Science and Sustainable Living

We live in such an amazing natural environment. Environmental science and sustainable living are therefore a major focus for our school. Our school grounds contain a natural wetland environment and the development of viewing areas and boardwalks enables students to interact more closely with this precious area and the animals, birds and plants that inhabit it.

The vegetable garden, orchard and chook sheds are valuable teaching and learning spaces where students learn practical skills and begin observations of key ecosystem processes, life cycles, nutrients, and water cycling. Having a vegetable garden at the school is a great way to engage all the students and the community in physical activity, awakening their curiosity about how things grow, challenging them to try different foods, and teaching responsibility. 

Students have completed a biodiversity audit of our school grounds and then worked with Landcare to plant hundreds of trees, shrubs and grasses along the edge of the property creating a diverse habitat garden and native corridor. Nesting boxes (generously donated by Phillip Island Nature Parks are specifically built to encourage rosellas, lorikeets and pardalotes), lizard lounges (rocks, logs and plants specially chosen for our local lizards and skinks were carefully placed to increase the biodiversity of our school grounds) and bee hotels (to encourage native bees) have also been created and installed in these areas by the students.

Junior students have also designed and built colour, butterfly and sensory gardens.  

Support and donations from Landcare, Westernport Water, Phillip Island Nature Parks, Resource Smart Schools, Tree Bank, RSL, Bunnings, Victorian Schools Garden Program Sensory Garden Grant ….. Are gratefully acknowledged.