Cawarral State School helps celebrate 20 years of the Reef Guardian School Program!
This year the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority is celebrating 20 outstanding years of the Reef Guardian School Program.
As a Reef Guardian School, Cawarral State School will be running eco-friendly programs to encourage study and investigation of environmental impacts and empower students to advocate and take action to protect the Reef.
Livingstone Shire Council is one of 19 councils in the Reef Guardian Councils program, a collaborative stewardship arrangement between local governments in the Great Barrier Reef catchment and the Reef Authority.
Reef Guardian champion, Councillor Rhodes Watson, said as a Reef Guardian Council Livingstone Shire has supported local Reef Guardian Schools by providing information and education on a number of sustainability topics, programs and projects.
“Council has shown its support for specific environmental and sustainability projects and initiatives at schools in recent years, providing continued promotion of, and advocacy for, school activities which ultimately lead to reef protection,” Councillor Watson said.
“As a local government alliance working to reduce land-based impacts on the Great Barrier Reef through collaboration, education and targeted action, we applaud the efforts of Cawarral State School in educating and empowering future stewards of the Great Barrier Reef.”
Principal Bryce Morrice said students were becoming increasingly aware and passionate about protecting the reef now and for future generations.
“There are so many talented young future eco leaders out there and it’s great to be able to support them through the Reef Authority’s Reef Guardian School program,” Principal Morrice said.
“Over the past few years some of our initiatives have included soft plastic collection and recycling, upcycling materials to use in classrooms, the creation of a Nature Rangers club at school and a task for our senior’s design technology class to create a buffer between our drains to stop rubbish but allow water to pass through.
“Cawarral State School is proud to continue its commitment as a Reef Guardian School.
We are committed to ensuring the awareness and protection of our reef and the animals that live within it. We encourage everyone to do their part for this generation and the ones that follow.”
Portfolio holder Water, Waste Management and the Environment, Councillor Andrea Friend said this was a timely reminder to avoid littering and to take your waste home with you, or find the nearest bin.
“Without doubt, all litter will eventually find its way into our creeks and inlets that flow into our world heritage Southern Great Barrier Reef. Let us all preserve this heritage site for generations to come,” Cr Friend said.
Other schools in the Shire that are also doing great work to help support the reef include:
- Byfield State School
- Emu Park State School
- Farnborough State School
- Keppel Sands State School
- Sacred Heart Primary School
- St Benedict’s Catholic Primary
- St Brendan’s College
- St Lawrence State School
- Taranganba State School
- Yeppoon State High School
- Yeppoon State School
As a Reef Guardian Council, Livingstone Shire Council proudly recognises their local Reef Guardian Schools for their continued participation in the program into 2023 with a collective mission to:
• CARE for the Reef and foster a sense of shared responsibility;
• LEARN to increase knowledge and understanding about the Reefs values, how it is managed and the threats to its future;
• ACT for environmental sustainability and appreciate that all actions collectively matter;
• SHARE learnings with others to encourage wider positive influence, and act as;
• STEWARDS of the Reef, to build Reef resilience for future generations.
For more information on the Reef Guardian School Program, visit https://www2.gbrmpa.gov.au/our-work/programs-and-projects/reef-guardian-schools