Dirt Alive! Green Day inspires the next generation of Landcarers
A region-wide environmental education event bringing over 600 students together to explore soil, sustainability, and stewardship through hands-on workshops.
Capacity building - LEP_035_LLC
The issue
Many young students grow up disconnected from the land, unaware of the critical role soil, biodiversity, and sustainable practices play in our future. With environmental pressures increasing and future generations needing to be equipped to respond, there’s an urgent need to create fun, engaging opportunities for environmental learning that spark real connection and curiosity. Teachers and schools are stretched, and opportunities for hands-on environmental education are often limited — especially in regional areas. There was a clear gap in joyful, accessible learning experiences that inspire students to become environmental stewards from a young age.
The solution
Green Day 2024 brought together over 600 students from across the region for a free, hands-on environmental education event themed "DIRT ALIVE". With workshops and guest presenters like Dirt Girl and Hannah Moloney, students explored soil health, biodiversity, sustainability, and climate resilience through art, science, storytelling, and music. The event included a special Green Day Dinner to connect adult community members, educators, and presenters in celebration of shared goals.
The impact
Students left Green Day excited, informed, and empowered — many even collecting autographs from their new environmental heroes. Teachers praised the event for complementing the curriculum and creating unforgettable experiences. Presenters showcased diverse career and life pathways, showing kids they, too, can be changemakers. The event strengthened community connections and highlighted the power of local collaboration. For some students, it was their first encounter with composting, bee hotels, or Indigenous ecological knowledge. The event's reach was vast — 20 schools, 20+ presenters, and hundreds of inspired participants — but its real impact is long-term: cultivating a new generation of landcarers.
Learnings
Green Day reaffirmed that environmental education must be fun, diverse, and immersive to truly resonate. We learned the value of storytelling and joy in learning — songs, characters, and hands-on play made complex concepts stick. Having high-profile guests helped energise both students and the community. Investing in student-led environmental learning creates ripples of positive change well beyond the event itself.
Key facts
- 600+ students attended from across the region
- Theme was “DIRT ALIVE”, celebrating soil health and biodiversity
- 20 workshops on compost, bees, worm farms, waste-to-art and more
- Guests of honour: Dirt Girl & Hannah Moloney
- Green Day Dinner united presenters and landcarers the night before