Empowering the next generation: Coles & Planet Ark Sustainable Schools Competition winners announced

By Liam Taylor 14 November 2024

Planet Ark, together with our partner Coles, have taken a significant step toward nurturing young environmental leaders by awarding 20 Australian schools a share in $100,000 to support sustainability projects in their schools.

The winning schools showcased an inspiring range of projects, from creating wheelchair-accessible edible gardens and organising sewing clubs to combat fast fashion, to constructing a sustainable habitat to protect an endangered butterfly species. Each initiative reflects a commitment to environmental stewardship and offers students practical ways to positively impact their local communities. 

To get a sense of the winning schools and the incredible projects they will be delivering thanks to the competition, see below:  

• John Therry Catholic College in Campbelltown is aiming to address fast fashion and reduce textile waste by developing a system for collecting, sorting, and redistributing high-quality, second-hand clothing.   

• Roebuck Primary School in Broome will establish a culturally significant food garden featuring local bush tucker plants, with the aim to foster a deeper connection with the school’s Yawuru Indigenous heritage and promote sustainable practices like composting. 

• Wandin North Primary School in Melbourne’s Yarra Ranges is building an innovative project to restore land and create small habitat retreats for local mammals which were damaged following a large storm in 2021. 

• East Marden Primary School in Adelaide’s north-east will be transforming two nature play sites into refuges for native animals and insects, by seeding plants native to the Adelaide Plains region. 

• Holland Park State School in Brisbane’s south will use the funds to plant 800 native plants as part of a habitat sanctuary to help enhance biodiversity and support local wildlife populations.  

These schools and 15 more across Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, and Western Australia will be awarded $5,000 to advance their initiatives, empowering students to take sustainability into their own hands while offering unique learning opportunities.  

Planet Ark CEO Rebecca Gilling was thrilled to be helping improve the schools’ sustainability report cards during National Recycling Week, and encouraged more Aussie students to ’Join the Cycle’ and get involved in reuse and recycling initiatives this week.    

“The Coles & Planet Ark Sustainable Schools Competition is an excellent way to engage the next generation in sustainability. The prize of $5,000 will make a tangible difference to these environmental initiatives, while educating students and empowering them to feel part of the solution,” said Rebecca.   

“We were incredibly impressed by the quality of the entries in this first year of the competition and incredibly proud of the students and teachers who have come up with these brilliant plans to improve the environment around them and the community they live in.” 

“Projects like these aren’t the only way students can do good for the environment, however, and we recommend all Aussie schools do their bit by getting involved in National Recycling Week activities this week.”   

With over 160 applications submitted, Coles Chief Commercial and Sustainability Officer Anna Croft expressed admiration for the passion and creativity displayed by students and teachers nationwide. 

“The quality of projects submitted in the inaugural Coles & Planet Ark Sustainable Schools Competition was extraordinary. From tackling fast fashion to protecting native species and setting up composting and recycling systems, it's clear that this next generation is committed to making a real impact,” Anna said.  

“We’re proud to work alongside Planet Ark to support schools in creating a more sustainable future.” 

The full list of 20 schools that were awarded grants to turn their sustainability visions into reality are below:  Queensland 

• Holland Park State School, Brisbane 

• Parramatta State School, Cairns 

 New South Wales 

• Adamstown Public School, Newcastle 

• John Therry Catholic College, Rosemeadow, Sydney 

• Macquarie University Special Education School, Sydney 

• Paterson Public School, Hunter Valley 

• St Joseph’s Primary, Woodburn 

• Warrawong High School, Wollongong 

 Victoria 

• Altona College, Melbourne 

• Rushworth P-12 College, Rushworth 

• St Anthony School, Noble Park, Melbourne 

• St Peter’s Primary School, Bentleigh East, Melbourne 

• Trentham District Primary School, Trentham 

• Viewbank Primary School, Melbourne 

• Wandin North Primary School, Yarra Ranges 

• Waratah Special Development School, Melbourne 

 South Australia 

• East Marden Primary School, Adelaide 

• Prescott Primary Northern, Adelaide 

 Western Australia 

• Mary’s Mount Primary School, Perth 

• Roebuck Primary School, Broome 

This year’s National Recycling Week runs from November 11–17, and Coles proudly returns as the major sponsor for the third consecutive year. To learn more about the competition and explore additional recycling initiatives, visit nationalrecyclingweek.com.au.