The establishment of Casey Childcare and Kindergarten’s (CCK) bush tucker garden was a community effort.
The Pakenham centre’s garden was created with the assistance of the Maryknoll Indigenous Nursery, which assisted in the choosing of the plants.
CCK’s children and their parents also lent a hand to the project through a working bee to create the garden and yarning circle.
To coincide with the garden’s establishment, Indigenous leader Aunty Arora took the children on an adventure of discovery.
She taught the children to use Indigenous plants to wash their hands and as a food source and led storytelling and a musical session.
Centre manager Debbie Porter said CCK had since introduced the Boonwurrung welcome greeting of Wominjeka into its daily practices, had made visiting the garden and yarning circle a regular inclusion in the daily curriculum, and had staff attend further professional development sessions.
“Casey Childcare and Kindergarten has a strong commitment to embedding Indigenous culture into the service as we seek to honour and celebrate our first peoples,” Ms Porter said.
