Tucked away in Tongala Primary School’s environmental area on a one-acre plot of land is the newly opened Indigenous sensory garden which principal Rob Hogan hopes will nurture students’ relationship with the land and educate them on Aboriginal cultures.
On Monday, August 26, the primary school officially opened the sensory garden with a traditional smoking ceremony attended by the school’s students, staff, family and special guests.
The garden has been an ongoing project for two years, following a Junior Landcare Grant of $5000 in 2022 which helped in funding its completion.
Years 5 and 6 students were involved in the project from the design phase all the way through to construction, participating in the process through their Environmental Studies class.
The garden features a pathway that zips and weaves around tall trees and native Indigenous plant species with laser cutouts of Australian animals on show off the side of the dirt path.
The garden also features a circle space for classes to meet, and a dry creek bed, to add to the “outback” feeling, which principal Mr Hogan pointed out.
He said he hopes that students can be proud of the project.
“We hope this garden can be a place for students to learn about Indigenous culture and Indigenous artefacts … I think it’s also a place where kids can have a real ownership and pride over it,” he said.
The project was part of a larger commitment to making the school more environmentally friendly, with the sensory garden at the core of the program.
While the $5000 grant provided a welcome boost, the garden's creation was primarily made possible through the school's resources and the generous support of the Tongala community.
Renowned Indigenous artist Neva Atkinson worked with students to paint the totems at the beginning of the pathway, the concrete used to put signs up was contributed by local business GTS Hardware, while parents Rory Fynch and Dean Holyman created the sign at the front of the garden and the dry creek bed respectively.
Students Noah Morgan and Asha Radley spoke at the opening ceremony, attended by Federal Member for Nicholls Sam Birrell, Campaspe Shire councillors and Victorian education officers.
The students spoke of the importance of the garden: how to treat it, how to walk through it and how to embrace the Aboriginal cultures it represents beyond the gates at the start of the path.
Uncle Rick Ronnan conducted a traditional smoke ceremony in front of the entrance and also all around the inside of the garden.
Mr Hogan said Uncle Rick holds a special place in the Tongala school community, and it was fantastic for him to make an appearance and perform the smoke ceremony.
“Uncle Rick used to run the Paddock Program … our whole environmental garden is based around what that program used to be and what it used to provide for kids,” he said.
He said he hopes to use the space during special occasions such as Reconciliation Week to gather students and create a reflective space.
Following the official opening, students enjoyed Indigenous games and activities throughout the day run by local Koorie Education Officers and other Indigenous leaders.