Queensland's greenest and healthiest school named

Minister for Education and Training and Minister for the Arts
The Honourable Rod Welford
12/11/2008

Queensland's greenest and healthiest school named

Crow's Nest State School has been named Queensland's Greenest and Healthiest School for 2008 in an awards ceremony at Parliament House today.

Education and Training Minister Rod Welford congratulated the Darling Downs school and five other winning schools in the annual Keep Australia Beautiful Queensland Awards.

Mr Welford announced the winners and runners-up in the Queensland Green and Healthy Schools 2008 Awards, the Minister for Education's Young Legends Awards and the one-off Let's get Physical Awards.

"Creating a greener, healthier Queensland is part of the Bligh Government's Toward Q2 vision and these awards recognise schools working towards that goal," Mr Welford said.

"Crow's Nest State School is a great example of a school running innovative programs to help their students be green and healthy.

"They include the frog pond and fern house projects, cockatoo friendly gardens, wildlife surveys, recycling, waterwise and Junior Landc are involvement and their 'Run Around Australia' program conducted on the school oval.

"Together the school and the community embrace a philosophy of environmental awareness, sustainability and personal fitness that ensures green and healthy living."

To celebrate the Year of Physical Activity, Djarragun College, near Gordonvale in Far North Queensland, was awarded the Let's get Physical Award.

"The school has been recognised for its extensive sports curriculum involving links with sporting clubs and associations. The dedicated sports academy includes a riverside rainforest adventure-education centre offering activities such as canoeing, high-ropes, orienteering and abseiling," Mr Welford said.

Townsville's Belgian Gardens State School took out the Minister for Education's Young Legends trophy for the Rowes Bay Junior Rangers environmental program.

"The school's 85 Grade 6 students have adopted a stretch of beach from the mangroves in t he south to Captain's Creek in the north," Mr Welford said.

"They've designed and built tools for safe rubbish collection and offered Townsville Regional Council collection data and litter management recommendations.

"The awards program allows school community members to enjoy the benefits that come from caring for themselves, their community and the natural environment."

Next year award organisers are expecting an increased numbers of entrants as the State Government has announced $500,000 in prize money for the Healthiest School as part of the Healthiest Community Awards.

The school winners in the 2008 Keep Australia Beautiful Queensland Awards are as follows:

Keep Australia Beautiful (Qld)
Minister for Education's Young Legends Award

Winner - Belgian Gardens State School
Runner up - Ferny Grove State High School

Keep Australia Beautiful (Qld)
Let's get Physical Award

Winner - Djarragu n College
Runner up - Southport State School

Keep Australia Beautiful (Qld)
Green and Healthy Schools Award

Winner - Crows Nest State School
Runner up - St Teresa's Catholic College, Noosa

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Publish Date: 12 Nov 08