By Pam Kiriakidis
Kilmore Primary School students participated in National Tree Day on Friday to improve the new walking track at Kilmore Racecourse and Recreational Reserve.
A joint initiative between NorCen Financial Services – the company behind the Bendigo Bank branches at Wallan, Kilmore and Broadford, Kilmore Toyota and Kilmore Racecourse Reserve Trustees supported students from foundation to grade six to plant 250 native trees behind the track.
NorCen provided a grant of $100,000 to Kilmore Racecourse Reserve Trustees in June.
The three-kilometre track provides runners, athletes and other users a place to exercise and enjoy the green scenery.
Kilmore Racecourse and Recreation Reserve Trustees chairman Danny Laws said students planting trees was another exciting step for the track, considering it had been a work in progress.
“I am hoping one day that those kids will walk their kids on that track, and they can go past and say we planted these trees – that’s what we hope our reserve will get to,” he said.
Bendigo Bank chairman David Wheeler said starting two days earlier than the annual day was jump-starting the planting process, allowing students to be involved and learn about nature.
“We are getting national tree day two days early, the main reason for that is because we want to involve the kids in the actual tree planting process,” Mr Wheeler said.
He said the recent trees planted would support the area’s future and help maintain wildlife.
“The reason for the tree planting is to encourage wildlife in the area, obviously the trees are fairly small at this stage, but over future years we hope they will grow up and provide a pristine environment for local wildlife,” he said.
Kilmore Toyota, a promoter of National Tree Day, invited primary school students, and sponsored the event to provide the necessary plants and tools to help the environment progress.
Kimore Toyota dealer principal Adam Dove said watching the community come together was incredible, and hoped they would be able to watch the trees grow over the next 10 years.
“It’s really good to have the five communities and businesses here planting some trees to help the reserve moving forward, and hopefully it will be here in 10 years’ time. It would be really cool to see everything that we did today,” he said.
Kilmore Primary School well-being program worker Richie Boyer saw how excited the students were to be involved and plant the trees for the track.
“It’s a great opportunity to get the children outside the classroom, learning in a different environment, giving back to nature and the environment,” he said.
“Giving back to the community is such an amazing thing, once these plants grow and get bigger, they can walk down this part and be able to see that.”
