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Cobargo Public School International Year of Plant Health Bush Tucker Garden

2020 was a tumultuous year, starting in December/January with bushfires, followed the global pandemic, COVID-19, which resulted in restrictions to people’s movement, disrupting our everyday lives.

The team at International Year of Plant Health Australia approached the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney Youth Community Greening Team to partner together to create a bush tucker garden in a bush fire affected community.

Following review and discussions with Cobargo Public School, a site was set and the project began.

Bush Tucker Garden Site
The front of the school was selected as the new site for the International Year of Plant Health Bush Tucker Garden.
Cobargo Public School Yarning Circle
The Yarning Circle was recently created and the students aim to connect the existing garden to the new garden at the front of the school.
Young people face many challenges framing their future, including building their sense of identity as they interact with, and encounter a changing world. Students and the community of Cobargo have had to deal with additional ongoing challenges as a result of the devastating fires.
Gillian Park, Cobargo Public School

Planning the garden

 

With community members not permitted in schools with COVID restrictions, Brenden Moore (Aboriginal Community Greening Officer and Steve Buckley (AEO Bermagui Primary School) talked to the whole school about their connections to native plants and culture. Brenden played the didgeridoo and discussed culture around plants, whilst Steve talked about the local stories and landmarks and culture specific to the region.

This was followed up with a PowerPoint showcasing successful garden creations at other schools to provide inspiration. All of the students drew their own design of the space including plants and other aspects of the design.

Peter Dawe, Youth Community Greening Leader discussing with the students different types of garden designs.

Aboriginal Community Greening Officer, Brenden Moore assisting kids with the designing phase

 

Let's get started!

A place to discover

Signage for the garden has been researched and designed by the students showcasing plants and their range of uses such as tucker, fibre, tools & weapons, medicine and grain.

The students also worked with Indigenous Yuin artist, Natalie Bateman to paint and install totem poles in the bush tucker garden. 

Still to come in 2021!

The signage designed by the students will be installed in early 2021, tune in for the update in Term One.

The Cobargo Public School Bush Tucker Garden is proudly sponsored by: