The Victorian Schools Garden Program is proud to recognise Marilyn Battour of Karingal Primary School as the 2025 School Garden Champion!
Through her boundless energy and generosity, Marilyn has transformed a simple patch of ground into a flourishing community garden and living classroom. Families and community partners have been drawn in, making the garden a truly shared space of learning, sustainability, and connection.
As a grandmother and devoted volunteer, Marilyn has created a legacy that will inspire for years to come, a thriving centre where curiosity, learning, and community grow side by side.
From left to right – Eliana Williams (Karingal Primary School student), Samantha Cooke (Karingal Primary School principal), Marilyn Battour (2025 School Garden Champion), Costa Georgiadis, Craig Taberner (VSGP Chairman) and Ben Clark (Kuranga Native Nursery owner).
This year, a whooping 43 heartfelt nominations from schools across Victoria we received. Each nominee demonstrated passion, creativity, and an unwavering commitment to nurturing both gardens and young minds, making the judging process inspiring yet extremely challenging. All school garden specialist share devotion and commitment to the cause, which goes above and beyond the role.
| Michael Coates | Alvie Primary School |
| Clare Davies | Armadale Primary School |
| Megan De kook | Armstrong Creek School, Geelong |
| Jamie Briones (Mr) | Aspendale Gardens Primary School |
| David Gorton | Bacchus Marsh Grammar (Maddingley Campus) |
| Adam Herft | Bentleigh Secondary College |
| Mark Chludzinski | Botanic Ridge Primary School |
| Noel and Jenni Blencowe | Brunswick South Primary School |
| Courtney Jewel | Bundoora Primary School |
| Mark Jones | Buninyong Primary School |
| Steven Taylor | Cardross Primary School |
| Desley Insall | Collingwood College |
| Susie Parkes | Doncaster Gardens Primary School |
| Justine Gooding | Drouin West Primary School |
| Marina Stahl | Eastwood Primary School |
| Zoe Beckett | Elliminyt Primary School |
| Sharyn Brown | Gilson College, Taylors Hill |
| Michelle Cluadio | Goodstart Frankston South |
| Elisha Pearce | Heany Park Primary School, Rowville |
| Wilma Honeysett | Holy Trinity Primary School, Wantirna South |
| Marilyn Battour – WINNER | Karingal Primary School |
| Katelyn Smith | Karoo Primary School, Rowville |
| Colin Cameron | Merrivale Primary, Warrnambool |
| Leanne Hodge | Nilma Primary School |
| Candice Epp | Poowong Consolidated School |
| Cathryn Templeton | Red Rock Christian College, Sunbury |
| Jayalakshmi Parasuraman | Sirius College, Keysborough |
| Belinda Cooper and Anna Harmes | St Aloysius Primary School, Redan |
| Will Madden | St Brendan’s Primary School, Flemington |
| Russell Dykes | St Georges Road Primary School, Shepparton |
| Christian der Kinderen | St John the Baptist School, Ferntree Gully |
| Frank Overberg | St Louis de Montfort’s School, Aspendale |
| Corey Donnellon | St Mary’s Primary School, Donald |
| Russell Sturtevant | St Peter’s Primary School, Epping |
| Isobel Harper | St Pius X Primary School, Heidelberg West |
| Shelley Willoughby | Sydney Road Community School, Brunswick |
| Trevor Roelofs (Mr Trev) | The Lake Primary School, Cabarita |
| Tresa Mintram | Torquay P-6 College |
| Kim Aitken | Tucker Road Bentleigh Primary School |
| Kat Stamelos | Wallington Primary School, Wallington |
| Jill Dowling | Wandin Yallock Primary School, Wandin North |
| Rebecca Tyler-Brennan | Yarram Secondary College |