News – Page 2

Superhero Scarecrows Assemble at Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show

29/03/2025 By Tania Karamitos

This year’s Sustainable Scarecrow Competition attracted 50 entries from Victorian schools and kindergartens, showcasing superhero scarecrows made from repurposed, recycled, and reused materials.

Displayed along the Southern Drive of the Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show, the Garden Superheroes theme encouraged participants to design scarecrows that embody heroic figures protecting gardens from pests and promoting plant health.

Nina Taylor, Parliamentary Secretary for Education, judged the finalists, with Sustainable Circe Shielding SKiPPS from St Kilda Park Primary School taking the top spot. This magical guardian, crafted from discarded objects like gumboots, netting, keys, pencils, and cake beaters, impressed with its imaginative use of materials.

Winning Entries

1st Place

St Kilda Park Primary School

Sustainable ‘Circe’ Shielding SKiPPS

A mythological guardian crafted from discarded materials.

Photo of Nina Taylor, Parliamentary Secretary for Education and Craig Taberner, VSGP Chairman awarding winning scarecrow Circe.

2nd Place

St Joseph’s Primary School, Sorrento

Texta Robo Bob

A robot made from recycled foam, glue sticks, and markers.

3rd Place

St Bridget’s Primary School, Gisborne

Brigitron

A futuristic protector blending tradition with sustainability.

People’s Choice

St Augustine’s Primary School

Captain Defender

Photo of Emma Vulin Member of Parliament and Craig Taberner, VSGP Chairman with Captain Defender

The general public cast their votes at the show for their favorite superhero scarecrow, with Emma Vulin, Member of Parliament, awarding the People’s Choice ribbon to Captain Defender, the creation of St Augustine’s Primary School in Keilor.

The Sustainable Scarecrow Competition remains a powerful platform for educating both young and older minds about the value of sustainability and creative recycling in shaping a more eco-conscious world.

With thanks to our own garden heroes, the 2025 Sustainable Scarecrows competition was made possible with support from Proteaflora, Shapescaper and Coolabah Turf.

School Garden Grants Available!

16/03/2025 By Tania Karamitos

The VSGP Grants Program encourages schools to start new gardens or repair existing gardens by providing funding through nursery vouchers or provision of products to use for school garden projects.

This year there is over $46,000 worth of vouchers and products to be distributed.

A new and improved grant application system has been implemented to streamline and simplify the entry process for users.

Applications are now open and close on Thursday 24 April 2024 at 5 pm.

Click here to see the Grant categories available this year.

2024 School Garden Champion

06/01/2025 By Tania Karamitos

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.

The Principals’ Breakfast – Cultivating Leaders to Grow School Gardens

06/01/2025 By Tania Karamitos

The Principal’s Breakfast on Monday morning was a resounding success, inspiring attendees with ideas and strategies to enhance school gardens. The event brought together a diverse group of principals, school garden specialists, and teachers, fostering a vibrant sharing of knowledge and experiences.

A lineup of speakers shared personal stories, highlighting the triumphs and challenges of building and maintaining school gardens while integrating them into the curriculum. Special guest Costa Georgiadis’ infectious passion for gardening and sustainability captivated the audience with a heartfelt message encouraging attendees to lead with the heart, to grow from the ground up and make a difference for generations to come.

Sponsors of the breakfast Plantfulness, believe children need to understand the earth and enjoy the health and benefits of gardens. They support projects with resources and knowledge.

Key takeaways included:

Learn Together: If you don’t know how, learn alongside students.
Student-Centered Design: Involve children in envisioning and shaping the garden.
Integrated Learning: Use every garden task as a learning opportunity – identify, research, and solve problems.
Leadership Matters: While passionate garden educators are essential, strong support from principals is crucial for success.

The morning was a celebration of the enduring value of gardens as an integral part of school life and learning. It encouraged commitment to nurturing both gardens and young minds, inspiring a collective vision for sustainable education and student health and wellbeing.

Missed it this year? Don’t worry – next year’s Principals’ Breakfast will be bigger, better, and greener.

Event sponsors

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

21/11/2024 By Tania Karamitos

The Royal Botanic Gardens’ Oak Lawns was the perfect backdrop for a memorable 47^th 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.

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.

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