a hand-picked selection of remarkable educators on how garden programs can be an integral part of a school’s curriculum and success.

Guest speakers include Principals, school garden specialists and teachers from across the state as well as special guest, Costa Georgiadis. These speakers will share their stories, successes and failures and how their gardens are an integral piece to everything they do.

Find out more

 

Award Judging Begins

By

With the Award entries closing in late September, the VSGP committee has been busy judging the 85 entries from 58 schools across the state, to determine this year’s winners.

Judging is never easy, especially with so many schools undertaking amazing garden projects or running inspirational school garden programs.

The ‘Best Edible Garden’ sponsored by Maxicrop and our new category ‘Best School Habitat Garden’ sponsored by Horticulture Media Association Australia were the most popular this year, with these gardens providing a clear link to learning.

We are looking forward to celebrating the achievements of schools with students and teachers, at our Award Presentation Ceremony which will be held on Thursday 21st November, on the Oak Lawn at the Melbourne Royal Botanic Gardens.

Garden Funds Available through Awards Program

By

If you have an existing school/kinder garden program or project, the Awards Program offers another way to receive funds and recognition for your garden endeavours.

Gardens don’t necessarily need to be big or beautiful to enter but should promote the engagement of students in practical activities which foster learning, wellbeing and community pride.

There are 12 different categories to enter and over $46,500 worth of prizes to win.

Entries are now open and close on Friday 13 September.

Visit Awards (vsgp.org.au) for more information.

 

Contact us

Tania Karamitos
Program Co-ordinator
Victorian Schools Garden Awards
Phone: 03 9576 0599
Fax: 03 9576 0431
Email: vsgp@ngiv.com.au