St Mary’s Star of the Sea Primary School has come together to regrow, renew, rediscover and reunite following the devastating Black Summer bushfires. They are completing a recovery project funded by the Australian Government’s Black Summer Bushfire Recovery program. In collaboration with the Milton Therapy and Learning Centre, St Mary’s is helping the community to regrow, renew, rediscover, reunite, and importantly – to heal.

Aftermath of the Black Summer bushfires

This small school in Milton, a village on the south coast of New South Wales, is healing through their ReGROW, ReNEW, ReDISCOVER and ReUNITE project. The project received $205,000 in Australian Government funding under the Black Summer Bushfire Recovery Program to construct a sensory space for the school children and undertake community training and events.

The project aims to empower the community by addressing recovery priorities, including child mental health and wellbeing. It includes the construction of a range of multi-functional, sustainable outdoor learning and community spaces. Each space is linked to create a collaborative and inclusive environment that focus on healing. 

 

Long periods of hypervigilance

This project was significant because the school children were particularly affected by the bushfires and the ensuing recovery. This was evident from the information collated by community support a heightened level of anxiety and trauma amongst the children. This stemmed from the fact that the community fire warnings began in September, months before the fires actually reached the area. In the lead up to the Christmas break, there was already a sense of hypervigilance in the community, causing lots of anxiety and uncertainty. 

Compounded traumatic impact for the children

After the prolonged lead-up, the children’s mental health and wellbeing were further impacted when the fire eventually came on New Year’s Eve of that year. The fire’s path reduced the school’s surrounding trees, buildings, ovals and play equipment to charred rubble. Julie Valentini, Assistant Principal, St Mary’s Star of the Sea School, reaffirmed this experience: 

“The playground was still a reminder of the devastation the children had lived through not for one night, but for several months. So when the opportunity for a grant was presented to us by a community member we jumped on it. We wanted our community to be able to come together in this space in a hopeful and joyful way, not in a fearful way which was what it had been. The grant process gave us an opportunity to consult with the many community groups and that’s what started us on this wonderful journey.” 

Julie, in collaboration with Principal Laurinda Nelson and Simon Kinch (a parent and the Managing Director of Milton Therapy and Learning Centre), applied for a Black Summer Bushfire Recovery grant to address the trauma and mental health of the children and broader community of Milton. For this project, the school looked at the different peaceful spaces they wanted to create to help the healing process.

ReGROW

The first aim was to ReGROW part of the school. This included a new sustainable greenhouse and garden beds. This has become the hub of the school community, along with the wider community, bringing the two together to grow produce for the school canteen. 

ReNEW

The ReNEW aspect has been created through an inclusive sensory play space. It includes new paving, sandstone benches, and a range of native plants in the garden beds. This area, that was once just blackened earth, is now a peaceful space where children can follow the sensory path that leads to a place for quiet time and reflection. 

“We consulted really heavily with all parts of our community. We worked with Uncle Phil to give us a rich Indigenous perspective throughout the entire space. There is also a beautiful Indigenous meeting space where we can connect to country. We’ve been really supported by Uncle Phil through that journey,” said Julie.

The wisdom of Uncle Phil

Uncle Phil, a local Indigenous community member, provided significant input in the ReNEW part of the project. He describes his consultation and involvement as intense:
“It’s very hands on, a place where they can feel natural rocks and there’s plants that have smells about them, there will be a bush tucker garden soon.”

Uncle Phil went on to describe how the sensory path is part of his dream story. This means that he and other First Nations peoples can share their story and culture with the children.

“And in that way they’re connecting to the land, the animals and everything around it as well. So it’s a great learning opportunity for these children. It’s a great healing opportunity and a great way for them to be able to talk about what’s going on in their minds.
 
“As Aboriginal people, we have a wealth of knowledge that we’re just wanting to share. Hopefully we can keep this connection with local and federal governments in supporting in any way that we can creating a safer place for our wildlife and people and keeping our country healthy,” said Uncle Phil.

 

ReDISCOVER

Then there is the ReDISCOVER open ended playground. It is a space where creativity is limitless and the children are encouraged to design their own play space. It promotes physical exercise, collaboration and discovery. Fire retardant materials have been used throughout the construction and the playground has been designed to sit naturally with the surrounding landscape. 

 

ReUNITE

The final part of the project – ReUNITE - pulls together the three built components. The process of coming together has helped heal and reunite the community. Assistant Principal Julie Valentini sums it up well: 

“This entire space is all about our school and our wider community coming together to celebrate the gift of us, and the gift of discovery and renewal.”

Looking to the future

Simon Kinch says that now the sensory space is completed, he is looking to the future:

“Moving forward with this space we’ve got a whole lot of things still happening, so the next phase of the project is around education. Uncle Phil has a continuing role to support the children and our school community in terms of their local Indigenous culture and the stories of the Yuin people.” 

“Also very excitingly, we have our greenhouse where we are growing food and starting a journey with the Stephanie Alexander kitchen garden program. 

“In terms of the wider community moving forward, we’re making some connections with our grandparents and with the more elderly member of our community who are looking forward to growing things and cooking things with the children.” 

 

Community connection and the road to recovery

Principal Laurinda Nelson felt that one of the main challenges of the Black Summer bushfires was leading the staff in times of great uncertainty. She recounted feedback from the staff members’ experiences of the new spaces at the school:

“One of our teachers came up and said, ‘I’m watching my children play in ways they never have before’ and that brings us great joy. 

“And now we’re three years down the track and we still remember, but I do think we are on the track to healing. 

“We’re now waiting for the garden phase to come in next year. A place where our community can come in and work on projects from our garden to our kitchen, spreading joy through our produce with our whole community. 

“So we just feel really well supported. And the Government grant has made it possible for us to do this major project. We’re just so grateful and we’re on the road to recovery.”

 

About this project

Who:  St Mary's Star of the Sea Primary School and Milton Therapy and Learning Centre
What: The ReGROW, ReNEW, ReDISCOVER and ReUNITE project which included the construction of a range of multi-functional outdoor learning and community spaces.
Program funding: Black Summer Bushfire Recovery Program
Benefits delivered: This project has provided spaces for the school children and wider community to enjoy. It has empowered the community by addressing bushfire recovery priorities, including child mental health and wellbeing.
Project end date: The construction of the sensory space was completed in December 2022, with it being used for ongoing community engagement. 

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