Sustainability takes root at Bellerive Primary School

The school has recently completed its new “Welcome Garden”, an outdoor learning space where students grow and harvest fresh produce. Beside the garden sits a creatively repurposed shipping container that now serves as a kitchen for preparing and processing food grown on site.

Students from kindergarten to Grade 6 take part in the kitchen garden program each week, gaining practical experience in gardening, cooking and food preparation.

Teacher Yonna Pankiw, who leads the program, said it encourages students to spend more time outdoors and develop a deeper understanding of the journey from garden to table.

“It is so important for students to be outdoors, away from screens and connecting with nature and fresh produce,” she said.

“They see the produce go from garden to table.”

The program has also introduced many students to new foods and flavours.

“I had never tasted a radish before. It tastes good,” one student said.

Sustainability sits at the heart of the program, with students learning how to care for resources and reduce waste. During summer, one of the garden’s apricot trees produced more than 100 kilograms of fruit, inspiring lessons in food preservation as students made jams and fruit leathers using the excess produce.

Students also learn about composting and food waste. Every classroom has a compost bin for food scraps, which are then turned into nutrient-rich compost for the garden beds.

The program’s environmental focus is reflected throughout the space, with many structures built from recycled materials. Garden planters are made from wooden pallets, seating from old tyres and kitchen storage from repurposed drawers.

Beyond gardening and cooking, the program encourages creative, hands-on learning through art, storytelling and sensory play, helping students build confidence while exploring the natural world.

Using salvaged timber and other reclaimed materials, Yonna has also created a small outdoor theatre where students explore environmental themes through play and performances.

The Welcome Garden was developed with funding secured by a small group of parents through the school association, while ongoing support from Woolworths and Bunnings continues to provide equipment and materials. Excess produce is often sold at school events, with proceeds reinvested into the program to help it continue to grow.

The Bellerive Primary School Kitchen Garden Program has been nominated as this month’s Climate Champion by Clarence Climate Action.

Eastern Shore Sun, June 2026, page 9