OUR TESTIMONIALS

Observatory Hill EEC, NSW

Observatory Hill Environmental Education Centre (a specialised school within the Department of Education) has worked with Planting Seed’s B&B Highway project for many years. This sustainability initiative aims to make our cities sanctuaries for people and pollinators.

The project provides strong links to many K-10 syllabus outcomes, particularly Science, Geography and the Sustainability Cross Curriculum Priority. The S2 Science and Technology syllabus for example, in the topic of Living Things, describes how living things depend on each other and specifically lists bees and flowers.

The project involves retrofitting existing school gardens to increase biodiversity and the establishment of a school native stingless beehive.
Students involved in the project learnt about the importance of pollinator species through a series of incursion science lesson and engaging hands-on activities. They also took part in an ongoing citizen science project by monitoring the school’s native bee (and other pollinator) populations, thereby contributing to a state-wide pollinator data base.

Observatory Hill EEC partnered with Planting Seeds, through the B&B Highway Project, to deliver the program at Crown St PS, Darlinghurst PS, Glenmore Rd PS, Newtown Nth PS and Paddington PS. Teacher and student feedback was overwhelmingly positive. I thoroughly recommend the B&B Highway Project as an excellent way to inspire and teach student about the importance of pollinators in our everyday lives.

A W Edwards Australia

I am writing to express my sincere appreciation for the invaluable partnership between A W Edwards and the PlantingSeeds organisation, specifically their B&B Highway program. Our collaboration with PlantingSeeds has been nothing short of transformative, fostering an environment of learning, sustainability, and community engagement within our organisation.

A W Edwards has long been committed to environmental conservation and sustainable practices. Our engagement with PlantingSeeds and its B&B Highway program has significantly enhanced our efforts in this regard.

The PlantingSeeds team's have given our team invaluable knowledge and skills that are not only essential for our industry but will also make a positive impact on the environment. The B&B Highway program has enabled our staff to understand the intricate balance of nature, the significance of regeneration, and the power of citizen science.

The impact of this collaboration is evident in our team's heightened awareness of environmental issues and their proactive involvement in community projects related to biodiversity conservation. PlantingSeeds' innovative approach to education has inspired our staff, creating a ripple effect of positive change both within our organisation and in the communities we serve.

We are grateful to PlantingSeeds for their unwavering support, guidance and dedication to environmental education which aligns with A W Edwards' values, and together, we are sowing the seeds of knowledge, sustainability, and community enrichment.

I wholeheartedly recommend PlantingSeeds and their B&B Highway program to any organisation seeking to make a meaningful difference in the world while nurturing the skills and passion of their staff.

Catherine McAuley College, VIC

Last week our VCE Environmental Science students were able to put theory into practice, joining forces with the PlantingSeeds B&B Highway program. This had students planting native pollinators and building solitary bee homes in a previously sparse area of the St Mary’s Campus of Catherine McAuley College Bendigo. Through this initiative, students learned about biodiversity, habitat regeneration and native urban pollinator corridors.

On behalf of the College, we thank the presenters Tyler and Rachel, who were informative and inspiring for our students. This hands-on experience beautifully aligned with our Environmental Science curriculum, particularly in the area of ‘Managing Food and Water Security’, while also reinforcing our school’s commitment to sustainability through our reGEN program.

Telopea Public School, NSW

The B&B Highway program was a huge success at our school. In the weeks after our last B&B Highway lesson, our Stage 3 students are still observing and discussing pollinators and habitats. They are continuing to nurture their native plants and putting into action all of the learning that took place over the 4 lessons. All lessons were informative, interesting and interactive, ensuring that students were engaged - and they were! We didn’t want lessons to end! Thank you for sharing your knowledge with us Nicole, Ella and Emily!

I am a classroom teacher at Telopea Public School with a special interest in gardening. I have been the specialist gardening teacher, looking after the Edible Garden for 2 years and running weekly lessons for students from Stage 1 to Stage 3. Students really enjoy being in the garden helping to grow fruits and vegetables and surprisingly the most requested activity is weeding! Gardening is definitely the highlight of their week! We learn about composting, worm farming, soil health, seasonal produce, ecosystems and sustainability. I personally would like to learn more about Indigenous plants, especially Bush Tucker and hope to include a native edible garden in our garden space for our students to learn about and appreciate. Thank you to PlantingSeeds for sparking an interest in native plants and pollinators, not only for our students, but for me as well!

CSIRO’s Atlas of Living Australia

The Planting Seeds Projects foster environmental sustainability and biodiversity in the peri-urban and urban environment. Planting Seeds aims to protect and enhance the natural environment by engaging people in urban and peri-urban settings to plant and augment native vegetation that supports endangered pollinators, sustainability and biodiversity. Their flagship project, the B&B Highway aims to create habitat, record biodiversity and encourage sustainability within regenerated ecosystems.

