2025 Environmental Grant Program Recipients Announced

Published on 31 January 2025

Six Mount Isa schools and a community organisation will share in $21,825, thanks to Round 1 of Council’s 2024/25 Environmental Grant Program.

The theme for this year’s program is recycling hub/stations. The recipients and their projects are:

• Happy Valley Community Kindergarten: $1390. The school aims to enhance sustainability in the kindergarten’s educational program. The focus is on promoting recycling practices and food waste composting. The kindergarten has already incorporated daily recycling activities into its curriculum and will now expand these efforts by engaging families to contribute food waste for composting. The project will begin with the new cohort of students in 2025.
• Good Shepherd Catholic College: $2345. The Recycling Hub/Stations project will introduce recycling practices across the school, aiming to educate students, staff, and the wider school community about the importance of recycling and sustainability. The project will be embedded into the school environment, and the team is committed to ensuring the recycling hubs become a key part of daily school routines.
• Ngukuthati Children & Family Centre: $3105. The organisation focuses on embedding environmental sustainability into daily operations and community programs at the centre. Employees will be encouraged to incorporate sustainable practices into their work routines. Additionally, environmental education will be integrated into the programs for children and families, to develop a culture of sustainability.
• Mount Isa School of the Air: $2980. The School of the Air’s project aims to introduce waste-minimisation practices, supported by the Department of Education. Students and families, particularly those residing on geographically isolated stations, are encouraged to participate in recycling and waste-reduction efforts. The project will begin in term one of the 2025 school year.
• Sunset State School: $2940. The school’s project focuses on integrating organic waste into the school’s compost system, which will be used for the Nutrition Centre Garden. They would also like to work on promoting recycling at the school. This project will not only benefit the school but also teach students how to recycle effectively at home.
• Happy Valley State School: $5000. The project aims to establish a comprehensive recycling program within the school, creating dedicated recycling hubs. The project will be overseen by a dedicated teacher and supported by a middle leader. Staff and students will receive training to ensure the hubs are used regularly and effectively integrated into the school’s daily routines.
• Barkly Highway State School P&C Association: $4065. This initiative focuses on implementing a school-wide recycling program. Students, staff, and families will learn about recycling, its importance, and how it connects to daily life. The project aims to establish a culture of recycling within the school and its broader community.

Congratulations to all of the recipients.

Speaking at the January Ordinary Meeting of Council on Wednesday, January 29, Councillor James Coghlan said last year’s Environmental Grant Program was very successful.

“Having visited the schools, the kids get really involved in this environmental stuff. I think it’s money well spent,” Cr Coghlan said.

 Council’s Environmental Grant Program is one of the projects funded by the Environmental Charge.