Working Bee #77 at St Joseph’s School Onehunga was a little different from many of our working bees. This wasn’t about starting from scratch. It was about breathing new life into a space that was already there and helping the school unlock the potential that had been sitting right outside the classroom door.
Funded by the Maungakiekie-Tāmaki Local Board and supported by an incredible team of volunteers from Oyster Property Group, the day focused on restoring and revitalising St Joseph’s existing outdoor classroom. The raised garden beds had served the school well over the years, but like any garden, they needed a bit of care and attention to get them thriving again.
The transformation was remarkable. Volunteers rolled up their sleeves to clear weeds, refresh the growing spaces and fill the beds with fresh Daltons garden mix. By lunchtime, what had been overgrown and underused was already starting to look like a productive garden once again. By the end of the day, seedlings were in the ground and the space felt ready for a new chapter.
What made the day special wasn’t the soil or the seedlings though. It was the students. From the moment the work started, tamariki were right in the middle of it all, learning alongside volunteers, planting vegetables, asking questions and getting their hands dirty. The sense of ownership was obvious. This wasn’t something being done for them. It was something being created with them.
That’s one of the things we love most about these restoration projects. Sometimes the biggest impact doesn’t come from building something new. Sometimes it comes from helping a school rediscover a space they already have. Thanks to the support of the Maungakiekie-Tāmaki Local Board, Oyster Property Group, Daltons and the St Joseph’s community, this outdoor classroom is once again ready to grow food, grow confidence and grow connections for years to come.
