Just minutes from Adelaide’s CBD, Brownhill Creek is more than a waterway, it’s a living classroom, a biodiversity hotspot, and a place where community, culture, and conservation come together.
We have been connecting school groups, community groups, and First Nations groups in the area for many years, to care for this valuable area.
Read on to find out 6 ways we’re helping to revitalise Brownhill Creek and how you can get involved.
- Brownhill Creek education and revegetation program
For almost 10 years we have supported schools in the Brownhill Creek Education and Revegetation Program to care for their patch of Brownhill Creek.
Seven local schools are involved in the program:
- Urrbrae Agricultural High School
- Scotch College
- Mercedes College
- Mitcham Primary School
- Mitcham Girls High School
- St Joseph’s School Kingswood
- Highgate Primary School (joined in 2024)
Each school is designated their own section of Brownhill Creek to be stewards for.
The main purpose of the program is to connect schools with their local community and waterway to foster real learning outcomes for the students whilst also boosting Brownhill Creek’s biodiversity value.
This program culminates in a large celebration towards the end of each year. The Environmental Action Day encompasses our staff, representatives from the Brownhill Creek Association and other organisations and student leaders, running workshops throughout the day.
The event is a fantastic example of sharing information as then the students attending the day will bring back what they learnt to train classes at their school in how to look after their patch of the creek. This year’s Environmental Action Day is coming up on 24 October.
2. School support
Even if your school doesn’t have their own patch at Brownhill Creek, like our schools listed above, we want you to connect with the park! For teachers, we often run professional development days and student led workshops. For example, we are working with Year 4 students from Mercedes College on water sustainability and living things and First Nation practices, giving a holistic approach to the river.
Interested in getting involved? Even if Brownhill Creek isn’t the right place for your school, you can sign up to become a Sustainable School to help teach your students about the natural world.
3. Community Service
Brownhill Creek is a fantastic hub for the local community, and we are proud to facilitate this connection by linking our associated member schools and the Brownhill Creek Association with interested community members. Examples of activities undertaken by community members include weeding and revegetation activities. Recently a group of 10 environmentally focused dads and their son’s undertook mulch spreading at a revegetation site (that is, a site where we had recently popped in some new plants) during the school holidays.
4. Grassroots Grants
Through or Grassroots Grants program we have been able to fund great projects that contribute to Brownhill Creek.
- Scotch College with 4 grants at their Grey Box Grassy Woodland Live Well site
- Brownhill Creek Association with the Kaurna shelter tree project at least 2 grants
- Adelaide Uni with a community bandicoot project
- Adelaide Uni revegetation project to support the golden pea bee
Have an idea for an environmental project around Brownhill Creek, or your own patch? Learn more about our Grassroots Grants program.
5. Kaurna Connection
We’re proud to support Kaurna-led initiatives at Brownhill Creek, including Welcome to Country ceremonies and cultural education. A significant highlight has been protecting a 450-year-old Kaurna shelter tree, now used as a powerful teaching tool about cultural landcare.
6. Community Yabby Monitoring
Earlier in the year, families joined us for community yabby monitoring. This involved catching, tagging, and releasing yabbies while learning about their role in the ecosystem. It’s science, fun, and environmental stewardship all rolled into one.
To find out how you can be involved in projects at Brownhill Creek, getting in touch on our Sustainable Schools Page.