As such, there is good alignment between the goals and vision of both the ALA and Planting Seeds as we work towards improved environmental outcomes in Australia. The ALA is pleased to be a part of the expanding B&B Highway Program as it develops its citizen science initiatives. We have been supporting the Program through provision of best practice advice, communication and promotion, and ensuring all data collected by the Program is accessible via the ALA through our partnership with iNaturalist.

City of Whittlesea Council, VIC

The City of Whittlesea engaged with the PlantingSeeds Projects organisation to implement the B&B Highway project.

The implementation of the B&B Highway education sessions and practical applications was very successful with participating schools such as Mill Park Heights and St Monica’s. The educational and practical program is backed by solid research, effective management and highly skilled staff.

Judy, Nicole, Tyler and the team were able to deliver highly professional and informative sessions and the practical applications with the students such as plantings, habitat construction and citizen science were enthusiastically appreciated by the students.
The project is highly applicable to the ResourceSmart Biodiversity components and the schools were able to fulfil many of the environmental and sustainability objectives they aim for.

Beauty Point Public School, NSW

The B&B Highway program made a fantastic connection for students. We thought the program was highly effective and a valuable learning experience for the students. I think it is an essential program to connect urban dwellers to their natural world and have them assess their personal choices and contributions.

Truscott Street Public School, NSW

Providing B&Bs ensures there will be sanctuaries in every town. Educating to be aware of the biodiversity issue and encouraging understandings and care makes people more likely to value and protect biodiversity.

Kegworth Public School, NSW

By introducing the students to natural environments through the B&B Highway, it feels as though we are participating in genuine and important research as well as supporting fundamental ecosystems in our grounds. In turn, this benefits the community.

St Monica’s School, VIC

The B&B Highway project was due to start at our school in Melbourne just as we went into lockdown number 6. However Judy, Nicole and the team were still able to deliver fabulous and engaging sessions remotely. A theory session was delivered through Zoom and students were introduced to a variety of different pollinators that exist. Specific links were made to the area of Melbourne we are in.

Students were then set a practical task of going outside and investigating what pollinators exist in their own back yard. This project is really encouraging our Year 11 VCAL students to apply what they are learning in the classroom in the great outdoors.

Mt Druitt Ethnic Communities Agencies, NSW

Planting Seeds is an organisation committed to fostering environmental sustainability and biodiversity within communities. As a closely collaborating partner, MECA has observed their unwavering dedication to preserving and enriching the natural environment while engaging a diverse range of community members, including locals, refugees, migrants, and youth.

At the core of their endeavours stands the B&B Highway, a flagship program designed to educate students in citizen science, elevating scientific literacy, and encouraging community involvement in environmental initiatives. Collaboratively, MECA and Planting Seeds have successfully orchestrated engaging school holiday activities. Their combined efforts have not only equipped refugee and migrant students with fundamental skills but have also generated palpable, positive impacts in nurturing environmental awareness and fostering a sense of belonging in their new environment.

Ngarala Public School, NSW

Students at Ngarala Public School enjoyed a fantastic incursion with Planting Seeds’ B&B Highway. The highly engaging, hands on session was run by friendly and incredibly knowledgeable staff who enjoyed the day as much as the children! Being able to dig, build, get their hands dirty, collaborate and have fun were highlights for our children. The enthusiasm and learning continued well past this incursion day as the children were committed to watching their plants grow and thrive as they watered and measured plants. We would love to have Planting Seeds’ B&B Highway back with us again in the future.

Como West Public School, NSW

Our school had an outstanding experience with the B&B Highway program. From the start, their team exhibited extraordinary communication skills and proved to be extremely flexible in meeting our school's needs.

Nicole, played a pivotal role in guiding us through the entire process. Her helpfulness and extensive knowledge were evident at every step, and she effortlessly answered any questions or concerns we had. Nicole's dedication to ensuring that our school had a successful program was truly commendable.

The highlight of our association with the B&B Highway program was undoubtedly the various rotations that our students were able to participate in. These rotations provided an unparalleled opportunity for our students to learn and engage with a wide range of activities. The students' enthusiasm was palpable as they eagerly absorbed the knowledge and experiences presented to them.

The buzz of excitement among the students with the bee hive arrival was infectious as they eagerly showed their parents, grandparents, and siblings this amazing addition to our school. Witnessing this level of eagerness to learn more about Australian native bees was truly heartwarming and a testament to the impact the B&B Highway program had on our students.

