Footsteps crunch along established paths as students follow Uncle Dave on a culture tour through Coranderrk. Birds call overhead, leaves rustle, and suddenly a blue-tongued lizard scampers onto the path. The students crowd around in wonder as Uncle Dave shares knowledge about the creature and its habitat. Some have not seen a blue-tongued lizard before.
The excursion to Coranderrk guided by Uncle Dave sparked a passion in the students that would drive the next part of their project: creating a native bush garden at Cire Community School’s Yarra Junction campus.
The project was made possible by the VCAA’s Lynne Kosky Memorial Applied Learning Grant, which provided funding to explore indigenous plant knowledge and the materials to apply learnings with hands-on experience.
The grant honours Lynne Kosky, Victoria’s former Education Minister who passed away in 2014, by supporting practical learning initiatives for VCE Vocational Major (VCE VM) and Victorian Pathways Certificate (VPC) students.
Culture at Coranderrk
Coranderrk holds profound significance in Victoria’s history. Established in the 1860s by Kulin leaders, it became a site of both thriving community and resistance against displacement. For students, visiting places like Coranderrk provides rich, authentic learning experiences. It offers direct engagement with Country and an understanding of how indigenous knowledge, culture, and history remain deeply connected to the landscape.
The students were welcomed by Uncle Dave, who shared how different plants indicate the health of an area, and how the landscape tells stories through what grows there. Students who are often reserved in classroom settings asked thoughtful questions about plant relationships and traditional land management practices.
“It was just nice to see the students out in nature, without devices. They learned so much from Uncle Dave and showed such respect for Coranderrk and its history,” observed teacher Jodie Street.
Two students who typically avoid getting their hands dirty surprised everyone by exploring a massive tree’s hollow interior, where roots wound down into the earth, and looking for traces of a local wombat.
A garden enthusiast finally had the chance to demonstrate his extensive plant knowledge, stepping into a leadership role that classroom work rarely allows him.
The excursion included a smoking ceremony, bush tucker tasting, and a walk to a plaque marking one corner of the original Coranderrk station. We thank Uncle Dave and Coranderrk for their welcome and sharing of Wurundjeri culture, which will undoubtedly guide our own connections for years to come.
From Excursion to Action
Back at school, students faced their first challenge: gravelly, impenetrable soil beneath a seemingly perfect surface. Rather than push ahead with an unworkable plan, the students decided to relocate the garden to a site that extended the native bushland already present beyond the back fence.
There were wheelbarrows to fill, plants to source, and plans to make, and the students rose to the occasion in surprising ways. Students with garden experience took on mentoring roles, showing younger peers how to use the Hamilton tree planters purchased with grant funds. These tools stamp out perfect plugs of earth for tube stock, and they enjoyed passing the technique down through patient demonstration – part of Cire Community School’s culture of empowering others.
They learned about spacing plants based on their mature size, using the label information to understand growth rates and essential needs to avoid overcrowding and create a balanced ecosystem.
Students learned about safety when using tools like mulch forks, discussed how indigenous knowledge informs land management, and discovered that plants can be categorised by their traditional uses: food, fibre, medicine, or spiritual and cultural practices.
The hands-on numeracy was practical and immediate: measuring the site, calculating areas, working out volumes of mulch needed, and managing the budget for materials and plants. Students who struggle with abstract maths concepts grasped these calculations because they had direct purpose.
Even students unable to join the physical work found value in simply being present in the space. The garden became somewhere they wanted to be.
Cultural Learning Takes Root
Nearly 100 native plants now fill the garden. Bush tucker species were planted near the kitchen garden area, making them accessible for future cooking projects so that indigenous culture can grow as the garden will.
Our garden is still in its early stages, with plans to create handmade labels with both indigenous and scientific information for each species. Our VCE VM students shine when learning has clear purpose, and this project delivered tangible employability skills: problem-solving, teamwork, tool safety, and project management. More than one student has expressed interest in working in the agricultural sector, an interest that is fed by projects like this and other vocational learning opportunities at Cire.
“Some of our students are so confident with using tools,” says Jodie. “We need to offer the opportunity to share this so they can shine.”
As the last day wrapped up, a blue-tongued lizard emerged and made its way through the freshly planted garden. The same species the students had marvelled at during their Coranderrk excursion had found its way to their work, a sign of success both immediate and future.
The Lynne Kosky grant gave students funding and agency. When the ground proved unsuitable, they chose a new site and adapted their plans. Students who struggle in traditional classrooms taught their peers, solved problems, and saw their knowledge valued in real time. The garden will grow for years to come, tangible proof of their capability that’s been there all along.
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