THERE is now a kitchen garden inspired by cooking icon Stephanie Alexander growing on Montague Island off Narooma.
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And the garden has been planted with heirloom vegetables and herbs, the same varieties that the lighthouse keepers would have grown and eaten one 125 years ago.
The garden was planted earlier this week by the Year 5 food technology students from St Peter’s Anglican College, who enjoyed an overnight stay on the island to complete the planting.
Montague Island Nature Reserve recently benefited from a $10,000 grant from Australian Garden History Society to restore the original food garden on the island.
The garden after decades of not being tended had fallen into disrepair, however some of the garden was still visible with some self-seeding varieties such as carrots herbs clinging to life.
The society is doing a research project on the heritage context and history of the kitchen garden on the island.
St Peter’s College at Broulee has a Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Program running, so island coordinator for NPWS Cassandra Bendixsen approached the school to raise seedlings of heritage species identified in the society plan for the reinstatement of the kitchen garden.
The Year 5 class, with their teacher Martin Staker, raised the seedlings, brought them to the island during an overnight stay, and planted out the garden.
Also along for the journey was principal Stephen Babbage who said the 22 students had a great time on the island.
The Year 5 and 6 students had been growing a range of heirloom varieties from seeds supplied by National Parks.
These included purple carrots, tomatoes, lettuces and herbs including coriander and thyme.
“There were plenty of other learning opportunities, for example research into the bird populations and breeding by penguins, shearwaters and terns,” he said.
“We also learned about the Yuin people and the cultural aspects.”
The principal said he hoped the college could remain involved with the kitchen garden and perhaps have the island visits become part of its science curriculum.