Overall, our experience with the B&B Highway program has been nothing short of exceptional. Their team, especially Nicole, went above and beyond to create a memorable and impactful learning experience for our students. We are beyond grateful for their commitment, flexibility, and unwavering support. We highly recommend the B&B Highway program to any school looking for an enriching educational experience.

Bringelly Public School, NSW

Students loved the hands on approach of making a bee house made from clay/sand. Students enjoyed the Pollinators search and find around our very own playground. The introduction discussion and slides were informative - especially learning about all the Australian Bees and other animals that are pollinators we didn't even know about! Also what our food production would look like without pollinators!

Strathpine State School, QLD

Nicole and her team spent two afternoons with our year 4 students and the entire experience was engaging, hands on and inspired our students to care for and understand the importance of pollinators and the diversity of native plants. Teachers reported that Nicole and her team shared their deep expertise and passion towards biodiversity and sustainable practice, which encouraged our students to ask insightful questions and gave them the tools and created awareness. Students absolutely loved planting and constructing habitats for the bees out of mud!

From an organisational point of view, the B&B Highway team communicated well with the school prior to the visit and pre ordered supplies, making it a stress-free incursion.

Thank you to the PlantingSeeds’ team for empowering our students by creating a hands on, practical, knowledge rich experience.

Our Lady of Mercy College, NSW

We engaged with Nicole who came to our school to lead us through the B&B Highway process. She was extremely well organised and passionate about the roll of pollinators in our local community and kept the students engaged with information and activities.
It was wonderful to see the students engage first hand with learning about local plants, looking for pollinators in the school community, and also making their own clay homes which we have very proudly displayed.
The sessions were held after school and were well attended by a dedicated group of students who loved each new experience and opportunity.

Erskineville Public School, NSW

The B&B Highway has been such a positive part of our environment and sustainability at school. The learning experiences for our students were informative and they have been inspired by all that they learnt. Nicole and Ella were so engaging and full of interesting facts that held the children's interest and motivated them throughout the sessions. The resources that were provided supported the student's understanding around pollinators and biodiversity and gave them opportunities to practise their observational and data collection skills to become true citizen scientists. The hands-on planting and hive creation experiences were loved by all the students and, with the encouragement from Nicole and Ella, they have been so responsible with the continued care of their new plants. We are so pleased to be officially part of the B&B Highway!

Marayong Heights Public School, NSW

We wanted to thank you and your amazing team for bringing the B&B Highway program to Marayong Heights Public School. This amazing program has added an extra layer to our sustainability plan for our school. The incursion was enjoyed by all students and teachers involved, as the information about urban and peri-urban regeneration and how to reverse the declination of vital pollinators was informative but was also balanced with equally engaging practical activities such as the creation of bee home and the set-up of garden beds. This program has already made a great impact to our school environment by the increase of pollinators seen.

Melody YR 3 “I’m going to be careful of bees and butterflies because they are really important
Manraj Yr 4 “It was awesome finding all the bugs and creatures in our playground. “
Grace, YR 6 “I enjoyed making the bee homes out of clay, as it will help the bees.”
Flynn YR 6“It was fun planting all those plants to invite butterflies and bees.”
Miss Timbang “This program has made learning about the environment fun and engaging!”
Mr Rodas "The iNaturalist website is such an amazing resources, which can be used in multiple key learning areas, such as science, mathematics, English etc. "

Mowbray Place ELC, NSW

Participating in the B&B Highway program has been an incredibly rewarding experience for our preschool class. The children were fully engaged and absolutely loved every part of the program – from exploring native plants to learning about the importance of bees and other pollinators in our environment.
The program has not only helped us to explore environmental stewardship and citizen science more deeply into our curriculum, but it has also inspired meaningful, ongoing conversations about caring for the world around us. We've seen the children develop a real sense of responsibility and curiosity about nature, and they’ve carried this awareness into their everyday play and learning.
For educators, the impact has been equally powerful. The program has given us greater confidence and understanding of how to both improve and maintain biodiversity in our playground. We've come away with practical knowledge about why biodiversity matters and how small changes can make a big difference. These lessons have helped shape our ongoing planning and have become a valued part of our teaching philosophy.
We are so grateful for the opportunity to be part of the B&B Highway program and would highly recommend it to any early childhood setting wanting to foster a deeper connection to the natural world and a genuine sense of environmental responsibility in young learners.

