• Carlisle River Primary School’s young gardeners are dedicated to building their Kitchen Garden Program following bushfire impact in remote Western Victoria. 

• With wicking beds donated as part of our multi-year partnership with WaterUps, this small school can now manage its water efficiency easily. 

• The wicking beds have helped alleviate the workload for educators and students. 

In the heart of the Otway Ranges, in remote South West Victoria, Carlisle River Primary School has been hard at work caring for its brand-new garden.  

With just four students, the school is located on the traditional land of the Gulidjan and Gadubanud peoples. They joined our kitchen garden community at the beginning of this year through our partnership with VicHealth, and have since been busy building up their kitchen and garden spaces. 

Each week, the students eagerly await their kitchen garden lessons and have even been weeding and watering the garden during lunch breaks. With the colder weather settling in, kitchen garden classes have established the school’s own worm farm, while caring for their sprouting carrots, leafy greens, beans, cabbage, and artichoke. 

“Since we started with nothing, the creation has been the best bit,” said Principal David Bennett. “As the veggies grow, it will only get better. The students are excited about the projects, cooking and helping in our school.” 

The garden may be in its early days, but the Carlisle River Primary students have been keen to sharpen their cooking skills in preparation for a bountiful winter harvest. With a blueberry tree already on site, the students are whipping up muffins and fruit smoothies for breakfast club with their delicious, fresh blueberries.

Wicking their way up 

Since joining the Kitchen Garden Program, Carlisle River Primary School has installed seven new garden beds, including two wicking beds donated through our partnership with WaterUps.  

Located in a bushfire-affected area, the school often encounters challenges with dry conditions and water preservation. However, the WaterUps wicking beds have been a huge help in managing water efficiency and alleviating worries about keeping the plants alive in the garden.  

“The wicking beds are holding our herb garden at the moment,” said David. “We find that we don’t have to worry about them needing water as much or about needing to change the beds if they damage because they are built to last.”  

The WaterUps wicking systems, made from recycled materials, can reduce water use by up to 80% — a critical advantage in an area prone to dry conditions. Designed to scale and adapt to almost any gardening setup, the wicking beds at Carlisle River Primary School currently house their rosemary, dill, coriander and thyme.  

The wicking beds have been essential in ensuring these year-round kitchen staples are more resilient through heat and school holidays, and, only needing a refill every few weeks, have helped alleviate the workload for this small school’s educators and students. 

Special offers for Kitchen Garden Program members  

• Thanks to our partnership with WaterUps, all Kitchen Garden Program members currently enjoy special pricing on WaterUps products, exclusive offers and personalised priority support. Contact WaterUps here to access member pricing and offers.  

• As a welcome gift, new Kitchen Garden Program members will receive a WaterUps Square Planter, designed for effortless, water-efficient gardening in any space. Learn more about how you can access opportunities like this and other benefits by contacting our team at 1300 072 543 or membership@kitchengardenfoundation.org.au. 

The Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Foundation has partnered with wicking system specialists WaterUps to make gardening easier and more water‑wise for schools and early childhood services across Australia.