Special guests visited our school on Friday 21 October to acknowledge grants and support we have received to enhance the care of our bushland. Three levels of government were represented: federal, state and local government. Members of Friends of Coolbinia Bushland and the Urban Land Council also visited. The federal member for Perth, the Honourable Patrick Gorman, Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister; Mr Simon Milman, MLA, Member for Mount Lawley; and Mayor Irwin, Councillor Ferrante and Councillor Migdale from the City of Stirling attended our assembly.
The Honourable Patrick Gorman was thanked for supporting the school’s application for the Queen’s Jubilee Tree Canopy grant. Our application was successful and we received $9,000 for care of our bushland, including funds for extensive planting next year.
Mr Simon Milman, MLA, was thanked for ongoing support for our bushland. Mr Milman attended the recent wildflower event in our bushland and attended to contribute to this special occasion.
Mayor Irwin, and Councillors Ferrante and Migdale, presented a certificate to the school recognising bush care funding. Over recent years the City of Stirling has awarded the school Living Green grants of $5,000 each for student learning experiences in the bushland, including the installation of signage along the bush trail and Aboriginal guided walks.
Members of the Friends of Coolbinia Bushland group – Tracy Evans, Christine Richardson, Ashe Murray and Chris Allbeury – received floral tributes in appreciation for their ongoing voluntary work in our bushland.
After the assembly our special guests planted trees and unveiled new signage in the bushland, to commemorate the Queen’s Jubilee Tree Canopy initiative and other bush care actions. Following this, our guests moved to the quadrangle to unveil a sign recognising the City of Stirling and River Rangers grants, as well as funding from the 2021 & 2022 Year 6 gifts to the school, that paid for the stunning bushland-themed mosaics around the limestone seating.
Our Year 6 leaders played a critical role throughout this event – the Councillors led the assembly, the Sustainability Leaders managed the garden stall, the Tech Leaders photographed and videoed proceedings and the Ambassadors were on duty the whole time, escorting the guests to the various sites and later serving morning tea. All student leaders did an outstanding job and were impressive representatives of our school.
Thanks to the Year 6 Tech Leaders who produced an iMovie of this awesome celebration.
