Bush Tucker Garden thrives at South Johnstone State School

BY MARIA GIRGENTI

IN late 2022, South Johnstone State School students planted, watered, and spread mulch in their new Bush Tucker Garden on the school grounds.

This project, coordinated by P&C Association President Cassie Villari, came to life after the school successfully applied for a $1,000 Woolworths Land Grant.

Norm Mears donated his time and machinery to prepare the garden, with trees donated by Glen from Cassowary Coast Regional Council Nursery, Dr Fay Falco Mammone and the team at Johnstone Region Landcare & Johnstone Catchment.

The range of trees planted are native to the region and edible bush tucker, which include river cherry, quandong, Davidson plum, native ginger, lomandra and native cordyline.

Students worked alongside Mamu Rangers (Country, Culture, Community), the driving force behind the project, with collaboration between Johnstone Region Landcare and Johnstone Catchment and the Cassowary Coast

Regional Council nursery.

Designed by Senior Mamu ranger Fran Joyce, the Bush Tucker Garden features a rainbow serpent shape through the middle (creator of land and water) and a yarning circle with seating and a fire pit.

Plaques in the garden will include the standard, scientific and language names of each species, incorporating a visual learning experience for students and visitors to the school.

It is aptly named, ‘Yamani Bush Tucker Garden’, which means Rainbow Serpent, a significant theme in the project.

SJSS especially wanted to thank Norm Mears and his team of helpers, Mamu Rangers Francis Joyce, Shai Ivey, Brendan Purcell and Matt Gillis, Cassowary Coast Regional Council Nursery and Johnstone Region Landcare.

Since last July, the Mamu Rangers and Terrain Natural Resource Management have conducted monthly routine water sampling as part of the Healthy Waterways program at specific sites across the Johnstone River catchment.

Here they are testing for nutrients,