STUDENTS from Mount Martha Primary School helped plant 550 trees at The Briars on Friday 24 July, ahead of National Tree Day, as part of an ongoing partnership with Mornington Peninsula Koala Conservation.
Thirty-nine of the school’s 46-member Community Engagement Team took part, with students ranging from Year 1 to Year 6.
“The Community Engagement Team is made up of students who successfully applied for the role,” Mount Martha Primary School Year 3 teacher, Alice Matthews, said.
“As part of the application process, students shared why they wanted to be involved and their passion for making a positive difference to our local environment.
“Some of our team worked in a production line assembling tree guards, some prepared planting sites by laying out the trees, tree guards and stakes, while others planted the trees and installed the guards and stakes.”
The tree planting builds on the school’s broader approach to community engagement, Matthews said.
“The Community Engagement Team is one way we support our school’s improvement priorities by giving students authentic opportunities to develop leadership skills, build connections within the local community and care for the environment,” she said.
“It allows our school to strengthen student voice, community partnerships and meaningful learning experiences.
“This was our first time taking part in National Tree Day, but it was our third collaboration with Mornington Peninsula Koala Conservation. Earlier this year, our school also planted over 700 native plants on the school grounds after successfully receiving a Landcare grant.”
Matthews said the experience also tied directly into classroom learning.
“Students gain so much from experiences like this because they are applying their learning in a real-world setting,” she said.
“The project supports the Victorian Curriculum through Science, Geography and Civics and Citizenship by helping students understand sustainability, biodiversity and the importance of protecting our natural environment.
“Members of our Community Engagement Team build confidence by learning with and from one another. They also develop leadership and communication skills through working with local community members and speaking at school assemblies to share their experiences.”
One student likened caring for a seedling to putting a child to bed, telling Mornington Peninsula Koala Conservation staff they gave the plant a gentle tickle, sang it a lullaby and tucked it in with a blanket, Matthews said.
Two students set themselves the challenge of beating last year’s total of 200 assembled tree guards, while others told organisers they hoped to pursue careers as marine biologists, wildlife carers or in other environmental fields, Matthews said.
Despite the icy conditions, students embraced the cold, with one declaring it “the coldest day of my life.”
The Friday session was part of a wider two-day effort by Mornington Peninsula Koala Conservation, with 2,700 holes dug ahead of the planting for both the school visit and National Tree Day itself on 26 July.
First published in the Mornington News – 4 August 2026
