Kyneton High School Kitchen Garden
As part of the Growing Healthy Communities initiative, our health promotion team has been working with Kyneton High School to help upgrade the school’s kitchen garden and create a space which can be used by the whole school community.
Thanks to a $50k grant from VicHealth, we have been able to develop some of the design plans that were drafted by students last year including putting in compost bins, planting an edible forest and building raised garden beds and seating.
The Growing Healthy Communities grant is one of 84 worth almost $5M, made to community organisations across Victoria as part of the initiative, with a common goal of preventing chronic disease and promoting good health.
Member for Macedon and Minister for Health Mary-Anne Thomas visited the school last week to see the progress:
“Every young Victorian should have access to the resources they need to lead a happy and healthy life – this grants program is so important, helping break down barriers to good health.”
“We know that a lifetime of healthy habits, such as eating and cooking, begin at a young age – by supporting dozens of projects like this kitchen garden program at Kyneton High School, we can help kids stay on the right track.”
Future plans for the space include building a pizza oven, establishing a fruit tree orchard and planting cash crops such as garlic and daffodils. The project aims to teach students about the joys of growing their own fresh garden produce, as well as cooking it and sharing the produce with the wider community. We also hope to share the many health and wellbeing outcomes that can come from having a productive community garden and an inviting space to spend time in outdoors.
The successful development of the garden has been driven by the school’s sustainability group and has been supported by the year 10 VET building and construction students who have helped clear the site and build the garden beds and the seating.
Read VicHealth’s full media release here.
