Little Yarra River guardians: Hands-on conservation

Little Yarra Steiner School’s namesake river isn’t just a part of school grounds – it’s a cherished part of the community. Now, a Teaching Initiatives Program grant is enabling students to preserve Little Yarra River for future generations.

Students like Lily have played alongside Little Yarra River for years. Through the school’s expanded Land Care program, Lily and her classmates now monitor and maintain the river’s health.

‘I’ve been coming down to Little Yarra River since I was 3 years old. It’s part of the land that was here for thousands of years before us; it deserves to be cared for,’ said Lily.

In the school’s Land Care program, students put geography and conservation concepts into practice on the 66 acres of former farmland that make up the school’s grounds.

‘We're really lucky that we've got this big, beautiful property’ said College Chair Maxine Harrison, who leads the program with support from Environment and Sustainability coordinator Claudia Howells. ‘We’ve been planting trees and working on revegetating the land for many years.’

Receiving a Bank First Teaching Initiatives Program grant enabled Maxine to expand the program, with new water monitoring kits for students to use.

‘We don't own the river, but because it borders our land, we're custodians. We’re doing our part in learning more about caring for the river,’ said Maxine.

Students use the water testing kits to monitor pH levels, temperature and turbidity (the water’s cloudiness). The school has also purchased water bug kits with the grant to learn more about the ecosystem that lives beneath the water’s surface.

‘We'd often go down to the farm and care for the sheep and cows. Since receiving this grant, we can come and test the health and overall quality of our river,’ said student Aiden.

The school works with students and the community to maintain the adjoining wetlands, which influence water quality. The Land Care program seeks to foster a sense of responsibility and ownership over the river, and an understanding of how human activities impact waterways.

Through our Teaching Initiatives Program, we’re proud to support Little Yarra Steiner School’s work to preserve Little Yarra River for students to enjoy in years to come.