The Rotary Club of Redcliffe Sunrise has received a Federal grant to work with three local schools in the establish indigenous nature gardens.
In preparation for undertaking the programmed works, ESRAG [Environmental Sustainability Rotary Action Group] [an arm of Rotary Redcliffe Sunrise Inc] has already garnered support from local environmental and community volunteers. We are also involving two state high schools and one independent school:
- Redcliffe State High School
- Clontarf Beach State High School
- Edu Space Redcliffe [RAYS]
Some places to start to enhance your property for nature are BackYards for Biodiversity.
A smaller project such as planting Indigenous gardens on school grounds is a satisfactory precursor for student volunteers to undertake prior to their involvement in the larger re-nativisation programme.
Clontarf Beach State High School (CBSHS )has a couple of large, empty raised garden beds adjacent to their Eco-Centre and visible from the road (Isobel Street). This is a suitable place for Indigenous horticulture. In addition, natives may be substituted for non-natives cultivated in the Eco-Centre’s aquaponics system (nutrition from fish waste), an arrangement similar to the CSIRO Research Centre at Woorim, albeit on a smaller scale.
Redcliffe State High School (RSHS) offers several relevant extension subjects for students including:
- Food Specializations — a variety of food related activities, including maintenance of a kitchen garden, composting, sustainability and practical cookery lessons
- Hospitality — catering for small functions and soft drink production with a focus on nutrition principles, knowledge about the characteristics and properties of food, food selection and preparation and contemporary technology-related food issues.
- Certificate III in Food Processing (Microbrewing)
The growing, cooking and presentation of Indigenous foods could feature as part of the syllabus. The school is already experimenting with Indigenous botanicals in making craft beers. The brewery is open to the public on Wednesdays and Fridays so school-grown botanicals can be made available to local brewers as well. The brewery is also visible from the road (Klingner Road).
Both the CBSHS gardens and the RSHS brewery are visible from the road, Isobel Street, Clontarf and Klingner Road, Redcliffe respectively.
Project signage with grant funding acknowledgement can be affixed to the fence line at Isobel Street, Clontarf and Klingner Road, Redcliffe respectively.
Project Outcome
Drawing on expertise from the Queensland Government DETSI - Regional Ecosystem (endemic and natives), City of Moreton Bay Native Plants & Ecosystems, Kumbartcho Nurseries (Jay Schieder, Environmental Conservation Manager), and Murri Tukka – Traditional First nations Plant Foods (Bruce Phillips, Butchulla Elder), Bushtekniq this project will establish seasonal native gardens funded through grant support. This immersive space will provide hands-on educational experiences centered on native flora, traditional uses, and sustainable gardening practices.
This club has reached out to local organisations to support the project and these are Kelly's Timber Yard and Peninsula Landscapes for applicable supplies.
CMB is into native garden as well now
https://www.moretondaily.com.au/news/putting-nature-into-nature-strips
