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© 2025 South Gippsland Sentinel Times

Kongwak PS helps in revegetating a kilometre-long wildlife corridor

1 min read

THERE were plenty of dirty hands and smiles of achievement last Friday after Kongwak Primary School (KPS) students celebrated National Schools Tree Day by donning their gumboots and tree planters and contributing over 100 indigenous plants to the local landscape.

Held each year, thousands of schools, including Kongwak, participate nationwide in environmental activities that educate individuals about the world around them. As part of the school’s Sustainable Kongwak program, students were joined by teaching staff, parents and siblings when they visited the Lance Creek property of classmate Jai and his family to assist in revegetating a kilometre-long site with more than 2600 indigenous plants.

Kate from Kongwak Hills Landcare Group was there to provide the planting equipment, instruct the group and explain how the plants will grow to create wildlife corridors and bio links between patches of significant remnant vegetation and provide supportive habitat around a dam - all of which is home to many species of birds, mammals, insects and frogs.

Older students assisted younger peers with planting, and together they reflected on the importance of trees in the landscape. Grade 6 Jordan and prep buddy William mentioned that ‘older trees provide hollows for wildlife and possums to live in.’ While in Grade 2, Hugo said, ‘Trees breathe in Carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and breathe oxygen out.’

The group was also treated to a bird-spotting walk, led by KPS teacher Jane Taylor, who is also an environmental educator and avid birder. They were delighted to observe a flock of busy Varied Sitella, a species of conservation significance in South Gippsland.

Hands-on education and excursions are an important part of learning at Kongwak, where students are given the opportunity to experience, connect with and learn from the broader community.

KPS is currently holding school tours and open to enrolments at all year levels, from prep to Grade 6, as well as 2026 preps and beyond. If you’d like more information, contact the office on 5657 4224.