Ualani and Erica show judge Paul Crowe the school vegetable garden, which is looked after by one of a family of scarecrows.
By Mara Pattison-Sowden
STUDENTS jumped up waving and cheering as the big red helicopter landed on the Gruyere Primary School oval.
Those onboard were judges for the Victorian Schools’ Garden Awards because this was the third year in a row the school has reached the state finals.
Ualani and Erica were lucky enough to lead the judges around the school grounds to show off the different garden areas.
Ualani said she enjoyed showing the judges the school scarecrows, created in art class, and the orchard which was also new.
“The grade sixes look after the oval garden, the school entrance and the orchard,” she said.
“We go out weeding, planting and mulching to make it look good.”
Teacher Karen Johnston said there was a big community involvement with the parents at the school.
“We have a seed raising machine and we’re fixing up the oval bank with the money we won from the regional awards,” she said.
The school has won the regional award more than six times, and is automatically entered into the state award with 30 other regional school winners. The schools are visited by helicopter, which judge Paul Crowe said was good fun and something different for the students.
He said judging wasn’t based on the most aesthetic school ground but rather on improvements made to the school environment through the active involvement of students, teachers and the school community.
The state winners will be announced on 1 December at the Royal Botanic Gardens in Melbourne.
