News

New Kitchen Garden Schools - the official announcement!

Our new Kitchen Garden Schools have been officially announced by Federal Minister for Health and Ageing Nicola Roxon, in a celebration at Lowood Primary State School in Queensland.

Lowood PS was a successful Kitchen Garden Program grant recipient in 2009 and very kindly agreed to host the event. It was a VIP-studded affair, with Somerset Regional Council Deputy Mayor Neil Zabel and our own Stephanie Alexander and CEO Ange Barry in attendance, along with many media reps keen to cover the story!

The Lowood PS kitchen garden kids greeted Ms Roxon at the front gate and took her on a very dignified tour of their kitchen garden. When Stephanie arrived she was proudly led through the garden to join Ms Roxon and enjoy the speeches.

Principal Rob Browne spoke first, sharing the school's journey from the first moment of inspiration, all the way through to receiving the funds, setting up the infrastructure and beginning the first kitchen and garden classes. school's grant for implementing the Kitchen Garden Program. He expressed his gratitude to Stephanie for having the vision and thanked the Australian Government (and Nicola!) for the funding.

Garden Specialist Sandy Andrews shared a few words and then handed over to the children, who shared their passion for the kitchen and garden classes with an enthralled audience.

Ms Roxon spoke next, announcing the 42 new Kitchen Garden Schools and fully endorsing the Program.

Lastly Stephanie spoke about how Lowood would draw in the curiosity of the surrounding schools and that the Program is very much about the sharing of information and inspiration.

Then it was afternoon tea time! A beautiful spread of dishes including egg & asparagus
sandwiches, spinach & ricotta slice, vegetable sticks with beetroot and broccoli dips was accompanied by apple crumble and carrot cookies.

Thanks to everyone at Lowood PS for a really great day that showcased all that can be achieved in the Kitchen Garden Program to the whole country. And congratulations again to our new Kitchen Garden Schools!

[The Australian Government has provided $12.8 million of infrastructure funding, over four years from 2008-2012, to enable up to 190 eligible Australian schools to establish the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden National Program. This funding is provided in four rounds of grants, with Round 3 grant applications received earlier this year. Round 4 grant applications will open in May 2011.]

The new Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Schools are as follows.

New South Wales:

• Boorowa Central School
• Gunnedah South Public School
• Collingullie Public School
• Drake Public School
• Dundurrabin Primary School
• Green Valley Islamic College
• Hebersham Public School
• Kandeer SSP School
• Pilliga Public School
• Whalan Public School
• Wyangala Dam Public School
• Zig Zag Public School

Queensland:

• Aspley State Special School
• Burleigh Heads State School
• Currumbin Community Special School
• Kin Kin State School
• Kulpi State School
• Wondai State School

South Australia:

• Birdwood Primary School
• Littlehampton Primary School
• Loxton Primary School
• Mclaren Vale Primary School
• Sunrise Christian School

Tasmania:

• St James College

Victoria:

• Ascot Vale Special School
• Aspendale Gardens Primary School
• Briagolong Primary School
• Cavendish Primary School
• Clifton Creek Primary School
• Corryong College
• Eskdale Primary School
• Meadows Primary School
• Murrumbeena Primary School
• Osborne Primary School
• Pyalong Primary School
• Stratford Primary School
• Wattle Park Primary School
• Winters Flat Primary School

Western Australia:

• Beckenham Primary School
• East Fremantle Primary School
• Singleton Primary School
• Rawa Community School

We congratulate all applying schools on their enormous efforts and encourage all the schools who didn't make it this time to please try again next year. A fourth round of grants for the Stephanie Alexander National Program will open in  May 2011. Join our mailing list to receive updates.

Read the Australian Government announcement.