GARDEN OF EDEN FOR PRIMARY

SOUTH Townsville State School students will soon be tucking into fresh produce from their new kitchen garden after the school won a national competition.

The $10,000 garden was the major prize in an Australia Post competition backed by House and Garden, and the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Foundation.

Teacher Tanya Brown said the school had wanted to build a sustainable garden for a long time so all its 140 students put in an entry.

“We had from Prep to Year 6, about 140 students, write an entry from a six-year-old perspective right through to an 11 or 12-yearold’s perspective as to why we wanted a garden,” Ms Brown said.

“We were so happy and grateful when we were announced as the winners.”

She said the school’s students would be actively involved in maintaining the garden.

“They will take care of the maintenance, so whatever grows is going to be harvested by the students, put into our tuck shop menu and fed back to our students,” Ms Brown said.