Alive in the Hawkesbury

Alive! is well underway with 13 projects now funded across the Hawkesbury-Nepean region. From minimising waste to the construction of an artifical wetland, learn more about what each school and youth group is doing to create a sustainable future for our region. Below is a list of schools and their projects.

Bede Polding College

The members of Bede Polding College's Eco Group have been busy with setting up a closed loop model for capturing storm water through a water tank and using it for native seed plant propagation. They aim to use the seedlings at Landcare sites the school has adopted. 

Hawkesbury High School

The Student Landcare group at Hawkesbury High School have been working towards restoring animal and plant diversity and habitat in endangered Cumberland Plain Woodland (CPW) on their school property. Approximately six per cent of CPW remains in Western Sydney. The Student Landcare group has planted native species (especially ground and shrub layers) and removed weeds. In the process of this, they have also been educating their younger friends at Freemans Reach Public School about Landcare and how they too can take care of their local bushland. 

Colo High School

Colo High School is attracting native bird life into their school. The first step in achieving this was through mapping their school's current native habitat and conducting bird surveys. They have recently planted over 400 individual plants to regenerate an area that was badly overrun with introduced plants such as Privet and Cape Ivy. At the same time students in other classes have helped  by building bird boxes to place in the remnant woodland.

Xavier College

Xavier College is developing a whole school approach to addressing the issues of environmental sustainability. They are installing a shade cloth house which will be used for the propagation of plants from the Cumberland Plain Woodland. This project will form the beginning of an outdoor classroom and native garden to be completed in 2013.

Kurrajong Public School

Kurrajong Public's Green Team have been busy setting up their new wicking garden bed in their school grounds and developing a whole school approach to sustainability. They even had their own stall at the recent Kurrajong Scarecrow Festival where they sold their very own fresh produce from the garden.

Richmond Public School

The Green Team is leading the way at Richmond Public School! Richmond Public has developed a holistic approach to minimising waste at their school. They are reducing their waste and turning their organic waste into a resource through worm farms and compost bins. This in turn is helping to establish rich soil for their new fruit and vegetable garden.

Richmond North Public School

Avoid, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Dispose. These principles from the waste hierarchy are helping to guide Richmond North's implementation of a waste minimisation system. Their system will include 'nude food'  days and organic recycling of food scraps through worm farms.

Maraylya Public School

Maraylya Public School is building a school fruit and vegetable garden with support from the whole school community. Their aim is to educate their school community on the importance of growing their own food- good for your health and good for the environment.

Hawkesbury Girl Guides

The Hawkesbury Girl Guide Division which takes in Kurrajong, North Richmond, Richmond and Windsor Districts are working with The Australiana Pioneer Village to rejuvenate the Orchard at the Village by removing deceased fruit trees, preparing the ground with a green manure crop, and re-planting the trees.  Clearing of the orchard is currently underway with all hands on deck.

Saint Monica's Primary School

St Monica’s goal is to sustain the canteen with vegetables and to find ways to recycle paper. They have established groups in their school with special responsibilities:

• The Emu group keeps the school litter free by picking up rubbish                  
• The media group advertises not only to their school, but also to their community about what the school is doing and when their produce is for sale
• The sales group organises the selling of produce
• The gardeners take care of the gardens by planting and watering
• The composters use the organic waste inside the food scrap bins and worm farms to make compost
• The energy group monitors energy and water consumption

Hobartville Public School

Hobartville Public School has extended an existing indigenous forest, planting many native plants. The students have been busy learning about native birds from Keith Brandwood at Cumberland Bird Observers' Club and Holly and Jonathan at Birdlife Discovery Centre. They have also been busy constructing their own bird boxes to attract native birds to their school grounds.

Ebenezer Public School

How do you capture stormwater run off naturally? With a wetland of course! Ebenezer Public School is constructing their own artificial wetland. The wetland area will be planted with aquatic natives – both in the water and along the drainage points. These will act as filters to improve water quality. The excess water will then be pumped back into the school's kitchen gardens. The wetland will be a very valuable teaching tool for students to learn about water, aquatic plants, biodiversity, catchments and so much more.

Bligh Park Public School

Bligh Park has reconstructed a conservation trail through remnant Cumberland Plain Woodland on the school site. The project was also chosen to protect the endangered 'Hairy Wattle' which grows there.The school hopes that this trail will not only raise awareness to preserve their local native bushland but also be a place for students to connect with and learn about their local environment.