Colac Otway Shire Council has secured a grant to transform over 1.5 acres of underutilised land at Colac Secondary College into a thriving regenerative community farm.
Council has welcomed the $762,450 grant from VicHealth's Local Partnerships for Food First, to establish the farm which will supply food, educate and connect the community for generations to come, using the innovative Farm My School model.
This groundbreaking partnership unites Colac Otway Shire Council, Colac Secondary College, Colac Area Health, and the award-winning Farm My School organisation as lead partners, supported by an extensive network of implementation partners and the broader community.
Mayor Jason Schram said Council welcomed the VicHealth funding to support the community's health, wellbeing and resilience.
"With the cost of living continuing to put pressure on local families, this initiative comes at a great time," Cr Schram said.
"It's about making fresh, healthy food more accessible and affordable for households in Colac Otway," he said.
Colac Secondary College Principal, Skye Bannan said there will be enhanced applied learning opportunities for students across the curriculum, not only for Colac Secondary College but also for a wide number of schools in the region.
"Colac Secondary College is excited about growing opportunities for our students to actively learn about healthy food production, and to develop the skills to harvest and process fresh food into tasty meals - a true farm-to-table experience that will be affordable and accessible for our school community," Ms Bannan said.
"This project will also have a transformative effect for students pursuing further education in a number of streams, around waste management, soil regeneration, bio-chemistry, art and photography, among others."
Colac Area Health's Health Promotion Coordinator, Emily Alston said the health service is excited to be part of the partnership.
"With 12.1% of residents in the Shire experiencing anxiety about running out of money to buy food; a figure higher than the state average, this grant and community-led approach are both timely and necessary."
The Victorian Population Health Survey 2023 shows only 3.9 per cent of adults in Colac Otway met fruit and vegetable consumption guidelines and 58.1 per cent of she shire's adults were overweight.
Farm My School CEO and Co-Founder, James McLennan said that following the success of Farm My School's pilot program at Bellarine Secondary College at the Drysdale campus, the Colac site is set to become a productive space for the entire community to enjoy and benefit extensively from.
"Inspired by a vision of a healthier future for our communities and planet, we're redefining how farming and food production can shape education, inspire, and foster stronger connections within communities," said Mr. McLennan.
"Thanks to VicHealth, we're bringing meaningful change to another community and we're expanding on our goal to help young people grow real food, develop real skills, and build real connection with community and Country."
Farm My School, as a not-for-profit organisation, collaborates with schools to transform their underutilised grounds into regenerative farms that nourish, educate and connect communities.
An extensive community engagement program will be rolled out in the coming months, with all partners excited to make the project inclusive and accessible for the whole community.
