Year 4 students at IGS recently took part in an inspiring event as part of Greening Australia’s Cooling the School initiative, planting shrubs and trees on the School’s rooftop. The initiative, organised by Head of Sustainability Carmelo Fedele, with the assistance of Year 11 students, aimed to transform urban spaces into cooler, greener environments. Beyond hands-on planting, students learned essential skills for nurturing plants and gained a deeper understanding of environmental care and cultural significance—an important aspect for First Nations communities.
Janelle Randall-Court, First Nations Cultural Education Officer for Greening Australia, expressed her gratitude for the warm reception at IGS: “Your students were a pleasure to work with, and I hope at the end of the day, they had fun and will continue to enjoy the plants for years to come!”
The experience left students not only with newfound gardening knowledge but also a connection to First Nations’ practices of caring for the land. Among the species planted were bush tucker plants like Apple Berry and River Mint, as well as native shrubs such as Honey-Myrtle and Kangaroo Grass. These species were carefully selected to thrive in their respective rooftop environments, from the shaded play areas to the basketball courts.
The impact of this project will be felt for years as students continue to care for the plants and reflect on the cultural and environmental lessons they learned during this unique opportunity.
This initiative marks another step in IGS’s ongoing sustainability efforts, ensuring that the School environment not only thrives but remains connected to the natural and cultural heritage of the land.