Penrith Christian School, NSW

The team from B & B highway were fantastic. They knew the science of biodiversity and the needs of pollinators in our area, yet they communicated it very clearly to the Year 3 and 4 students. Each presenter clearly explained what the students were to do – build, plant or observe, and then assisted them to see beyond the obvious by discussing carefully what was going on, and how their knowledge can improve our school and community for the living creatures and the environment.
Our school benefitted from not only the experience of the education team, but also received plants, mulch, the blue-banded beehives the students constructed as part of the day, and also some bird boxes for our school site free of charge. We really appreciate not only the program but also the education provided to help our students become more sustainable, environmentally aware citizens.

Our Lady of Nativity Lawson, NSW

Our recent gardening day was an outstanding experience for our students and staff. The program provided rich, hands-on learning about biodiversity, planting, pollination, and the natural world, all delivered in a highly engaging and professional manner. The activities inspired a deep appreciation for creation and the environment.
The team—led by Nicole alongside Ella and Wendy—was exceptional. Their enthusiasm, knowledge, and seamless coordination kept the children engaged and excited throughout the entire day. It was a joy to see the students participating so eagerly.
We are thrilled with the new plants in the garden, which will continue to grow as a reminder of this meaningful day. We are truly grateful for the passion and care that went into making the event such a success.
Thank you B & B Highway!

Holsworthy Public School, NSW

I was very proud to be a teacher today as I saw the students so engaged in what you were teaching. Your passion shone through and, my goodness, the knowledge you all shared! The kids were so lucky to have this opportunity and I wanted to thank you so very much.

Elanora Preschool, NSW

The hands-on experiences with Nicole were fantastic! Learning about pollinators and plants, collecting data, and creating habitats was engaging and educational. Nicole's knowledge and warmth made each session enriching, and the children eagerly anticipated the weekly four-part series. A truly inspiring and educational program for all involved!
Some of the children's comments
I loved planting the plants and watering them, they are growing tall.
I liked making the beehive: making the pancakes, adding the sand and poking the clay into the pots.
I learnt there are lots of different types of bees.

Five Dock Public School, NSW

Dear B & B Highway,
I would like to take this opportunity to thank Nicole and Kate from Planting Seeds B & B Highway Program who recently delivered their Biodiversity program at Five Dock Public School.
Nicole and Kate’s knowledge of biodiversity allowed them to deliver a workshop that
engaged all sixty of our Garden Club and Koori Club students for half a day. The program was professionally delivered whilst allowing for spontaneous student interaction with the aid of an interactive slide show, activity resources, and natural artefacts.
The B & B Highway program perfectly complimented our gardening program by drawing attention to the importance of attracting pollinators to our garden and supporting biodiversity through the creation of insect corridors through our community. Our students are now on the lookout for pollinators in their home gardens and on their walk to school.
The B & B Highway program has had an instant and profound effect on our student’s scientific interest and further bolstered our connection to the land and the ecosystem that sustains us all.
Thanks to the B & B program, FDPS is now looking forward to broadening our garden program to make sustainability the subject for today.

Wahroonga Adventist School, NSW

We are incredibly grateful to B&B Highway for their generous donation of 60 native plants and bird habitat to Wahroonga Adventist School. This gift allowed our Year 6 students to engage in both indoor and outdoor learning about plants, pollinators, habitats, and citizen science. B&B Highway’s contribution not only enriched our students’ learning but also had a lasting positive impact on our school’s environment, fostering a deeper connection to nature and sustainability.

Marrickville Public School, NSW

We were fortunate enough to engage with the B&B program in 2024 and 2025. Several groups of students were involved in the planting and information sessions, from Stage 2 classes to our specific Deadly Legends group (First Nations students from K-6). Our students enjoyed learning about the importance of pollinators and how to care for Country. The team supported our local Elder, Uncle Terry, as he described how First Nations people traditionally used native plants for food, medicine and weaving. The sessions were enjoyable and the staff were knowledgeable and engaging.

Doonside Public School, NSW

The B&B incursion was an incredibly inclusive, friendly, and interactive experience for our Stage 2 students. From the moment it began, the facilitators created a welcoming environment where every child felt valued and engaged. The activities were thoughtfully designed to encourage participation from all students, allowing them to collaborate, explore, and learn in a supportive setting. The interactive elements truly brought the content to life, sparking curiosity and enthusiasm throughout the session. It was wonderful to see students working together so comfortably and confidently, which reflects the inclusive and respectful atmosphere fostered by the incursion. Overall, it was a memorable and enriching experience that our students thoroughly enjoyed and benefited from.

Kensington Public School, NSW

The students:
"This is the most awesome day"
"I love plants"
"I'm going to tell my parents to do everything we did today"
"Can you please come back again every day?"

Teachers expressed how impressed they were with the clear connections students could make between the learnings and skills and how easily the content and activities could tie into various curriculums. The teachers are excited to continue the learning and implementation next year asking for multiple bird and possum boxes to install around the school.