Growth with purpose

The Growth with Purpose project involves engaging in activities such as tree planting on the Bathurst campus. The project aims to restore habitats for threatened species, significantly enhance mental health by fostering a connection to nature, provide a sense of purpose, and promote physical activity.

Restoration efforts like these are vital for regenerating biodiversity and maintaining ecological balance, as they support the survival of critically endangered species such as the Regent Honeyeater and the Bathurst Copper Butterfly.

By contributing to these projects, individuals not only help preserve unique ecosystems but also experience personal well-being through meaningful community engagement and the therapeutic benefits of working alongside others.

Firstly, we engaged in the Tree Planting Day on Charles Sturt Bathurst campus. Some key details on the event:

  • 10am Tuesday 18 September on Bathurst campus
  • 23 volunteers enlisted to help
  • 170 stock tubes planted:
      • 20 x Blakely's Eucalyptus
      • 20 x Yellow Box
      • 20 x Hedge Wattle
      • 20 x Hopbush
      • 40 x Acacia Dealbata
      • 10 x Hardenbergia
      • 10 x Dianella
      • 10 x Poa Tussock
      • 20 x Lomandra
  • Held a BBQ for the volunteers and shared experiences at the end of the planting session

Secondly, there will be an education piece around mental health and safe spaces in nature which will include plaques at key areas on Bathurst campus.

We want to sincerely thank our partners who participated in the project and supported our students throughout their internship.

A huge thank you to:

  • Benjamin Heard representing Sustainability Charles Sturt
  • Corey Won representing Lyka Pet Food
  • Howard Nielsen representing Green Street
  • Julie Fairley representing IBM
  • James Sherley representing IBM
  • Meg Cossar representing Wild Mountains
  • Zoe Rodwell representing Sustainability Charles Sturt

This project has been funded under the National Priorities Industry Linkage Fund (NPILF).

The internship team Brianna Winner and Edward Pratt are both studying a Bachelor of Arts at Charles Sturt and have commended this project in allowing them to merge a passion for nature and practical experience.

Take a walk around Bathurst campus and find the signs. Click on the hot spots above for ideas on different mindfulness activities in the highlighted areas.

Further resources

For more information about biodiversity beyond the Bathurst region, please use the links below.

Charles Sturt Sustainability, which is dedicated to fostering a sustainable future aligned with the University’s core policy objectives, as outlined in the  Sustainability Statement and relevant to the current University Strategy.

Green Fleet, an environmental not-for-profit organisation established over 25 years ago, which focuses on climate action by planting native biodiverse forests in Australia and New Zealand to capture carbon emissions.

Miriam Rose Foundation, founded by the esteemed Aboriginal Artist and Educator Miriam Rose Ungunmerr Baumann, who, as the first fully qualified Aboriginal teacher in the Northern Territory and a 2021 Senior Australian of the Year, is committed to creating promising futures for Aboriginal children and youth while being proficient in five local languages as well as English.