The School in the Bush
acquires a Farm

Bunbury Cathedral Grammar School came to life because of the vision of Bishop Ralph Hawkins, Bishop of Bunbury from 1957 to 1977. He wanted students of the South West to have access to a quality education, close to home.

The first co-educational, Anglican, Day and Boarding School to offer Primary and Secondary education in rural Australia, the School has remained at the forefront of educational excellence.

As the School embarks on its next 50 years, it is excited to announce the commencement of a School farm. Due to the generous support of a past a family, the School secured a long-term lease of a local farm. The farm will provide a unique opportunity to offer a hands-on education, with more activities, certifications and qualifications enabling students to learn practically, in an authentic environment.

Head of School, Mr Matthew O’Brien says the School has a vision for the property, that will ensure all students will benefit.

‘Our plan is to run this as working farm with programs that all students can participate in,’ he said. ‘We aim to develop full cohort cultivation/growing projects for Primary students, agricultural research and mentoring relationships for Early Secondary and courses with certifications in sustainability, land management, agribusiness and agriculture for Senior Secondary,’ Mr O’Brien stated.

Students are excited about the prospects that a working farm will provide. ‘I would like to learn about the way a farm works such as different ways of seeding, getting paddocks ready for the cows with the right nutrients in the ground,’ said Year 11 student, Phoebe.

One of the School’s goals is to have produce from the farm supply the School kitchen. ‘I have visited schools overseas, where the students grow and produce fresh produce and meat that is used to provide School meals. For our Boarding School, this will bring the philosophy of paddock to plate to life and is a unique opportunity for our students,’ Mr O’Brien concluded.

Alongside horticulture and agriculture, the farm will also have a focus on technology. ‘Many farms are now integrating new technologies into their practices,’ Mr O’Brien stated. ‘The utilisation of science and technology, how they can work to improve farm efficiencies and practices, will definitely be something that we will focus on.’

Year 8 Boarding student, Alby, who has grown up on a farm, is keen to learn more about technology as well. ‘Learning about how technology can be used to improve people’s lives on farms and to make life easier would be very beneficial.’