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Innovative School Gardens Earn National Kitchen Garden Awards
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Core Event: Springhurst Primary’s Heat-Resilient Garden Wins “Showcasing STEM”
Returning to school after the summer holidays, teacher Aasta Dearnaley described the garden at Springhurst Primary School in north-east regional Victoria as having “turned to ash” following a record-breaking heatwave. Eight months later, students rebuilt the space using repurposed materials, capillary-action water experiments and a wicking irrigation system. The garden was named a winner of the National Kitchen Garden awards, taking the “showcasing STEM” prize for integrating science, technology, engineering and maths into problem-solving.
Background and Award Framework
The National Kitchen Garden awards, established in 2024 by the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Foundation, celebrate school and early-childhood gardens across Australia. This year’s competition attracted a record 600 entries across nine categories. Winners receive a prize package that includes a $1,000 grant, membership in the Kitchen Garden education program, and gardening tools and equipment.
Student-Led Innovations and Community Impact
Students at Springhurst used fallen branches to frame broad-bean plants and installed a water-wicking system for herbs, learning water-efficiency through hands-on experiments. At Wongan Hills District High School in Western Australia, teacher Lorraine Lobo reported that the garden has re-engaged parents, who now help cook with produce and assist with infrastructure projects, while also providing a “great equaliser” for student behaviour. Craig Stelmack, the school’s kitchen-garden specialist, plans to use the prize money to add another garden bed, an outdoor classroom and a native beehive, expanding experiential learning opportunities.
Official Statements & Responses
Dearnaley said the grant will fund additional wicking systems to prepare for increasingly extreme summers. Lobo emphasized a continued focus on community participation, hoping nearby families will water the garden over holidays. Stelmack noted the award will enable the creation of new garden spaces and a beehive, further integrating food production into the curriculum.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Stem comes naturally within the garden,” — Dearnaley. She
- “I’m proud because this award isn’t just recognising, like, a beautiful garden … it’s recognising the thinking and learning that happens with our students,” — Dearnaley. The, gardening expert
- “It’s kind of a great equaliser,” — Lorraine Lobo
- “There’s something that’s … freeing about being in a garden,” — Lobo. And