On a winter day that more closely resembled Autumn, a group of Girl Guides were given the opportunity to participate in an event filled with a wide range of engaging activities aimed to encourage a respect for nature while providing a platform for learning, exploration, and friendship.

The Guides planted 200 trees as part of the ‘Planting Trees for The Queen’s Jubilee’ program, an initiative of the Australian Government.  This significant activity was one of hundreds of community-based tree planting events held across the country to mark 70 years of service by Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II. This unique program was funded by the Australian Government with objectives to increase community awareness of the Platinum Jubilee, create a nation-wide legacy of tree plantings and increase the area of tree canopy.  Similar initiatives also took place in other Commonwealth countries to mark The Queen’s Jubilee.

The girls also participated in a variety of activities that included hands-on projects to create their own bird feeders and bee hotels for use in their backyards. They explored the bushland in an observation game, searching for hidden “animals”,  decorated their own sit-upons, and personalised nature-bash bags with the colours from fallen leaves. They even painted a floral mural on a plain building wall, leaving a lasting mark of their special day.