ResourceSmart Schools Award 2026

We recently celebrated the incredible sustainability achievements of schools across Victoria alongside 28 other finalists at the ResourceSmart School Awards (RSSA) 2026!

Our Sustainability Club was recognised as winners of the CDS Vic Excellence Award (Secondary), as well as the Student Action Team of the Year (Secondary) Award, and we’re incredibly proud of what our school community has achieved. LHC were also invited to showcase our school’s work at the event, where we received many visitors to our stand, many accolades from industry leaders, learnt a lot from other participating schools, and met with Dirt Girl! This year, 53 schools from across Victoria submitted 95 entries across 12 categories, making the celebration of sustainability even bigger, and the judges' task more challenging. It was a great demonstration of ‘Our Sustainable Community’- this year’s theme, celebrating knowledge, passion and commitment to drive sustainability in schools.

Since 2008, more than 1,600 schools have been part of ResourceSmart Schools’ ‘Sustainable Community’. Together, they have:

• saved more than $68 million on bills

• planted 5.1 million trees

• saved more than 110,000 tonnes CO2e greenhouse gas emissions

• diverted 170,000 cubic metres of waste from landfill

• saved 1.9 million kilolitres of water.

The ResourceSmart Schools Awards are a joyful and affirming celebration of schools and students and their sustainability triumphs. The awards are the state’s largest sustainability celebration for primary and secondary school students, teachers and school volunteers taking remarkable sustainability action. We are proud to be recognised among the schools doing sustainability work that benefits students, the planet and the wider community alike.

About the 2026 ResourceSmart Schools Awards

The ResourceSmart School Awards are Victoria’s largest sustainability celebration for primary and secondary school students, teachers and school volunteers.
The 2026 theme, ‘Our Sustainable Community,’ celebrates the ResourceSmart Schools network, where teachers, students, volunteers and stakeholders share knowledge, passion, and commitment to drive sustainability and foster a supportive community.
The 2026 ResourceSmart Schools Awards highlight the power of collaboration, and the inspiration schools and stakeholders bring to one another in this supportive community.
The ResourceSmart Schools Awards are open to all Victorian schools, primary or secondary.
Since 2008 over 1600 schools have participated in the ResourceSmart Schools program, with over 200 being celebrated in the ResourceSmart Schools Awards.
The ResourceSmart School Awards is a positive, future-focused event celebrating sustainability leadership in Victorian primary and secondary schools.

About ResourceSmart Schools

ResourceSmart Schools is an internationally award-winning program that provides practical support for schools to make cost savings, integrate sustainability into the curriculum and share learnings beyond the school gate.
Since 2008, more than 1,600 schools have participated in the program. Together, they have:
saved more than $68 million on bills
planted 5.1 million trees
saved more than 110,000 tonnes CO2e greenhouse gas emissions
diverted 170,000 cubic metres of waste from landfill
saved 1.9 million kilolitres of water.
ResourceSmart Schools is helping Victoria to transition to a zero-net carbon, circular economy by 2050.
ResourceSmart Schools was awarded the 2015 Banksia Education for Sustainability Award and received the gold award at the international 2019 Energy Smart Community Initiative Best Practices Awards at APEC Chile 2019.

About Sustainability Victoria

ResourceSmart Schools is now delivered by the Victorian Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA). In its response to the Silver Review, the government has determined that Sustainability Victoria and its functions will be abolished at the end of June 2026.

Sustainability Week

The lead-up to the RSSA was filled with more fantastic sustainability fun as we all got involved with reminding ourselves that all it takes is one little thing every day to make a big difference to our conservation goals. The week started off with RSS Facilitator, Cindy McFarlane, coming to the school to present us with our fourth ResourceSmart Schools Star; followed by days of free activities like:

making a water-wise pledge on recycled bottlecap waterdrops
listening to Justin D'Ath’s story-time reading of Tiddalick the Frog Who Caused a Flood by Robert Roennfeldt, building frog hotels and rock painting with Tom Hobley from Bunnings
making advocacy buttons
checking out different water samples under microscopes
completing a scavenger hunt
planting water-wise plants in the carbon sink
fundraised for the Australian Water Conservation Society by buying chocolate Freddo Frogs
getting chocolate eggs from Froggy the Sus Week Mascot
Getting delivery of our mobile water tanks

Phew! What a week! A massive thank you to all the staff and students who helped make this amazing week happen! We can’t wait for next year’s Sus Week! Congratulations to Tyler P., our Scavenger Hunt Winner, and Patrick A., who was unanimously voted our Spirit Winner of Rug-Up Day! Tyler got the most answers correct on the scavenger hunt, and Patrick came to school rugged up in 10 tops and jumpers, three pairs of socks, four pairs of pants and a beanie. Unfortunately, no one got a photo, but that’s another reason why Sus Week at LHC is just one of those events you have to BE at. Check out our photos:

Eco-Artists Wanted: Create for Conservation!

The Sus Club strongly embrace 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. Competition is only open to Years 7 and 8 students and closes September 11 2026. Each water corporation’s winning entry will move onto their state competition for the national award.

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 at 64%, the same as what it was last month. Our school water usage has dropped from around 130,000L in the month of May to around 106,000L in June! That’s wonderful work! 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!

News and Information from Lilydale Heights College

EXCELLENCE, RESPECT, RESPONSIBILITY

Issue 5 · 26 Jun 2026

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