Students at a high school in Melbourne’s south east can now take time out in an Indigenous garden filled with plants native to the Berwick area, thanks to the support of a nearby level crossing removal project.
The dangerous and congested level crossing at Clyde Road, Berwick was removed in February this year, by building a road underpass beneath the Pakenham rail line
The Level Crossing Removal Project helped to build the new garden at Nossal High School in Berwick, with the school’s environmental club leading the development of the garden.
“This garden is a great place to socialise with your friends, and appreciate natural beauty,” Nossal High School student Rasna Preman said.
Wally Cashion, a Yorta Yorta man, was one of the many construction workers from the Clyde Road Level Crossing Removal Project who helped with the build, after the project reached out to the school as part of community engagement efforts. Wally said the garden has personal significance.
“This garden is a meeting place for the kids to sit around and transfer knowledge. And in our history, tribes gathered in meeting places, and transferred knowledge with other tribespeople or local children,” he said.
Nossal High School Facilities Manager Jason Bell said the garden was two years in the making, and since opening it has proved popular.
“There’s nothing like it … the students did a fantastic job,” Jason said.
“We also couldn’t have put it together without the level crossing removal project team. I think we’re pretty lucky to have it.”
Indigenous contractor Wamarra also lent a hand with landscaping works and donated a range of native plants.
The Clyde Road level crossing was the 12th to be removed along the Pakenham Line, with nine more to go to make it boom-gate free by 2025.