Sustainability

National Sorry Day

“Sorry Day is an important step towards reconciliation in Australia. The ceremony and tree planting are one strategy that… aims to improve the lives of Indigenous Australians and in turn, all Australians… The garden, especially when it flowers, will be a place where people can go and reflect on the meaning of reconciliation.”

 – Noongar Elder Associate Professor Simon Forrest

2015 Curtin University Sorry Day hibiscus planting

On National Sorry Day (Tuesday 27/05/2026), the Sus Club and our First Nations students came together to plant some native trees and shrubs at the front of our school. Healing from past injustices and caring for the land are deeply interconnected. By planting golden wattles and the resilient native hibiscus – the symbol of the Stolen Generations—we physically root our commitment to reconciliation into the earth and honour the enduring spirit of our First Nations community. As well, every native seedling we plant helps restore local biodiversity, creates vital habitats for wildlife and fights climate change through carbon sequestration. In blending environmental action with Traditional Ecological Knowledge shared by Indigenous custodians, we learn to become true stewards of the land.

We extend our thanks to Tom Hobley and the Activities Team from Bunnings Lilydale for organising the generous donations of the native hibiscuses; Mr Rhodes, Ms Rackham, Ms Roberts and our Hands-on-Learning students for digging the holes for the planting, Mr Wills for transporting and moving our advanced trees, Mr Shepherd and Mrs Sargeant for helping to plant the trees and Ms Moschetti and the First Nations Team for guiding us on this journey.

Container Deposit Scheme

During the recent Athletics Carnival, our school’s four house factions fought frantically for extra points through the collection of eligible CDS containers. Each house received a bag corresponding to that house’s colour and a house point was added to the Athletics Day tally for every container collected by that house. Over 150 containers were collected from that one day and the number of cans and bottles collected by Melba and Yarra was sufficient to change the course of events – switching their overall finishing position! Thank you to all the staff and students who got into the spirit of the event. Due to the popularity of the house-points awards system, we will be running the campaign again over the course of Sus Week (see below), so look out for the coloured bags and get those house points for your team!

LHC Nest Boxes in the Community

A couple of years ago, the Sus Club and the Year 12 VCE VM students made nesting boxes. Some of these were put up around our school, some were donated to other schools and some were raffled off on our school Open Night earlier this year. We recently received some photographs from a community member who received our remaining nest boxes, showing them installed around a recently cleared block in Upwey. The various owl, parrot, possum and glider nest boxes should provide some vital habitat for the local fauna displaced by the clearing. Thank you for the photos Mr Up-a-Tree in Upwey!

Sustainability Week

"It is the greatest of all mistakes to do nothing because you can only do a little." 

– Sydney Smith (1771–1845)

The SIRC and Sus Club have been hard at work planning our upcoming Sustainability Week at school, scheduled to take place  from Monday 01/06/2026 to Friday 05/06/2026. This year, the Sus Club has decided to theme our week:

“Little drops of water make the mighty ocean”

It is easy to get overwhelmed by the scale of environmental challenges, where making one giant leap seems like the only way to make a difference. But sustainability is a marathon, not a sprint. You don't need to live a perfectly eco-friendly life overnight. By making one or two mindful choices every single day, you establish routines that eventually become second nature.     This year’s theme is a reminder that saving our planet doesn't require monumental, one-off gestures. True conservation is built through consistent, small habits—every time you reuse a container, refill a bottle, or turn off a tap, you are contributing to a massive global movement.    Over the course of Sus Week, we’re inviting everyone at school to participate in the free activities the Sus Club are putting on in and around the SHUB and think about how you can do something small every day to make a difference to conservation. 

• All week events

  • Look out for school leaders selling Cadbury Freddo Frogs (and friends) to fundraise for the Australian Marine Conservation Society (AMCS)

  • Grab a Sus Week Passport and get it stamped as you complete your free activities

  • Complete the scavenger hunt around the school and get it in by the end of the week to win prizes

  • Get a house point for your house by collecting and filling up your house’s CDS collection bag

  • Make a button badge with a conservation message

• Monday 01/06/2026

  • Cindy McFarlane from ResourceSmart Schools will come to school at recess to present us with our fourth RSS star!

  • Make a pledge to conserve water

• Tuesday 02/06/2026

  • Check out different water samples from around the school under microscopes 

• Wednesday 03/06/2026

  • Plant a water-wise plant at the Carbon Sink

• Thursday 04/06/2026

  • Thomas Hobley from Bunnings Lilydale will be coming to show you how to build a frog hotel to take home

  • And while he’s here, paint a rock with your waterwise pledge (or anything you’d like)

• Friday 05/06/2026

  • RUG UP DAY! For those of you who remembered what a hit Rug Up Day was last year, it’s back due to popular demand!

  • It’s a free-dress day (but our usual school uniform rules still apply – don’t forget to check out our free-dress day policy on page 16 of the student handbook and page 8 of our student dress code policy)

  • All heaters at the school will be turned off for the day, so make sure you rug up in your warmest winter woollies!

  • Don’t forget to bring your gold-coin donation to raise funds for the AMCS.

  • Come along to SHUB for a group photo – prizes to be awarded for the most creative outfit and for the most layers worn

Let's make this Sustainability Week the start of some lifelong habits. Remember—every drop matters, and together, we can make an ocean of difference!

Eco-Artists Wanted:  Create for Conservation!

The Sus Club strongly embraces visual arts as a powerful tool for sustainability and conservation advocacy. If your superpower lies in this space, check out these two competitions currently running:

Yarra Valley Water National Water Week Poster Competition

This year’s poster competition theme is - Water Heroes: Make Every Drop Count. The competition is only open to Years 7 and 8 students and closes September 11 2026. Each water corporation’s winning entry will move on to their state competition for the national award. Here are some entries from previous years:

National Water Week 2022 Victorian Winner

National Water Week 2nd Place Winner 2025

Say Cheese for Trees!

The Eastern Alliance for Sustainability Learning (EASL) and Blackburn & Distract Tree Preservation Society are asking secondary students to create a short ‘Gruen Pitch’-style advertisement that examines “Why do we need more trees?” Their goal is to get more people to understand, appreciate and share their knowledge of the importance of trees in our life, neighbourhood and planet. Applications close soon – 26/06/2026, with winners to be announced on National School Tree Planting Day and showcased at the Learning for Sustainability Conference in 2027.

For more information about how to enter either of these competitions, please see or email Ms Lim.

Water Report

Our RSS module of focus this year is ‘Water’. The Sus Club’s activities this year will therefore look into reducing school water consumption, saving money and promoting sustainable water practices through auditing, infrastructure improvements and curriculum integration. We will be tracking data, repairing leaks, talking about installing efficient technology and educating the community. To this end, we have been providing a snapshot of water use in our monthly newsletters:

Victoria’s water storage level is currently down from 69% in March to 66% in April and now 64% in May. Our school water usage has risen from around 120,000 in April to around 130,000 in May. So, report leaks, turn off taps and be mindful when using the drinking fountains. Let’s stay on track to meet our targets!

Join the club!

Want to make a real difference at school and beyond? Join the Sus Club and turn your ideas into action!

• Plan fun eco-events 🌱

• Lead recycling and waste-reduction projects ♻️

• Raise awareness about climate and community issues 🌍

• Meet friends who care about the planet 🤝

No experience needed — just bring your energy and passion! Together, we can create a greener, cleaner future starting right here at school. Come along to SHUB 1 on Thursday at lunchtime to see what we’re all about and sign up!  We can’t wait to see you there!