Metford Public Schools is one of 29 Hunter Valley schools receiving Junior Landcare grants from the Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC) this week.
The program invited Hunter Valley and regional NSW schools neighbouring the freight rail network to pitch their environmental ideas for funding. ARTC recently announced a total of nearly $30,000 worth of funding would be provided to deliver the exciting school projects and promote safe rail behaviours.
Students at Metford Public School hope to see an increase in the range of local native fauna by planting a native food plant garden. Their garden will provide opportunities for students, teachers and the community to learn about native edible plants and Indigenous foods.
In addition to Maitland area schools receiving grants, other successful schools are spread across the Hunter Valley and regional NSW including Narrabri in the north, to Narromine and Dubbo in the south. (See complete list below) A broad range of projects are being funded including veggie gardens, permaculture gardens, native gardens, worm farms, recycling projects and sensory gardens.
Landcare Partnership Manager, Adin Lang said, “Junior Landcare grants encourage young people to play an active role in ensuring the safe future of their environment and to develop a sense of responsibility to the land and other natural resources that they will inherit in future years ahead.”
Wayne Johnson, ARTC’s Group Executive Hunter Valley said the program also offers a great opportunity to encourage safe behaviours of students and parents around the busy railway. “We regularly have train drivers report trespass sightings of school students and we think initiatives like this provide an opportunity to open dialogue with schools and build respect for the railway.”
ENDS
For more information, please contact:
Valerie Woods, Landcare Australia
02 8440 8809
valerie.woods@landcareaustralia.com.au
About Landcare Australia
Landcare Australia is a not-for-profit organisation with a vision of all Australians actively caring for the land and water that sustain us. For over 25 years, Landcare Australia has worked collaboratively with federal, state and local governments, corporate partners and sponsors, and individuals, to build capacity for the Landcare community to better manage Australia’s crucial land and water assets.
Landcare Australia delivers hundreds of projects annually through the volunteer efforts of local community groups, Indigenous groups, and the more than 5,400 Landcare and Coastcare groups that make up the Landcare movement. Visit landcareaustralia.org.au for more information.
Full list of schools to receive ARTC Junior Landcare Grants:
| School | Location | Project type |
| Blandford Public | Blandford | Vegetable garden |
| Boggabri Public School | Boggabri | Native garden |
| Branxton Public School | Branxton | Vegetable garden, Orchard |
| Carinya Christian School | Carinya | Composting |
| Denman Public School | Denman | Vegetable garden, native garden |
| Dubbo South Public School | Dubbo | Bush Tucker Garden |
| East Maitland Public School | East Maitland | Composting, chicken coop |
| G S Kidd Memorial School | Gunnedah | Sensory garden |
| Gillieston Public School | Gillieston Heights | Vegetable garden |
| Gunnedah South Public School | Gunnedah | Sensory Garden |
| Hunter River Community School | Metford | Sensory garden |
| M.E.T Campus | East Maitland | Bush Tucker garden |
| Maitland Christian School | Metford | Recycling project |
| Metford Primary School | Metford | Bush Tucker garden |
| Mullaley Public School | Mullaley | Native garden |
| Muswellbrook Public School | Muswellbrook | Sensory garden |
| Narrabri Public School | Narrabri | Propagation project |
| Narromine Christian School | Narromine | Vegetable garden, composting, Orchard project |
| Nillo Infants School | Lorn | Sensory garden |
| Parkes Public School | Parkes | Native garden |
| Peak Hill Central School | Peak Hill | Worm farm, Vegetable garden |
| Rosary Park Catholic School | Branxton | Vegetable garden |
| Sandy Hollow | Sandy Hollow | Native garden |
| St Catherine’s Catholic College | Singleton | Frog pond, Native garden |
| St Mary’s Primary School Dubbo | Dubbo | Citrus orchard |
| St Mary’s Primary School, Scone | Scone | Dry Creek bed garden |
| St Michael’s Catholic Primary School | Dunedoo | Native garden |
| Werris Creek Public School | Werris Creek | Native garden |
| Willow Tree Public School | Willow Tree, NSW | Vegetable Garden |